Timing is everything, so it was unfortunate for Mercedes-Benz that its announcement of a face-lifted Vito last year pretty much coincided with the arrival of the first UK Covid-19 lockdown. On the positive side, however, the subsequent months saw an explosion in the home delivery market as consumers marooned in their own houses and flats energetically shopped online; and a medium-size panel van like Vito is well-nigh ideal for home delivery work.
Changes to the Vito van include the ditching of the elderly 2.1l diesel in rear-wheel-drive models in favour of a 2.0l at 136hp (114CDI), 163hp (116CDI) and 190hp (119CDI) that has already appeared in the passenger-carrying Vito Tourer. It comes with a nine-speed 9G-Tronic automatic gearbox as standard in the UK.
If you want a manual box – a six-speed in Vito’s case – then you will have to opt for the front-wheel-drive version. It takes a 1.7l diesel at either 102hp (110CDI) or 136hp (114CDI), and in passing it is worth noting that Vito is the only model in its sector to offer the two different drive formats. Grossing at from 2.8 to 3.2t, the latest Vito is distinguished by a new front grille, new upholstery and changes to the infotainment package.
The Audio 30 with a 7ins touch-screen, DAB radio and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone mirroring is now the standard offering, with the opportunity to upgrade to Audio 40 with satnav.
Active brake assist is now standard too. It warns the driver if the van is getting too close to an obstruction ahead, and delivers extra brake pressure if an emergency stop has to be made.
If the driver fails to react then the brakes are applied automatically.
Mention should also be made of the availability of an interior mirror which can be switched to display a rear-view camera image, and of adaptive cruise control under the Distronic banner.
Front-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive, Vito van is produced with three overall lengths – L1, L2 and L3 – but just one roof height. Three specification levels are listed – Progressive, Premium and Sport – although the last-named is offered solely with the six-seater crew van.
An electric eVito is also being produced. However, we got to grips with an L2 front-wheel-drive 114CDI diesel with 136hp on tap, and in the Progressive trim.
Load bay
Access to L2 Vito’s 6.0m3 load bay is by means of a sliding door on each side – a standard feature – with access steps, plus twin rear doors. They can be swung through 90º, then through a full 180º if required.
Eight load tie-down points are provided, with a full-height steel bulkhead ready to protect the occupants of the cab if unsecured cargo shifts forwards under heavy braking. The bulkhead provides access to the space beneath the front seats so that long items such as planks and pipes can be carried more easily. So far as they are concerned, it increases load bed length by 370mm, to 2831mm.
Interior and equipment
Accommodation in the three-seater cab for all the items drivers end up carting around with them includes: a lidded and lockable glove-box and three shelves of varying sizes that sit on top of the dashboard. You’ll find a cubby-hole to the left of the steering wheel plus bins in each of the doors with a moulding that can hold a flask or a big bottle of water.
One of the two cup-holders mounted on the dashboard features a removable ash-tray that can slot into either of them. The cigarette lighter is positioned down towards the floor, however, and not terribly easy to get at, presumably in a laudable bid to deter smokers from lighting up.
The driver’s seat and the steering wheel are both height-adjustable, and allow a comfortable driving position to be achieved. The seat’s electrically-adjustable lumbar support helps.
The centre passenger’s position is rather less appealing however. Occupy the middle seat and you will find your right knee is uncomfortably close to a plastic moulding which bulges out from the fascia, and plays host to the gear lever.
It’s a shame that the centre seat’s back cannot be flipped down and turned into a handy desk.
If you opt for Progressive trim then you get reversing sensors, a reversing camera, heated and electrically-adjustable exterior mirrors, cruise control, driver and front passenger airbags and two USB ports positioned on the fascia.
Our Vito came with an optional Plus Package, which includes Tempmatic air-conditioning (which really ought to be standard) full wheel covers, and a parking pack which helps you manoeuvre into tight spaces. Also installed as an extra was the aforementioned Audio 40.
