|
By
EWAN KENNEDY
16 June 2008
In these days of high fuel prices, with threats of even bigger
costs to come, many people are looking at ways to trim fuel costs.
One method is to sell that second car and become a one-car family
the way we used to be. Trouble is that finding one car to meet all
needs is all but impossible. But some lateral thinkers are going
for a vehicle like the one we’ve been road testing this week.
The
Mercedes-Benz Vito Crew Cab can seat five adults with room for all
to move in comfort. Yet at the same time it provides far more room
in the back than does the typical large 4WD, and to get room in
the rear of the 4WD means having to fold its seats down, thus
turning it into a two-seater. Which is certainly not what the
family man looking for a single vehicle that does everything.
Vito
lets you carry four kids and their mountain bikes, or even four
adults with their bikes, surfboards, or whatever takes their
fancy.
The
seats in the rear are all full size, rather than the
two-plus-a-squeeze in the middle that you find in the typical car.
Indeed, the three rear seats are individually shaped to provide a
little more support in corners.
Entry
to the rear seats is by sliding doors on both sides. The trim,
particularly in the doors is very much commercial vehicle
oriented. It’s not exactly cheap and nasty, but is a fair way
short of the plush prestige you may associate with a Merc.
The
front compartment is more upmarket, perhaps not to car standard,
but the seats are reasonably big and support well. And the door
trim is to a significantly higher standard than that in the back
seats. It’s simple to slip between the two front seats to get
into the rear compartment. Perhaps to discuss discipline with the
offspring while you are held up at traffic lights.
The
disadvantage of all this space is that you’re driving a van.
Even the most basic of people movers have more interior style and
quality than the Vito. And offer a quieter more refined ride.
There was more drumming from the rear of the body than we had
anticipated. Carrying a load would probably help damp this sound,
but we are considering the vehicle as one that may be able to
replace two cars, so it could be travelling empty a fair bit of
the time.
Handling
is safe and competent enough, but again, it’s a good van not a
sporting sedan.
There's
another big benefit in the Vito in the eyes of many who are
climbing the social ladder. There's certainly no denying the
prestige offered by having that big three-pointed star sitting in
the middle of the sleek radiator grille.
Until
recently, Australians haven’t been able to buy the Vito 111 due
to a waiting list in Europe. That situation has now ended and you
can get the extra power and refinement offered by the model
introduced here earlier this year.
The
big news is in the Vito 111 CDI uses a 2.2 turbo-diesel engine
that produces 85 kW and 290 Nm. On the road, we found it to have
plenty of performance, performance that lets it keep up with cars
when moving away from traffic lights, climb hills without too many
down changes, and can even overtake with a fair bit of safe
alacrity.
During
our test period, this 85 kW engine consumed about eight litres per
hundred kilometres when worked gently, and seldom got to 11 litres
per hundred kilometres even when pushed hard with a load on board.
Transmission
options are the six-speed manual and a five-speed automatic. Our
test car had the manual but we can’t help but feel it would
prove to be a pain for the family man using it as a people mover
rather than a pure crew cab. The gearbox comes with a handy
hill-start feature that holds the brakes on for two seconds after
you lift off the pedal.
The
ESP system, fitted to all current Vitos, comes with Mercedes'
Trailer Stability Assist (TSA). This senses fishtailing in a
trailer and does its best to reduce the hazards it can create.
Our
test Mercedes-Benz Vito 111 Extra Long Crew Cab was priced at
$47,490. On-road costs, which can vary from place to place, have
to be added.
All
Mercedes vans come with a three-year / 200,000 kilometre warranty
that includes the added security of roadside assistance.
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
|
