2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class

midsize luxury SUV / 4-door SUV

2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class 4-door SUV
1999 Mercedes M class shown

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Moderate overlap front: original test

Key

  • G
    Good
  • A
    Acceptable
  • M
    Marginal
  • P
    Poor
  • Superior
  • Advanced
  • Basic

Some ratings use a scale of Poor to Good. Others range from Basic to Superior.

Moderate overlap front: original test

Rating applies to 1999-2005 models built after March 1999

Tested vehicle: 1999 Mercedes-Benz ML 320 4-door 4wd

The Mercedes M class was introduced in the 1998 model year. All M class models manufactured after March 1999 include structural changes to improve occupant protection in frontal crashes (note: information about when a specific vehicle was manufactured is on the certification label typically affixed to the car on or near the driver door).

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has evaluated the crashworthiness of a 1999 ML 320 with the structural changes in a 40 mph frontal offset crash test into a deformable barrier.

A redesigned M class has been introduced for the 2006 model year.

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Leg/foot, left
Leg/foot, right
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics

Action shot taken during the frontal offset crash test.

The dummy's position in relation to the steering wheel and instrument panel after the crash test indicates the driver's survival space was maintained well.

The passenger airbag didn't deploy because a sensor detected that the right front seat wasn't occupied. This airbag also doesn't deploy if a specially designed child seat is used.

Intrusion into the driver footwell area was minimal.

Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID CF99012
Footwell intrusion
Footrest (cm) 12
Left (cm) 11
Center (cm) 6
Right (cm) 6
Brake pedal (cm) 8
Instrument panel rearward movement
Left (cm) 2
Right (cm) 1
Steering column movement
Upward (cm) 3
Rearward (cm) 1
A-pillar rearward movement (cm) 2

Driver injury measures

Test ID CF99012
Head
HIC-15 308
Peak gs at hard contact 66
Neck
Tension (kN) 2.4
Extension bending moment (Nm) 34
Maximum Nij 0.42
Chest maximum compression (mm) 42
Legs
Femur force - left (kN) 3.5
Femur force - right (kN) 1.8
Knee displacement - left (mm) 7
Knee displacement - right (mm) 8
Maximum tibia index - left 0.48
Maximum tibia index - right 0.40
Tibia axial force - left (kN) 2.7
Tibia axial force - right (kN) 1.5
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 69
Right 62

How the moderate overlap front test is conducted