The big engines come with big fuel bills – don’t expect any much more than 21mpg from the R500 V8 and 25mpg from the R350 V8. The R320 CDI diesel fares better, returning just over 30mpg which is acceptable for a car of this size while the 280 CDI averages 32mpg. Mercedes-Benz dealer servicing is notoriously expensive and parts aren’t cheap either.

The R-Class is polluting model. With an average of 277g/km CO2 across the line-up, its emissions are high for a people carrier. Changes in October 2008 brought this down to 258g/km of CO2, thanks to the introduction of the 280 CDI model. This emits 235g/km of CO2 (in SE trim) and averages 32mpg.

Although there have been some concerns over quality in recent years, Mercedes seems to be on track with the R-Class. The interior is impressively trimmed and it uses well-proven engines and technology (such as 4MATIC four-wheel-drive), however there have been a few recalls.