The What Van? Road Test: Mercedes-Benz eVito (2022)

Date: Thursday, October 20, 2022

Cabin

Interior and equipment

The level of equipment you enjoy with a Premium eEvito goes some way towards justifying its price tag.

For your money you get air-conditioning, a reversing camera, parking sensors, heated seats (optional for the passenger perches), cruise control, two USB sockets and a 12V power point. Electric windows and electrically-adjustable exterior mirrors are included in the deal too – the latter fold in and out automatically – as are front fog lights.

A 7in touchscreen controls many of the in-cab functions, including the optional Audio 40 satellite navigation package, and we would prefer to see a much bigger one.

A DAB radio and smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included in the deal, as is Bluetooth connectivity plus a three-year subscription to the Mercedes me app. It provides connectivity to a variety of digital services including Navigation with Electronic Intelligence, which allows routes to be plotted with reference to public charging points.

The app also allows users to programme the heating or cooling of eVito’s cab interior while the battery is charging, helping to maximise the available range and ensuring that the driver will be comfortable from the moment of departure.

The driver’s seat and the leather-trimmed steering wheel are both height-adjustable, the seat back comes with lumbar adjustment and the angle of the seat cushion can be altered. The cab is a three-seater, but whoever sits on the middle seat will have to put up with restricted legroom thanks to the way in which a plastic moulding bulges out from the fascia.

Turning to in-cab storage facilities, each door has two bins, one of which features a moulding that can hold a flask of tea or a large bottle of water. Present too are a roomy, lidded, and lockable glove-box plus three shelves of varying sizes that sit on top of the dashboard.

One of the two cup holders mounted on the dashboard boasts a removable miniature waste bin that can slot into either of them.

Mercedes has, for some time, made safety a priority in its light commercials and the latest eVito is no exception, with more systems installed than was the case with the previous model.

They include Active Brake Assist with pedestrian recognition, designed to stop you running into the back of the vehicle in front or mowing down wayward jaywalkers.

You also benefit from Attention Assist, an on-board nanny which prompts you to stop and grab a cup of coffee if you seem to be drowsy. Fitted too is Cruise Control with an adaptive speed limiter.

As a consequence eVito was awarded a Gold safety rating by independent crash testing body Euro NCAP in 2021 says Mercedes. Driver and passenger airbags are fitted while other on-board safety devices include ABS, ESP and Hill Start Assist.

Crosswind Assist should ensure you are not wafted into the adjacent lane on a dual carriageway or motorway if eVito is suddenly struck by a gale. Sensors ensure the windscreen wipers are triggered if it starts to rain.

Optional safety devices on our demonstrator included Lane Keeping Assist and an LED Intelligent Light System, which, among other things, automatically adapts the intensity of the van’s lights in line with weather, speed and the prevailing light conditions. Other features include a cornering function which automatically pivots the headlamps.

Disc brakes – ventilated at the front – deliver stopping power to all four wheels.

Rack-and-pinion steering is installed. Turning to the suspension, MacPherson struts are provided at the front while a rigid axle with parabolic springs helps to support the rear.

Our test van’s attractive-looking 17in alloy wheels were shod with Dunlop Econodrive 225/55 R17C tyres. They are protected by pressure monitoring.

What Van? Britain's biggest and best van buyers' guide