Mercedes-Benz Vito Tourer
You may remember that last year,
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia introduced the über-luxurious Mercedes-Benz V-Class
people carrier, which raised eyebrows with an eye-watering price tag of
RM 434,888. If you’re still keen on a van with a three-pointed star, but can’t
stomach that significant outlay, there’s now a much cheaper option called the
Mercedes-Benz Vito Tourer.
Brought in not by MBM but by official
Mercedes commercial vehicles distributor Nusa Otomobil, the Vito is priced at
RM 286,814 on-the-road without insurance, providing a huge saving over the V 220
d Avantgarde. That’s because it’s classified as a commercial vehicle, with 10
seats (arranged in a 2-3-2-3 configuration) – although of course you can remove
one row and get the same seven-seater layout as the V-Class.
Under the bonnet, it’s all identical to
the V 220 d, with the ubiquitous 2.2 litre OM 22 DE LA four-cylinder diesel
engine pushing out 163 hp at 3,800 rpm and 380 Nm at 2,400 rpm. Drive is sent
to the rear wheels via a seven-speed 7G-Tronic automatic transmission with
paddle shifters.
So what do you lose by paying RM 148k
less? A bit more metal, actually – this Vito is the longest version available
worldwide at 5,370 mm long, with a slightly longer wheelbase than the mid-range,
5,140 mm-long V-Class also sold here. You also still get adaptive LED
headlights and LED tail lights that provide this van with a surprisingly
upmarket look.
What you don’t get are the classier
front and rear bumpers that are exclusive to the V-Class (these ones have
cutouts for the non-existent front fog lights), blacked-out B-pillars, the
Avantgarde’s lashings of chrome and an Easy Pack powered tailgate with separate
opening rear windscreen. Also missing are 18-inch alloy wheels – the Vito gets
17-inch multispoke items – and side mirrors with integrated indicators.
The changes are more noticeable inside –
instead of the V-Class’ more upmarket interior, the Vito gets a more
utilitarian dashboard design, although the door cards have a similar design.
The gauges are also very simple, incorporating twin dials and a monochrome
centre multi-info display; the infotainment system is a very basic, albeit
upgraded Audio 15 unit with Bluetooth connectivity.
That’s not to say that the Vito is
lacking of kit – there’s the new-style Mercedes three-spoke leather-wrapped
multifunction steering wheel, power-adjustable and heated front seats with
driver’s side memory, auto lights and wipers, auto-dimming rear and side
mirrors, a reverse camera, cruise control, Thermotronic automatic dual-zone
climate control and electric sliding rear doors on both sides. There’s even an
Active Parking Assist system that helps park the leviathan.
On top of this, Nusa Otomobil has thrown
in RM 20,000 worth of additional accessories, including body-coloured door
handles and door mirror covers, side skirts, a rear spoiler, velour front floor
mats and coil rear mats, an Alpine roof-mounted DVD player with a 10.2-inch LCD
monitor, two Alpine wireless headphones and a WAECO centre console cooler box.
Options include an RM 14,300 Exclusive
package with 18-inch ten-spoke two-tone alloy wheels, RM4,810 black Italian
leather upholstery, RM 625 front wind deflectors, RM 635 locking wheel nuts and
V-Kool Elite tinting – RM 2,800 for the side windows and RM 3,900 for all
windows.
Safety-wise, the Vito is specced with
front, side and curtain airbags for the front occupants, Adaptive Electronic
Stability Programme (ESP), dynamic handling system with ABS, Acceleration Skid
Control (ASR), brake assist, EBD and Crosswind Assist, Lane Keeping Assist,
Blind Spot Assist and a tyre-pressure monitoring system.
