V-Class receives come cosmetic upgrades and an even better interior

Mercedes-Benz Media

Mercedes-Benz is synonymous with luxury motoring, but most associate the German premium brand with limousines, SUVs or sportscars – instead of its V-Class.

For those who need to move a lot of people and their things in absolute luxury, a V-Class is ideal.

The market for MPVs might be severely contracting globally, as most family motorists opt or SUVs, but Mercedes-Benz has remained committed to its van customers.

An updated version of the third-generation V-Class is now available in South Africa and if you wish to be the envy of all other families during the morning school run – this is unquestionably the van to have.

What distinguishes the V-Class from its few remaining van rivals, is the rear-wheel-drive configuration.

Mercedes-Benz engineers know that a long vehicle, which is going to be fully loaded, requires rear-wheel-drive to maintain ideal traction, especially when driving up sharp inclines, or crawling up steep driveways.

The V-Class has been modernized with a remoulded front bumper, featuring new air ducts, a diamond pattern grille and model-specific wheel redesigns.

Possibly more comfortable than your lounge

Beyond the subtle exterior design upgrades, the V-Class retains its status as an S-Class van. Inside there are more soft-touch materials comprising the cabin architecture and a choice of finishes, including piano black, brushed aluminium, wood and carbon-fibre.

The V-Class has a luxurious and adaptable cabin, with an abundance of space. Its middle-row seats can recline to provide passengers with business class type comfort levels. You can also have the second- and third-row seats face each other, with a pop-up table in the middle, to provide a meeting or eating venue on the move.

Luggage capacity is immense. Even if you have passengers seated in all three rows of accommodation, V-Class still provides 610-litres of luggage capacity. Fold the third-row seating down, and that increases to a cavernous 2400-litres.

Powering the new V-Class are three variants of Mercedes-Benz’s 2.1-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel. In V200d specification that engine is good for 120kW and 380Nm, with the V220d boosting those outputs to 120kW and 380Nm.

The most potent V-Class is Mercedes-Benz’s V250d, good for 140kW and 440Nm. All these engine options drive the rear wheels via a seven-speed automatic transmission.

Although the V-Class is priced at a significant premium to its Korean rivals from Hyundai (H1) and Kia (Sedona), for those families who want the most comfortable long-distance of commuting experience for five or more passengers, there is simply no substitute.

Pricing for the new Mercedes-Benz V-Class starts at R913 951 for the V200d, and peaks at R1 292 474 for a V250d Avantgarde.

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