Mercedes Benz ML 280 CDI
Built: 2005-2011 · Series: ML
More machines from model year 2005
Not the right version? The data comes from vehicle registers holding many near-identical versions side by side. Photograph the data plate — we read make and type from it. Open the scanner e-mail address required
Mercedes-Benz ML – collective page of the M-Class in commercial N1 registration: W163 to W166, CDI diesels and 4MATIC four-wheel drive, 120 to 225 kW from four- to eight-cylinders
This page gathers the Mercedes-Benz M-Class (ML) in the version registered as a commercial vehicle – in the Netherlands as an N1-class van. The M-Class began in 1997 at the newly built Tuscaloosa plant in Alabama, Mercedes-Benz's first plant in the United States; the W163 generation ran until 2005, the W164 from 2005 to 2011, and the W166 from 2011. The first two digits of the type designation roughly give the engine capacity in litres times ten – the ML 270 with a five-cylinder, the ML 320 and 350 with a six-cylinder, the ML 500 with an eight-cylinder – CDI denotes common-rail diesel injection, 4MATIC permanent four-wheel drive, and AMG the higher-output 55 and 63 models.
Read on 3 more paragraphs
The register lists here 53 versions with outputs from 120 to 225 kW, displacements from 2,143 to 6,209 cm³ from four- to eight-cylinders, unladen weights from 2,050 to 2,444 kg against gross weights of 2,800 to 3,050 kg; lengths are recorded for a handful of entries at 4,587 to 5,020 mm, and width runs throughout from 1,820 to 2,120 mm.
The commercial N1 registration of the SUV was common above all in the Netherlands, where it offered tax advantages over private car registration; technically the M-Class remained the road-oriented SUV from Tuscaloosa with which Mercedes-Benz competed against the BMW X5 and Range Rover.
On used examples, all generations call for checking the air suspension (Airmatic) and timing chain, the CDI engines their injectors and turbine housing, 4MATIC versions the transfer case and propshaft, and rust at the rear wheel arches; parts run through the regular Mercedes-Benz network.
Sources: SpecCodex register, model data: Mercedes Benz ML, Mercedes-Benz (manufacturer)
Technical data
Engine
| Power | 140 kWcorrect |
|---|---|
| Cylinders | 6correct |
| Displacement | 2,987 cm³correct |
Dimensions and weights
| Length | 4,780 mmcorrect |
|---|---|
| Width | 1,990 mmcorrect |
| Wheelbase | 2,920 mmcorrect |
| Unladen weight | 2,265 kgcorrect |
| Gross vehicle weight | 2,830 kgcorrect |
Drivetrain and chassis
| Gears | 7correct |
|---|---|
| Wheels | 4correct |
| Top speed | 205 km/hcorrect |
Where this model stands
Power-to-weight ratio: 61.8 kW/t (140 kW / 2.3 t)
Stronger than 92% of the vans in the register — out of 7,144 models with a stated power figure.
Calculated from the documented figures above — not a rating.
Frequently asked questions
How much power does the Mercedes Benz ML 280 CDI have?
The Mercedes Benz ML 280 CDI delivers 140 kW.
How much does the Mercedes Benz ML 280 CDI weigh?
The unladen weight is 2,265 kg.
What is the gross vehicle weight of the Mercedes Benz ML 280 CDI?
2,830 kg.
What engine does the Mercedes Benz ML 280 CDI have?
6 cylinders, 2,987 cm³ displacement.
What are the dimensions of the Mercedes Benz ML 280 CDI?
4,780 mm × 1,990 mm.
When was the Mercedes Benz ML 280 CDI built?
Production years: 2005-2011.
What to check before buying
- Check the hour meter against the service records — a replaced instrument is the most common gap.
- Compare the data plate and chassis number with the papers.
- Check the weights in the papers against the figures here — attachments change them.
- Ask about parts availability for this build year — the running costs hang on it.
A general list for this type of machine — no substitute for an inspection or an appraiser.
We do not sell machines. We ask the dealers who carry this model and come back with price and lead time.
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This page carries 15 individual figures for this model. They come from 2 recorded sources; every figure can be traced there. What we cannot document is not here — we leave gaps open rather than estimate them.
The technical data on this page comes from official vehicle registration records (RDW/Traficom), not from the manufacturer.
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Other models in this series
5D ML 320 CDI
MERCEDES ML
MERCEDES ML 270CDI
ML
ML 250 BLUETEC 4MATIC
ML 270
ML 270 CD1
ML 270 CDI
ML 270 CDI AUTOMATIC
ML 270CDI
ML 280
ML 280 CDI 4-MATIC
Sources: RDW — Dutch national vehicle register (retrieved August 2026) · How we check the data
Van in 3D section
Turn the model, look inside and click an assembly — each one is explained.