Mercedes has for sometime made safety a priority in its light commercials, and the latest Vito is no exception. As well as active brake assist you benefit from attention assist, which prompts you to stop and grab a cup of coffee if it thinks you are getting drowsy.
Crosswind assist is installed to ensure you are not blown into the adjacent lane on a motorway or dual carriageway if you are suddenly hit by a gale.
Front fog lights are included in the deal as is headlight assistant, which switches the dipped beams on and off automatically in line with the prevailing conditions. Sensors ensure the windscreen wipers are triggered if it starts to rain.
In addition to the foregoing, and traction control, Vito’s onboard safety portfolio encompasses ABS, ESP, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Brake Assist System, Trailer Stability Assist, and Hill Start Assist.
Our test van’s 16in wheels were shod with Michelin Agilis 51 195/65 R16C tyres. They are protected by pressure monitoring.
Powertrain
Complying with the latest Euro 6d-Temp exhaust emissions regulations, Vito’s 1.7l four-cylinder in-line transversely-mounted OM 622 engine is equipped with a two-stage turbocharger with variable turbine geometry. It produces its maximum power output at 3800rpm. Top torque of 330Nm kicks in across a 1750rpm-to-2500rpm plateau.
You’ll find the filler point for the 24l AdBlue reservoir beneath a flap close to the passenger door which also conceals the diesel filler point.
Driving
What immediately strikes you as you settle down behind the steering wheel and close the cab door with a reassuring clunk, is Vito’s remarkably high build quality. It is very solidly built indeed, feeling at times as though it has been carefully sculpted out of a solid block of metal.
This solidly transfers itself to the van’s on-the-road behaviour – the vehicle feels stable and well-planted, with little likely to shake it.
Its handling is exemplary. Push it hard through corners and it keeps hanging on in there, with no indication (unless you do something really silly) that it is about to break away, or that the driven wheels are scrabbling for grip. Body roll is kept well under control.
With 136hp on tap performance is not an issue, even when you are heavily-laden. Vito nips away from rest briskly, accelerates steadily through the gears, and happily maintains motorway cruising speeds.
Rather more of an issue is the quality of the gear change and the ride. Both could stand to be smoother – we suspect the suspension needs retuning in order to cope with the vagaries of Britain’s road surfaces – and in-cab noise levels are too high; a criticism What Van? regularly levels at light commercial vehicles.
Something we cannot come to terms with is Mercedes-Benz’s continued use of an-eccentric parking brake. You press a small pedal next to the clutch pedal to set it, then pull a lever at the bottom of the dashboard to release it with the accompaniment of a loud bang.
We wonder, why not fit the sort of electric parking brake increasingly found on other vans? Better yet, why not find some way of installing a conventional handbrake lever?
Operating
Mercedes provides a three-year/unlimited mileage warranty plus MobiloVan, its free 24/7 roadside assistance scheme.
Service intervals are set at a maximum two years/24,000 miles, with the ASSYST service indicator telling you when the next visit to the workshop is due.
Fuel economy? We returned a, fairly steady, 40mpg; slightly better than the officially-quoted 38.2mpg. A stop-and-start system helps keep consumption down.
As part of the Vito deal, you are covered by Pro Connect free-of-charge for the first three years. The Three Pointed Star’s own connectivity and telematics package, it does everything from sending an alert to your smartphone if it looks as though somebody is trying to steal your vehicle, to enabling your smartphone to lock and unlock the van’s doors remotely – certainly making the most
of technological innovation. Hopefully, thieves will be frustrated by the standard deadlocks and scared away by the standard Thatcham Category one alarm. It monitors both the cab interior and the load area.
Our Vito was finished in attractive-looking metallic silver paint – an option – and it seemed a pity that there were no side rubbing strips to protect it against minor damage. It’s good to see a spare wheel provided, though.
