When the Mercedes-Benz M-Class first debuted for 1998, it was not only one of the first luxury SUVs on the market, but it was the first vehicle to tarnish the German automaker's reputation for relentlessly exact engineering. Americans bought the M-Class in big numbers, mainly because it was a sport-utility with a large three-pointed star sitting in the middle of the grille. Nevermind that its steeply sloped hood, rakish windshield, and bland bodywork made it look more like a mommy-mobile minivan than a rough-and-tumble SUV. Forget about the slipshod quality coming out of the brand-new assembly plant that was bolting the M-Class together down in Alabama. This was one of those hot new SUVs that few people needed but everyone was buying, but beyond that, this was a Benz, baby.

Eight years later, the once popular M-Class is an also ran in a field of luxury SUVs that seemingly grows every day. But now, with the introduction of the completely redesigned 2006 M-Class. Mercedes is a competitor once again. The new 2006 M-Class features two new engines, a seven-speed automatic transmission, a technologically advanced four-wheel-drive system, and a full complement of standard safety features in addition to the luxury accoutrements that have built the company's reputation.