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As classic three-door sedans, including coupes, fell in popularity with the incredible rise of SUVs and crossovers, the same could be expected with passenger vans. However, time has shown that the essential advantages that this form of car has for now cannot be replaced by fashion trends. Passenger vans in Europe continue to have very stable sales, and over the past two years 200,000 such cars have been sold, of which Mercedes-Benz with the V-Class regularly takes part of the cake of 30,000 copies. Although it is a premium product, it is clear that the V-Class carries qualities that are crucial for buyers of such cars.
Such passenger vans bring with them a great deal of variability, so even with the V-Class you can choose between several body lengths and therefore the amount of comfort or number of passengers. What makes Mercedes-Benz superb is the fact that it can equip the V-Class as a comfortable road car, but also as a fully luxurious sedan with all the comfort and prestige elements we are used to from a car with a star on the mask.
This time we tried out just such a V-Class. The most powerful diesel engine, all-wheel-drive system with a decent interior of a decent hotel lounge and an AMG breath of sports trim are enough to make the V-Class comfortable and attractive like some S-Class, maybe even more.
Although the basic cubic shape of the V-Class would not come to your mind as an attractive car, it is interesting that Mercedes-Benz and this model managed to make it very attractive. We dare say the most attractive in the segment. The distinctive silver color, large bezel and even bigger star on it with LED lights and the sporty AMG design package of the V-Class dominate the road, even with large SUVs.
The V-Class is impressive on the road and the dimensions themselves, so over a length of over 5.1 meters it will easily be ashamed of large sedans, and when added to the height of almost 1.9 meters and the width of 2 meters, it is reasonable to think that driving so big car is a real torture, especially in the city. However, when you climb into the driver’s seat and leave after only a few kilometers, you will understand why such cars are irreplaceable. The high seating position, which gives superior road visibility with a well-adjusted steering wheel and a good turning circle for such a long car, helps the driver manage the V-Class confidently through city traffic.
Better still on the open road, the large, over 2.1 tonne heavy V-Class would hardly be a logical choice for fast cornering. The first part of a great driving formula is the high seating position again, so although we normally like to sit as low as possible in cars, this position is a good fit, especially when high cars and SUVs dominate the road. An overview of the situation with the V-Class is perfect.
What left the V-Class in wonder is the powertrain worthy of the locomotive. For one thing, a two-liter turbodiesel and automatic transmission doesn’t sound like a particularly compelling combination for such a large and heavy car. Still, Mercedes-Benz has done a really great job with this engine, and it definitely offers performance worthy of a three-cylinder six-cylinder. When driving, this means that the driver has 500Nm of torque and nearly 240bhp, and thanks to the excellent turbocharger response and even faster 9-speed automatic, the acceleration and mid-range are very impressive. With an excellent overview of the situation and such a powerful engine, this means that you will dominate the roads like our Bosnian V-Class. The equally compelling V-Class is on the highway and long lines, where it easily maintains high road speed and comfortably tuned suspension does not bother passengers.
One worth wondering detail about are the optional 19-inch wheels that really look great and complete the AMG look of the V-Class, but still with the Profile 45 tires impair the otherwise immaculate comfort of the V-Class on bad roads.
With a powerful engine and efficient transmission, you can easily forget that you are driving over 5 meters long and over 2 tons heavy car, but the reminder comes with the brakes. Far from being the brakes do their job, but the physics are relentless, so when you overdo it with speed, it should be borne in mind that the stopping distance of the V-Class may not be the same as with a sedan of similar power and acceleration.
The point of the V-Class is definitely the lavish and spacious interior, as well as the possibility of interior trim variations. In the case of the test model, the rich equipment was complemented by a comfortable lounge with two large separate seats in the second row, a movable table in the middle and three seats in the rear row. High-quality leather upholstery and thick comfortable seats ensure that long trips to all places in the V-Class are very comfortable and relaxing, and thanks to the rails in the floor, you can make the interior layout whatever you like.
It should be noted that sliding seats in length is very easy to perform, but if you decide to rotate the seats for the right atmosphere of the living room should still cover a little more time and strength. Unlike the smaller monovolumes, the seats in the V-Class are really heavy and you’ll be able to do it easily with another pair of hands.
Needless to say, luggage space is not a problem either. The practical cubic shape of the body and the very low loading edge make it easy to load any items, and you can always count on the minimum 1,030 liters of volume in the boot. With a bunch of compartments but also the “living” space, the V-Class is truly one of the most practical and comfortable travel cars in existence.
In the end, a car like this with this amount of luxury, space and technology cannot be cheap. The V-Class with this powerful turbo diesel engine and a long list of accessories easily exceeds 130,000 marks, but it cannot be otherwise, since the amount of luxury and comfort essentially far exceeds the equivalent expensive sedan.
Mercedes-Benz has excellently transferred its expertise in the construction of cozy and luxurious sedans in a combo form, and with all practicality and usability brings a dose of luxury and prestige, which is interesting and often wanted and sought after in this segment. Namely, one should not neglect the large part of the market and business that needs this type of transportation for VIPs and similar persons. In fact, when you need luxury multi-person transportation, instead of just point-to-point B, it is quite clear that the V-Class remains almost the only real choice. What the V-Class once again assured us is that it is definitely one of the best options for buyers of such cars, and will still easily remain in the top class.
Test car base information: Mercedes-Benz V300d 4Matic G-tronic Avantgarde
Price of the test model with options: 131.040 KM
Engine: 4-cylinder, 4-stroke, turbocharged, front mounted longitudinally. 1.950 cc, direct injection of fuel into the cylinders, four valves per cylinder. Maximum power 176 kW – 239 bhp at 4,200 rpm. Maximum torque of 500 Nm at 1,600 rpm.
Transmission: Drive through both axles, 9-speed automatic transmission, tires 245/45 R19 (Dunlop SP Winter Sport SP).
Performance and fuel consumption: Acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h – 8.5 s. Top speed – 214 km / h. Average fuel consumption per test: 8.3 l / 100 km. Factory declared fuel consumption: 7.3 l / 100 km in the city, 6.1 l / 100 km on the open road, 6.5 l / 100 km combined. Average CO² emissions: 172-179 g / km.
Dimensions: Length – 5.140 mm, width – 1.928 mm, height – 1.880 mm. Wheelbase – 3.200 mm. Trunk volume – 1,030 liters. Curb weight – 2.145 kg. Maximum permissible mass – 3,100 kg. Fuel Tank Capacity – 57 liters.
