Mercedes V-Class review – an MPV fit for VIPs
"With up to eight seats, the Mercedes V-Class is a big, luxury MPV with a price tag to match"
Pros
- Decent engines
- Lots of interior space
- Feels very luxurious
Cons
- Expensive to buy
- Bumpy ride
- Some interior design oversights
Verdict – is the Mercedes V-Class a good car?
If you’re after an upmarket van-based people carrier, the Mercedes V-Class has long been the go-to option. It’s incredibly plush inside and would feel right at home ferrying VIPs between the golf course and five-star hotel, but is very pricey. An update in 2024 has brought it more up-to-date, and a mild-hybrid petrol will arrive soon to boost efficiency and refinement, but time will tell if this is enough to fend off other premium rivals.
Mercedes V-Class models, specs and alternatives
While most large family-car buyers are moving towards SUVs, the Mercedes V-Class is still offered by the German brand for those after a van-based MPV that can carry up to eight people in comfort. Though it may be based on the brand’s Mercedes Vito commercial van, the V-Class gets a premium interior with comfortable seats, lots of technology and widespread use of upmarket materials to help distinguish it from its humble origins.
The V-Class has undergone a couple of facelifts in its time, most recently for 2024, when its exterior was tweaked with a more rounded grille, standard LED headlights and tail-lights to more closely resemble the other cars in Mercedes’ lineup. The interior also got upgraded tech in the form of the brand’s latest dual-screen infotainment system and added safety kit.
The V-Class is now offered in one of two sizes: Long or Extra Long – the Standard version has been dropped as of the 2024 facelift. Extra Long models are 230mm longer and get a panoramic sliding roof. Whether you go for Long or Extra Long, you get the choice of seven or eight seats, and the price doesn’t differ for choosing the extra seat. On the seven-seater model, rather than a row of three seats in the middle, there are two individual seats with armrests and a fold-out picnic table.
The Mercedes V-Class can be chosen in one of two trim levels: Premium and Premium with the AMG-Line package, so choosing one is fairly straightforward as the differences between the models are merely cosmetic. There’s just one engine offered in two power outputs badged V 220 d (163bhp) and V 300 d (236bhp) – this is a 2.0-litre diesel unit with a nine-speed automatic gearbox. A mild-hybrid petrol will be introduced later down the line.
The Mercedes badge and the high level of standard equipment make the V-Class one of the most expensive MPVs on the market. Entry-level versions now start from just under £75,000, with the range-topping passenger model costing just under £81,000. By comparison, the Volkswagen Multivan starts from around £50,000, while other eight-seat people carriers, like the Ford Tourneo Custom, are less luxurious but a little less expensive.
And let’s not forget the Mercedes Marco Polo camper. It costs even more at just under £88,500, and for that Mercedes will build you a small house on wheels that can accommodate four. The Marco Polo comes complete with a small kitchen, an electric pop-up roof and two double beds, one of which is in the roof, and the other of which consists of folded rear seats.
