Prize pick-up

Mercedes-Benz reckons it has found a new niche in the pick-up truck segment. Darren Cassey heads to Wales to see if it’s a niche worth filling.

There aren’t many niches left to fill in the automotive world these days – we have SUVs styled like coupes, and off-road spec city cars, for example. However, Mercedes-Benz reckons it’s found a new one, that of the premium pick-up truck. With almost 1,000 pre-orders in the nine months since it was revealed, Mercedes might be on to something... Rather than build a new vehicle from the ground up, Mercedes-Benz signed a deal with Nissan to use the platform for the Navara pick-up. That means the engine available at launch is from the Japanese manufacturer, albeit with new software. However, the exterior styling is sleeker than the Navara, while Mercedes’ suspension has given the pick-up a much better ride quality. At launch, there’s one 2.3-litre diesel engine in two states of tune. The lower-powered X220d model has 161bhp, while the X250d gets 188bhp. We got behind the wheel of the latter, finding it to be surprisingly slow in everyday driving. Fortunately, a more powerful version is on the way – a hightorque diesel V6. It should be the pick of the bunch when it goes on sale in mid-2018. Typically, when driving pick-up trucks, you have to make a concession for the fact they’re set-up for having heavy loads in the back, leading to an often jiggly ride. However, Mercedes has done incredibly well to tame this, leading to a best-in-class ride quality. This is thanks largely to two things – new suspension and a wider track. The rear two-thirds of the X-Class are quite forgettable – there’s only so much you can do with the traditional pick-up shape. However, Mercedes has worked wonders with the front end to give the truck a distinctive face. In a segment where most cars are defined by simple, rugged aesthetics, the X-Class brings sophistication. It’s a real head-turner.. It’s got smart air vents and a prominent infotainment screen. There’s comfortable seats and a well-judged driving position, while ‘theatre-style seating’ in the back helps passengers’ view. Opt for the top-spec Power trim and you’re looking at chrome detailing and body-coloured bumpers, 17-in alloy wheels and LED lighting all around. Inside, there’s artificial leather and microfibre upholstery, while electrical adjustment makes it easy to get the seat in the perfect position. The entrylevel model starts at £27,310 excluding VAT for commercial buyers, while the cost of a fully loaded Power model starts at £34,100. Private buyers will be looking at about £40,000 for the latter.