Mercedes Benz Vito 2008 Review

About our ratings

Not intending to take any of the limelight away from the Transit -- sic Transit gloria, indeed -- but there's a new tear-away van on the block. It's been around for a while and it's called the Mercedes-Benz Vito 120 CDI. This vehicle is fitted with a 3.0-litre turbodiesel V6 shared with MB passenger cars. It goes like some stonkin' street machine but carries a tonne of gear and boasts as refined an engine and transmission combination as you'll ever experience in any light commercial vehicle...

So how was it that the Carsales Network reviewer ended up stuck behind the door when the keys to this little ripper were handed out? How did we get landed with the worthy-but-dull four-cylinder Vito!?

Well, in point of fact, it's the Vito four-cylinder that has seen the greater share of changes for the 2008 model year. There's a new 111 model to replace the lower-powered 109 model from last year, for a start.

So it's not such bad news, really. The Vito in any iteration is a highly competent vehicle and the four-cylinder turbodiesel engine is also shared with passenger car models, so it's torquey and refined.

Both the Vito and larger Sprinter have been upgraded for 2008. Mercedes-Benz has rationalised the range and added equipment, without imposing too much on the buyer's hip pocket.

Vito was introduced to Australia ten years ago this year. In that first generation, it was a smart-looking front-wheel drive, but migrated to rear-wheel drive in this, the second generation model range.

In short, the changes to the 2008 Vito range can be summed up as dropping the entry-level 109 model Vito -- with the exception of the bare bones 109 CDI Compact Cargo van -- introducing the more powerful 110 CDI model with the option of an automatic transmission; and upgrading all models with additional equipment.

That additional equipment includes: Speedtronic cruise control with speed limiter (an optional feature for the 109), Start-Off Assist for hill starts (N/A for the Vito 109), ex-factory trailer socket pre-wiring incorporating ESP-based Trailer Stability Assist, electrically heated and adjustable external mirrors, a seatbelt warning (visual and audible), a passenger airbag option (standard for 120 CDI and 115 CDI eight-seat wagon), a 12-Volt auxiliary socket in the cargo area and fold-out cupholders.

For the sake of simplicity, the pricing information is listed here, by variant:

Vito Vans
109 CDI Compact -- $38,990
111 CDI Compact -- $40,490
111 CDI Long, high-roof -- $44,990
111 CDI Extra long -- $43,990
115 CDI Compact -- $46,490
115 CDI Long, high-roof -- $50,990
115 CDI Extra long -- $49,990
120 CDI Extra long -- $54,490

Vito Crew Cabs (vans with second row seating)
111 CDI Compact -- $43,990
111 CDI Extra long -- $47,490
115 CDI Compact -- $49,990
115 CDI Extra long -- $53,490
120 CDI Extra long -- $57,990

Vito Wagon (three rows of seats)
115 CDI Long -- $58,990

Automatic transmission options (fitted as standard in the 120 CDI and 115 CDI) cost $2500 in the case of the 111 CDI. The auto option is not available for the base 109 CDI.

Standard features for the Vito include dual sliding side doors, electrically adjustable and heated mirrors, rear mudflaps, air conditioning, electric windows, remote central locking, cloth trim, single-disc CD audio system, 12-Volt auxiliary power socket in the rear, front cupholders, stability control program, ABS/EBD, Brake Assist, traction control, driver's airbag, height-adjustable seatbelts with pretensioners, tilt and reach-adjustable steering column and rear fog light.

Crew cab models also gain rear compartment HVAC outlets and windows in the sliding doors.

Over and above the 109 Van (not available in Crew cab style), the Vito 111 comes equipped with Speedtronic cruise control/speed limiter and Hill-Start Assist (both new features for this model year). The higher-powered 115 model, which is only available with automatic transmission, doesn't feature the Hill-Start Assist, but is otherwise equipped as per the 111 models.

For the 120 CDI Vito, Mercedes-Benz has specified leather-bound steering wheel and leather-trimmed gear-shifter, the luxury dashboard with aluminium-look trim, dark-tinted glass in the rear and a passenger airbag -- all as standard.

MECHANICAL
Other than the 120, all variants of the Vito are powered by four-cylinder turbodiesel engines of the same architecture. All the fours displace 2.2 litres and are barely undersquare (88.0 x 88.3mm bore and stroke measurement). As far as diesels go, these will pull hard right up to the redline -- a happy consequence of the engines' internal dimensions.

