X hits the spot for pick-up luxury

Feature-packed Merc raises the utility bar

IT’S a toss-up whether a van is more useful than a pick-up truck or the other way around.

If you’ve owned either you’ll know that when they’re no longer in your life you really miss them. I’ve had both and of the two it was the pick-up I loved the most.

Mind you, it did have a 7.5-litre V8 engine and was made by Chevrolet in 1972. It was a very fast way of getting stuff to the dump, although a bit pricey on petrol.

If you like fancy pick-ups and, according to sales graphs, plenty do, then feast your eyes on this newcomer. It’s the Mercedes-Benz X-Class – the German giant’s first entry into the lucrative lifestyle pick-up market. It isn’t entirely Merc’s own work because it’s based on the Nissan Navara (as is next year’s Renault Alaskan).

The 2.3-litre single-turbo diesel engine in the X220d is also built by Renault and produces 161bhp. The X250d has a twinturbo version with 187bhp. We’re driving the latter in what Merc calls Power trim.

The entry level is the Pure with the Progressive trim in between. It might have some Nissan metalwork underneath but almost all the body panels are bespoke, as is most of the interior.

It looks great from the outside and as you climb aboard you could be in any Mercedes car.

The central infotainment screen is standard in all Xs and ours has the optional COMAND system plus a long list of other features