Mercedes-Benz Vito 120 CDi V6 2007 Review

Not so much
>> Are the electronics too smart?
>> Expensive when options added
>> Don't forget how big it is!

Overall rating: 3.0/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 3.5/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 2.5/5.0 
Safety: 3.0/5.0
Behind the wheel: 4.0/5.0 
X-factor: 2.5/5.0 (it's a van!!!)

The van world is never going to be the same… Not now the Mercedes-Benz Vito van range boasts a new range-topper in the shape of the new 120 CDi.

Propelled by a 3.0-litre V6 common-rail turbodiesel engine, the van for the delivery man with a performance streak can get close to a top whack of 200km/h, sprint from rest to 100km/h in a claimed 8.3sec and if driven with a touch less urgency, return a combined fuel consumption of about 9.2lt/100km -- more on the open road!

The Euro 4 emissions-compliant V6 engine is lifted from the Mercedes E-Class passenger car and is mated to a five-speed automatic box. Though the exec saloon version pumps out 165kW and over 500Nm, the Vito's is pegged at 150kW and 440Nm... Still nothing to be sneezed at...

With Vito's increasingly car-like controls and comfort, there's a danger that inexperienced drivers could be caught out by the van's generous load capability, when the driving characteristics become more commercial. Mercedes addresses this with an intelligent, adaptive ESP system that adjusts the vehicle's dynamic limits dozens of times a second, taking into account the vehicle's centre of gravity. Mercedes says this system is even intelligent enough to compensate for a load that shifts during sudden collision-avoidance manoeuvres.

The ESP system monitors speed, acceleration, brake and throttle pedal position and steering wheel position, working in conjunction with more specific systems such as roll-over mitigation, roll movement intervention and understeer control.

In fact, the system is virtually 'Van-driving for Dummies', as it works out where the driver's aiming the vehicle and does its best to take him or her (and the Vito!) there. That said during the launch's simulated emergency -- a collision-avoidance swerve on gravel at 60 km/h -- when an experienced driver tried to regain control, the quicker-thinking system confounded him and the result was messier than if the driver had just let the system sort out his mistake by itself.

Human versus machine histrionics aside, the car-like characteristics of the Vito mean it is easy to drive for extended periods, day after day -- certainly there are passenger cars which are more harshly sprung, noisier, less comfortable and less responsive than the Vito.

From the driver's seat, there's little indication that diesel's the fuel of the future -- start-up is instantaneous, engine noise subdued and throttle response immediate.

What is less-than car-like is the load-bed -- devoid of panelling, with exposed struts and mounting points, Mercedes-Benz assures us that if the Vito was offered with the usual standard of MB trim, it would be considered a passenger vehicle rather than a commercial, and taxed and dutied accordingly.

The Vito easily keeps up with the ebb and flow of suburban traffic -- in fact, errant drivers will have fun tormenting bike couriers and the reversed baseball-cap brigade, as the 120 lunges with some authority from point to point.

Steering tends progressively towards understeer, but at regular commercial speeds it is light, predictable and accurate; ditto the brakes -- ABS-equipped four-wheel discs offer a depth of stopping ability that can accommodate zero load or stuffed to the gunwales with minimal pedal pressure.

Four-wheel independent suspension stiffens progressively as cornering loads increase but offers good low-load suspension compliance, although when the van's empty, it becomes a bit of a drum on poor road surfaces.

While the Vito's comfort and controls are pretty car-like, it is still a van -- in fairness, MB Australia expects that most Vitos will be bought by image-conscious self-employed tradespeople who have years of experience driving less-competent vehicles, but a prudent first-timer should spend a few miles getting used to the bulk and dimensions of the new Vito. It feels a lot smaller than it really is, making the optional reverse-parking sensors a good choice.

Typical for Mercedes-Benz, the list of extra-cost options is voluminous and the basic vehicle, irrespective of model, can be customised to suit virtually any application -- and accountant's budget.

In van format, the new 120 comes as an Extra Long at $52,540 or as a crew-cab at $56,270 -- hardly cheap. M-B Australia expects that of the 1800-1900 Vitos expected to flow onto the roads this year, only about 5 per cent -- under 100 -- will be the V6-powered 120.

Always a good thing, the 2007 Vito range offers further refinement and extends the performance, safety and features-list benchmarks for its rivals -- particularly the class-leading three-year or 200,000km warranty.

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