The introduction of the 111 model provides a new state of tune for the turbodiesel four, pulling more torque for fewer drops of fuel, relative to the largely superseded 109 model.

Developing 85kW of power at 3800rpm and 290Nm at 1600rpm as it does, the 111 is 20 per cent ahead of the 109's 70kW power figure, 16 per cent better endowed with torque (250Nm for the 109).

The new engine returns a fuel consumption figure of 8.1L/100km for the Compact van -- a nine per cent improvement on the 8.9 figure of the 109 equivalent. Fuel consumption figures for the Long (high-roof) and Extra-long (std roof) models are 9.0 and 8.1L/100km, respectively.

Power and torque figures for the 115 model are 110kW at 3800rpm and 330Nm between 1800 and 2400rpm. Fuel consumption figures for the Compact and Extra-long models are 8.6L/100km. The high-roof 115 CDI Long model returns 9.2L/100km.

A standard six-speed manual and the optional five-speed automatic are the two transmission choices for the 111 models. The 109 is only available with the manual and the 115 models can only be purchased with the auto, fitted as standard. Likewise, the 120 CDI V6 model is auto-only.

Unlike the 2.2-litre Ford Transits and the Volkswagen Transporter, the Vito is rear-wheel drive, with the diff and half-shafts supported by a semi-trailing arm IRS system. At the front, it's suspended by MacPherson struts. The Vito is steered by power-assisted rack-and-pinion and stopped by four-wheel discs.

PACKAGING
What can one say about packaging in the Vito -- it's a V-A-N, for crying out loud. The only way it could be better packaged would be to wrap it in foil and tie a bow around it.

That's not actually completely true. The spare tyre in the Vito Compact models is mounted upright and inside the cargo compartment, fastened to the side. Let's face it, most items likely to be transferred in the rear of the Vito are bound to be bulky, heavy and angular -- which means the spare tyre is going to hinder easy loading at some point or another.

According to Mercedes-Benz, the rear overhang of the Vito Compact is just 765mm -- as opposed to 1010mm for the other two wheelbases -- and that's just too short to accommodate the spare under the floor, behind the rear axle.

The Vito provides a commendably low floor-loading height (ranging from 556mm for the Compact models, through 560mm for the Extra-long to 562mm for the Vito Long). The difference in loading height is barely measurable; and what difference there is can perhaps be attributed to longer rear overhang and slightly elevated rear ride height of the LWB and ELWB, compared with that of the Compact models.

Cargo volume ranges from 4.65 cubic metres in the Compact models to 6.49 for the Long models, with the Extra-long models falling in between at 5.68. Although the Extra long models are longer than the Long models, they come with a standard-height roof, so the overall volume that can be accommodated is less than the shorter 'Long' Vito variants.

Importantly, the dimension between the wheelarches is 1277mm. That means it can fit the all-important Aussie-sized pallet.

The loading aperture at the rear measures 1.4 metres wide by 1.3 metres high for the one-piece lift-up tailgate. Barn doors fitted to the Vito Long, High-roof models will, of course, provide substantially more height (1.6 metres) for loading.

At the sides, the sliding doors open up an aperture measuring 985x1259mm on all models, irrespective of body style.

The turning circle for the Vito ranges from 11.8m for the Compact and Long models, to 12.5m for the Vito Extra-long.

SAFETY
As already mentioned above, all Vito variants are fitted with ESP (stability control program), ABS/EBD, Brake Assist, traction control, driver's airbag and height-adjustable seatbelts with pretensioners. Add to that the passenger airbag for the 120 CDI -- also available as an option for the four-cylinder models -- and the Vito is better equipped to avoid and/or handle a collision than some passenger cars. Then again, priced from the high $30,000 mark and working up, the Vito's safety doesn't come cheap.

Conversely though, it's very much a matter of swings and roundabouts. ESP is still something of a rarity in this market segment and the Vito's particular brand of ESP is adaptive, allowing for varying load heights, which affect the vehicle's centre of gravity, as well as different weight distributions. It recalculates and adjusts the system's operational parameters on the fly.

For owner/operators, the passenger airbag is probably one option that is a must-have, but some Vito purchasers may not bother, if they're not regularly carrying passengers. That's a fair compromise, but then again, it's cause to wonder; why buy a Vito in the first place, if the buyer isn't going to spec it up to the safest possible standard? It's that sort of vehicle, marketed by that sort of company.

