FOR those discerning motorists who like to make a grand entrance, and for whom life is grand, then Mercedes-Benz has plenty of choice.

Whether you choose one of its stable of C-Class, E-Class or mighty S-Class cars, then you can ride in luxury, content in the knowledge that you will be cosseted from the outside world, cocooned in a beautiful cabin.

And it’s no different if your needs require something a little more robust with four-wheel drive to get you to more inaccessible places or to cope with winters like the last one, when everyone suddenly fell in love again with the sort of vehicles that some elements of the green lobby had wanted driven straight to Hell.

No, to meet these requirements, the Mercedes-Benz M-Class has been around since the early 1990s, and the most recent refresh tweaked the styling and added some extra kit. Unquestionably, it’s a fine luxury SUV, deserving of the three-pointed star on its bonnet.

The ML350 CDI Grand Edition is the highest step on the M-Class ladder, with an equipment list that leaves you pondering whether any motorist has ever managed to use all the functions on offer.

Even when you have read the quick-start instructions to get you safely on board, you might well be caught out by the column stalk-controlled gearbox, which negates the need for a gear lever.

It requires a flick up or down to switch between forward and reverse, with a squeeze of a button for parking, and after a few minutes it all makes perfect sense and you appreciate the extra space liberated in the centre console.

And when you want to take control of the gear changes, there’s a set of paddle-shifters behind the steering wheel.

Standard among the equipment that you will want to put to immediate use is the parktronic audible and visual parking aid with reversing camera, because this is a large vehicle, built to accommodate lots of luggage or five adults.

An arsenal of safety, comfort and convenience features automatically engage as soon as you press the start button, leaving you to relax into the large leather seats, plot your journey on the colour satellite navigation screen and select an audio system.

There’s an aura of refined quality, with virtually every automotive convenience at your fingertips. It’s a cabin that looks inviting when you first climb in, and once on the move everything is where you expect it – unobtrusive and functional.

Options include DAB radio (£335, and really it should come as standard) and a rear seat DVD entertainment system with two eight-inch screens mounted on the back of the front head restraints (£1,625 for the package, which includes headphones and remote control).

Where you stand on the whole SUV argument is not the point, because the sturdy M-Class doesn’t shout about its good breeding but neither will you find yourself lost in a sea of lookalike 4x4 clones.

On the outside, the Grand Edition has an AMG bodykit, aluminium running boards and 20-inch alloys, while black leather upholstery dominates the cabin.

Even with its standard set-up, the suspension has a big part to play in the feelgood factor of the ML. But the tested model was fitted with airmatic suspension with level adjustment and an adaptive damping system (£1,360 option).

The 231bhp 3.0-litre diesel engine is a perfect match, offering a composed progression to higher speeds with virtually no road noise or interference from headwinds unless you make urgent demands on it. It sailed over road imperfections with ease, yet it is capable of coping with being hurried along a twisty road too.

Obviously, everyday duties are more likely to involve children, lots of luggage and assorted rubbish, motorway treks and urban grind, but the M-Class is fit for all of them and more.

Mercedes-Benz M-Class fact file

Model: ML350 CDI BlueEfficiency Grand Edition.

Price: £51,970 (excluding options).

Engine: 3.0-litre diesel.

Transmission: Seven-speed automatic.

Performance: 0 to 62mph in 7.6 seconds; top speed 137mph.

Economy: 25.9mpg.

CO2 emissions: 240 g/k.