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The diesel engine isn’t very refined but has enough power to move this 3 tonne luxury MPV around
Performance – The Mercedes V-Class is solely available with one diesel engine, not the latest 2.0-litre unit but the old 2.1-litre (OM 651) oil burner which has a task on its hand, to move close to 3 tonnes of luxury wheels. However, the diesel engine does its job quite well as there is more than adequate performance and Mercedes has done a great job of tuning this motor for linear performance so at no given time does a hard dab on the A pedal move things around as progress is gradual and mellow with the ton taking close to 11 seconds.
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The gearbox is slow but smooth to shift and you also get paddle shifters
Engine offers linear performance but gets vocal post 4000 RPM
This old diesel engine does comply with BS6 emission norms and although not the most refined around, it gets even more vocal past 4000 RPM and redlines shortly thereafter. The 7-speed gearbox is slow with shifts but you can manually take control of the cogs using the steering mounted paddles, it will not hold onto a gear for you but is a smooth shifting unit. The 70-litre fuel tank seems a bit inadequate as this heavy people mover returns around 7-9 km/l.
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The light steering makes handling this huge MPV a breeze
Driving Dynamics – When I first sat in the driver’s seat of the V-Class, I was intimidated, this is big and not really a good choice of car to drive to the hills. However, the V-Class proved otherwise. Driving it is just so easy as the steering is light at low speeds, yet weighs up quite well at high speeds. Body roll, expected, is there in acres but is much less than I expected and although I couldn’t find a traction control switch, the grip levels are so good that the V-Class never leaves its line, no matter how hard you try to accelerate or corner, the latter though isn’t recommended due to the tall height.
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Ground clearance is more than adequate and grip levels are fantastic
Ride quality is phenomenal and body roll is well contained for its size
Being a luxury people mover, ride quality is just brilliant, it does thud through on really bad roads but glides over most tarmac, taking everything in its stride. Ground clearance isn’t an issue even though the wheelbase is to the moon and back, while it remains stable at high speeds and manages to keep most outside noise out of the bay. That said, it’s no driver’s car but driving the V-Class isn’t as difficult a task as it appears.