COMPETITORS
Although the Vito is not an especially large van, judged by the Compact models, some variants could certainly provide some competition to Ford's Transit -- especially the front-wheel drive models in the Ford range.

There's little doubt that the Vito, across the range, would be actively competing with the Volkswagen Transporter and the segment's champeen, the Toyota HiAce -- not necessarily in that order either, mind you.

At a pinch, the Vito may be cross-shopped against the Mitsubishi Express, Hyundai iLoad and the Renault Trafic, but the Express is long in the tooth and the iLoad is something of an unknown quantity.

The Trafic could actually be a fairly close competitor to the Vito as far as specification goes, but since the Mercedes out-sold the Renault by a ratio of 7:1 last year, plainly van-buying punters don't see the Renault as much of a threat to the Vito.

ON THE ROAD
The Vito is that most oxymoronic of light commercial vehicles -- a sporting van.

It's already been mentioned, but here it is again: the turbodiesel engine in both the 111 and 115 CDI models is a gem among diesels. It delivers decent torque -- and right up to the redline -- but does so with less fuss, strain and coarseness than diesels recently experienced in passenger-carrying SUVs.

There's a secondary spring loading for the accelerator pedal. This overrides the speed limiter for high-load acceleration in an emergency. The speed limiter is integrated with the cruise control function. It keeps the vehicle from picking up speed on downhill runs and won't even allow the driver to exceed the set speed, unless the driver pushes the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor -- past the secondary stage.

The manual transmission, a six-speeder, is easy to operate from the shifter that protrudes from the centre fascia, placed nicely for the driver to grab in a hurry. It's light and positive, but with clutch take-up occurring quite close to the floor in the example of the Vito 111 CDI driven.

Vito 115 CDIs auto tranny is smooth and responsive. As with anything wearing the three-pointed star, it provides a sequential-shift facility that is quite straightforward to use.

When it comes to changing direction, the Vito turns in very well and provides impressively high levels of grip. The vehicle was driven without a load on board and one would normally expect perhaps slower steering response from the van loaded, but counterbalancing that, less stability from an unloaded van. In this instance, the van was laudably stable in corners, without a load -- a sign of its well-sorted semi-trailing IRS and Mac-strut front end.

Brakes were a bit grabby and over-assisted without a payload, but drivers would probably want that sort of powerful braking once the Vito was asked to haul anything with a bit of weight.

The Hill-Start Assist worked exactly as described by the Mercedes-Benz PR people, holding the vehicle on its brakes up to two seconds after the driver had eased the foot of the brake pedal. It's actually something of a necessity in the Vito, due to the foot-operated parking brake, which features a hand-pull release. It would be possible to effect a hill start using just the parking brake, but it's needlessly harder than would be the case with a lever handbrake -- or, as in this case, Hill-Start Assist.

Despite being RWD, Vito is not badly buffeted by head and cross-winds. It was acceptably quiet for the drive program and remained stable and pointing in the right direction at all times.

Climbing into the cabin was facilitated by a step inside the door and ahead of the front wheel arch. This step is possibly the best design of its type in our experience. The whole process of settling down in the driver's seat was made that much easier by just this simple expedient of placing the step at the right height and location for short and tall people.

The driving position was quite comfortable and simplicity itself to adjust. If there were one thing that could be on the wishlist of shorter drivers, it might be a footrest. For taller drivers, this will not be necessary as the upright seating position of the Vito allows those of stature to place their feet firmly and squarely on the floor.

In respect of instrumentation and controls, the positioning of the HVAC controls proved a little too much of a stretch, being oddly laid out and pointing up to the roof from the wrap-over centre fascia.

Forward of the HVAC controls, an open storage bin was useful, but looked ungainly. Compensating in part for that and the heater/aircon switchgear placement, there was a useful pen-holder below the audio interface in the centre fascia.

That brings us to the conclusion. Thumbs up or thumbs down for the Vito?

This drive program was undertaken in circumstances that don't truly test the vehicle. There was no payload in any of the vehicles and much of the driving was conducted on the open road in ideal conditions, but having made that disclaimer, the Vito excelled in its driving and driver comfort characteristics.

We can definitely say it's a safe vehicle (OH&S issues affect a lot of commercial vehicle purchases these days) plus, the Vito is the sort of vehicle you could spend a day driving around town, hopping in and out, without feeling unduly fatigued by the end of it.

So, the short answer is this, we would highly recommend buyers take a closer look at the Vito if it suits their needs. Even priced as it is, the value is there.

To comment on this article click