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Mercedes-Benz V-Class: The on-road luxurious conference room
This is the most luxurious MPV you can buy and is aimed at those who like to travel in a group, but in style
Mercedes-Benz has always had its eye on the luxury end of the Indian minivan market, which is still an empty niche. After unsuccessful attempts with the MB100 minivan and R-Class MPV in the past, Mercedes is having another dogged crack at this elusive segment with the massive V-Class minivan.
Will it be third time lucky this time round? Can Mercedes make its latest minivan stick in a segment that has eluded the company all these years?
Businesses are growing, people are on the move, and the need to travel in style and comfort has never been greater. But does that justify the rather steep asking price of ₹81.9 lakh for a minivan, even if it’s got a three-pointed star on its grille? Let’s see how far your money goes.
V for vast
That this minivan has not-so-mini proportions is immediately obvious the moment you come within five feet of it. This is a massive vehicle in every dimension, which – along with the price – sets it a class apart. In fact, the slab-like proportions, towering height and flattish body panels gives the V-Class commercial vehicle connotations, which (for obvious reasons) Mercedes has tried to mask with a smart set of alloy wheels, and glossy metallic paint. The good thing is that it’s got a nose that could belong to any Merc. The front end with the nicely-detailed headlights, sculpted bumpers and large grille is what elevates the V-Class’ image.
The six-seater version I am testing here (there is a cheaper seven-seater version as well) is more for personal and corporate use and is aimed at CEOs and large families. So is the V-Class versatile enough to switch between the boardroom and family room? The main cabin can be easily accessed even in a tight parking spot thanks to the electrically-operated sliding doors that open wide. The flat floor and massive amount of headroom make it convenient for passengers to move around in the cabin, and the seats themselves have generous amounts of travel. The pair of middle row seats can be turned around to face the third row – an ideal configuration when conducting meetings on the move. There are individual fold-out trays that can slide forward, and with all of them open, they form a mini conference table.
As a family car or luxury people-mover, the V-Class is best used with all three rows facing the direction of travel. However, rotating the middle row of seats by 180 degrees is a cumbersome process and the easiest thing to do is send the car to the dealer where a trained technician can switch the seats around in a jiffy.
Nothing quite like it
Driving this 5.1 metre long minivan isn’t as intimidating as I thought, thanks to the lofty driving position that gives you a great view out and the light controls, which make it quite easy to handle. In India, the V-Class is offered only with the V220d variant and that means it gets the old school 2.1-litre diesel, which is quite gruff and not as refined as the latest Merc engines. It’s not very powerful either and with only 163hp on tap to pull a 3.1-ton vehicle, performance is modest at best.
The ride, however, is very plush by minivan standards and in true Merc fashion, the V220d simply smothers bad roads and does a great job of not disturbing that board meeting going on in the back.
Look at the V-class as a conventional six-seater and the price is hard to justify when for the same money you could get three top-end Innova Crystas and some change. No doubt it’s overpriced for what you get, but it’s for what you don’t get that you pay this eye-watering premium. There’s nothing else in the market that offers the same mix of prestige, luxury, flexible seating and sheer space, which is why the V-Class is unique.
Hormazd Sorabjee is one of the most senior and much loved auto journalists in India, and is editor of Autocar India
Sunday Drive appears every fortnight
From HT Brunch, April 21, 2019
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