Mercedes-Benz V-Class Extra LWB

The Mercedes-Benz V-Class has been launched in India at a price of Rs 1.4 crore (ex-showroom) It’s an ultra luxury van and comes with all the bells and whistles you expect from a Mercedes model.

The V-Class packs a lot of luxury in a people mover body and goes up against the Toyota Vellfire and the Lexus LM. Here is everything you need to know about the V-Class.

The first thing one notices about the V-Class is its sheer length, and the ‘Extra LWB’ version we get in India is even longer (5,370 mm), so you'll need to take a few steps back to fit it properly in your line of sight.

The design is of a typical MPV/Van, but being a Merc, it comes with a massive grille with a huge three-pointed star logo. The grille itself has smaller stars and the glossy surround with the lighting elements merges with the headlamps. You also get air dams on the bumpers for a hint of sportiness.

In profile, you do not get any cladding and the design has been kept clean. There are only two things that grab attention.

One of obviously the length, and the other are the 18-inch dual-tone alloy wheels which fit perfectly in the wheel arches. A super long 3,470 mm long wheelbase ensures that there is plenty of space inside the cabin.

At the back, you get a flat boot lid, which takes up all the space. The taillamps are placed vertically on the edges and there are minimal cuts and creases.

Interior

Inside the V-Class, the driver and the front passenger get a typical Mercedes-Benz cabin with a layered dashboard, a dual-screen setup, a premium steering wheel, and ambient lighting everywhere they look.

There is leatherette padding on the doors, dashboard, and center armrest, and you get contrasting brushed aluminum finishes on the dashboard, centre console, and on the powered seat controls. You can have the interior in two themes: all black, and dual-done black and beige.

For people sitting behind the front row, the experience changes completely. The V-Class is being offered as a 6-seater. You can either have the traditional layout where both second and third rows have front facing captain seats, or you can have the conference layout where these seats face each other.

You also have the option of completely removing the third row seats.

There is ample space in all configurations, the seats offer a luxurious experience with lounge-like seating, second and third row ventilation, and even a massage function with individual wireless phone chargers for middle-row occupants.

Features 

The V-Class gets dual 12.3-inch displays (touchscreen infotainment and digital driver's display). The screens work well as intended, they run smoothly, and the touchscreen supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

It also gets powered front and middle-row seats with ventilation, heating, and massage functions (in the middle row). Other features include a wireless phone charger, a 15-speaker Burmester sound system, automatic climate control, powered sliding rear doors, and 64-colour ambient lighting.

For passenger safety, the V-Class gets seven airbags, electronic stability control (ESC), attention assist, blind spot monitoring, a type pressure monitoring system (TPMS), advanced assistance driver assistance systems (ADAS), and a 360-degree camera with park assist.

It also has a 5-star safety rating from Euro NCAP.

You can open the aforementioned boot in two ways. You can either open only the glass area, which allows you to keep/take out small bags. Or you can open the entire tailgate, which gives you a huge boot to keep all your luggage.

You can get the V-Class with both turbo-petrol and diesel engines, where the former also gets a mild-hybrid assist. Here are the specifications of both powertrain options.

The Mercedes-Benz V-Class is being offered in two variants where the only difference is the powertrain: V300 and V300d.

With its size, premiumness, performance, and luxurious cabin experience, the Mercedes-Benz V-Class poses a strong challenge to its similarly-priced rivals. However, over its rivals, it offers the brand value associated with driving a Mercedes, which can give it an edge over the competition.