Mercedes’ Vito van delivers the goods
Ten new mid-range models carry the load for less
PEOPLE in the middle market for vans now have a midrange Mercedes-Benz Vito for all occasions, shapes and sizes.
You will still pay for the badge and the trust in the components, excellent technology, solid car-building precision and design it represents, but since you are in the middle market and not rolling with the top dogs, expect to pay more for extras.
Getting into the lower-end Merc market, the choice represented by this versatile spread of 10 diesel vans was unveiled at Zwartkops, Pretoria recently.
There’s a fair amount of spec variation sometimes per model, divided simply into three styles:
● The workhorse panel vans (111 CDI, 114 CDI and 116 CDI costing from R372 780 to R443 460);
● The lifestyle Mixto 111 CDI (R443 460) and 116 CDI Mixto (R556 320) and;
● The tourer range comprising three Tourer Pro models: 111 CDI (R516 272), 114 CDI (R540 314) and 116 CDI (R572 348) and two models of Tourer Select: 116 CDI (R676 088), and 119 CDI (R744 386).
The corporation highlights that these Vito vans will cost little to run, yet they will carry a lot.
The panel vans are for professionals, traders, service providers and shuttle service operators, but the lifestyle option is there for loading your bike, board or travel gear, plus family, or a few friends. It comes with two different drive systems and will shoulder 1 344 kg of cargo.
The Mixto carries people and cargo, while the Tourer is a classy people-shifter or taxi.
They all look and feel rugged and the panel van and Pro had enough grunt to overtake a few trucks on a narrow Highveld road. They also easily took the nasty jagged step down to the dirt on the side.
The Select is an automatic and felt a bit ponderous when I wanted a bit of gear-shift vooma.
Fuel consumption was tested to 7.9l/100km by a rookie, yours truly, and the ESP was incredible.
As per instruction, we had to drive pedal-to-the-metal onto a half-wet, half-dry skid pan and throw the van into sharp curves. It judders and squawks but won’t let you skid, let alone roll. Disbelieving this, I let a rally driver do it for me. It works.
The cockpits are uncluttered, comfortable and spacious, but it felt odd to want to pay R372 780 (Vat inclusive) for the bottom-of-the-range 111 CDI Panel Van, and get no air-con.
Some come with front-wheel drive, others are rear-wheel drive.
The front-wheelers give better traction when the load is light, backwheel drive is for heavy loads and trailer hauling. The front-wheel drive Vitos come with 1.6 litre engines and deliver 84 kW.
The rear-wheel drive 2.2-litre engine delivers between 100kW to 140kW, model depending.
Most come with six gears unless they are automatic. Fuel efficiency was built into the transmission and low-friction rear axles, electro-mechanical steering and auxiliary units.
MBSA said the certified 5.7 l/100km for the Vito 116 CDI with BlueEfficiency tech, was “unmatched in this vehicle category”.
Tourer and Mixto service plans have increased from the old 5year/90 000 km to 5-year/120 000 km service plan for all these Vitos.
The range of colours include executive navy, but the launch range came in punky-funky yellow, red, green and blue. Plenty to choose from and who doesn’t want a Merc badge on their bonnet?