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2009 Mercedes-Benz SL Class Safety Review

July 28, 2008

SAFETY | 10 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

top Good ratings in all tests
IIHS

four stars frontal for the driver, five stars in all other tests
NHTSA

The 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL has not yet been tested by either the federal government or the insurance industry—neither have previous model years—and based on its low sales volumes and high price, it’s likely that it won’t be.

With an especially hefty body structure and an abundance of safety features, including a full array of airbags and an automatic-deploying pop-up rollbar, the SL is likely safer than many solid-roof coupes. Mercedes-Benz actually uses the claim “The World’s Safest Convertible.”

Conclusion

The 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL is about the safest you can get in a car that has open-air capabilities.

SAFETY | 10 out of 10Expert Quotes:top Good ratings in all testsIIHSfour stars frontal for the driver, five stars in all other testsNHTSA The 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL has not yet been tested by either the federal government or the insurance industry—neither have previous model years—and based on its low sales volumes and high price, it’s likely that it won’t be. With an especially hefty body structure and an abundance of safety features, including a full array of airbags and an automatic-deploying pop-up rollbar, the SL is likely safer than many solid-roof coupes. Mercedes-Benz actually uses the claim “The World’s Safest Convertible.” ConclusionThe 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL is about the safest you can get in a car that has open-air capabilities.  2009 MERCEDES-BENZ SL STYLING | [7 out of 10] Car and Driver: “The SL’s midcycle enhancement, then, brings with it a few effective styling changes, headlined by a new single-bar grille that evokes most of its SL forebears, flanked by L-shaped headlamps that evoke none of them.“ Car and ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL spans a vast price range, with the top-of-the-line, very exclusive SL65 AMG almost twice the price of the SL550. At the bottom, the SL550 competes against the Cadillac XLR, a vehicle that, much like the SL, straddles the line between luxury car and true sportscar. The XLR, with its Corvette sportscar roots, arguably feels a little more entertaining to drive than the SL550, though the Cadillac has more road and wind noise and isn't nearly as refined overall. The Jaguar XK Convertible compares in appointments to the SL, but the new XK drives more like a sportscar, with more pep than the numbers might suggest and a light, agile feel on a curvy road that the SL sorely lacks. Likewise, the top-performance Cadillac XLR-V and Jaguar XKR match up to the SL55 AMG. The Porsche 911 Cabriolet is also a worthy alternative to the SL-Class, offering responsive handling and track-ready performance, but it has a bumpier ride, and like the Jaguar XK, it has a soft-top arrangement and a noisier cabin. The Aston Martin V8 Vantage and Audi R8 are two other alternatives to the AMG cars that both have more overt--some would say exotic--styling inside and out, which makes them more attractive than the AMG cars if pure horsepower isn't what drives you.

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See the Mercedes-Benz SL Class in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997

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