The 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class is an unusual vehicle. It combines aspects of other vehicles without becoming one of them. It looks like a very large station wagon, with four conventional opening doors and a top-hinged one-piece tailgate, but it’s not a traditional wagon.
It has permanent, computer-controlled all-wheel drive, but it’s not an SUV. It has three rows of two bucket seats, kind of like a minivan, but it’s not a minivan. It’s a brand-new entry in a class the company calls grand sports touring, and there’s nothing else quite like it on the market today.