Mercedes-Benz Vito 114CDI L2 FWD
Price (ex VAT) £24,745
Price range (ex VAT) £22,845-£43,180
Gross payload 791kg
Load length 2,461mm
Load width (min/max) 1270mm/1685mm
Load bay height 1,391mm
Load volume 6.0m3
Loading height 558mm
Rear door aperture 1333mm x 1270mm
Side door aperture 990mm x 1346mm
Gross vehicle weight 2,800kg
Braked trailer towing weight 2,000kg
Engine size/power 1749cc/136hp @ 3800rpm
Torque 330Nm @ 1750-2500rpm
Gearbox 6sp
Fuel economy 38.2mpg (WLTP)
CO2 174g/km
Warranty 3yrs/unltd mileage
Service intervals 2yrs/24,000 mls
Insurance group 38E
Price as tested £27,440
Options
Plus Package £1,700
Metallic paint £565
Audio 40 £385
Velour floor mats £45
Rivals
Citroen Dispatch
Price (ex VAT) £22,995-£41,380
Load volume 4.6-6.1m3
Gross payload 1000-1446 kg
Engines 100hp 1.5 diesel, 120hp, 145hp, 180 hp 2.0 diesel, 100kW battery-electric
Verdict: Citroen is catering for the slow but steady swing in favour of zero emissions with an electric version of Dispatch with a claimed range of up to 211 miles depending on which battery pack you choose. Dispatch is also marketed through Peugeot outlets as the Expert and by Vauxhall dealers as the Vivaro, and they too are produced in battery-electric guise. Toyota’s Proace shares the same platform and overall design, and an electric variant is now on sale.
Ford Transit Custom
Price (ex VAT) £23,595-£53,025
Load volume 6.0-8.3m3
Gross payload 686-1459kg
Engines 105hp, 130hp, 170hp, 185hp 2.0 diesel, 92.9kW PHEV
Verdict: Transit Custom is one of Ford’s most significant UK van market success stories and it is not hard to see why. Its ride, handling and overall performance are all to a praiseworthy standard, and the mHEV mild hybrid and PHEV plug-in hybrid derivatives are likely to tempt businesees that want to cut exhaust emissions, but continue to suffer from range anxiety. Ford dealers are ubiquitous, and residual values are invariably strong. Check out the new refrigerated Customs and the fancily-styled MS-RT models.
VW Transporter
Price (ex VAT) £23,715-£50,055
Load volume 5.8-9.3m3
Gross payload 688-1278kg
Engines 90hp, 110hp, 150hp, 204hp 2.0 diesel, 83kW battery-electric
Verdict: Opt for a Transporter and you can look forward to a nice fat cheque when you come to sell it second-hand thanks to high levels of quality and durability. Only Mercedes-Benz matches VW’s robust build standards and – as with Vito – safety levels are high. To these plus-points can be added a slick gear-change and strong engines; and if you are worried about the environment then you can always opt for a battery-electric model.
The Final Verdict
Design 5/10 – Why on earth is Mercedes sticking with that weird parking brake arrangement?
Cabin 7/10 – Easy to achieve a comfortable driving position, but the centre is constricted
Ride 6/10 – Suspension struggles at times, and may need retuning to cope with surfaces
Refinement 7/10 – Rock-solid build quality means no squeaks or rattles, but in-cab noise is high
Load area 8/10 – Access from both sides plus the rear is to be applauded
Handling/performance 8/10 – Former is top-notch while the latter means you won’t be hanging about
Engine/transmission 6/10 – No quarrels at all with the former, but the latter could stand to be a lot smoother
Standard equipment 8/10 – Progressive trim gets you plenty of goodies, you pay extra for air con
Operating costs 9/10 – Generous warranty and roadside rescue package plus long service intervals
What Van? subjective rating 7/10 – Certainly worth a look but unlikely to eclipse Ford’s all-conquering Transit Custom
Overall Rating = 71/100
