Van Review: Mercedes Vito Sport X
It’s rare for a van to attract stares. Well, admiring ones, anyway. The special edition Mercedes Vito Sport X however is one of a rare breed of production commercial vehicles to take cues from the pages of Max Power magazine, but does it stand up as a van that can be used on a day to day basis?
The vehicle EPA received from Mercedes had a 3 litre V6 diesel engine, the same as can be found in the E-Class 320, producing 204 bhp and 325 lb/ft of torque. Those figures and a 0-60 stat of 8.3 seconds are enough to allay any fears that the sporty nature of the Vito is merely cosmetic. The Sport X also comes with a five-speed automatic gearbox as standard making it a simple and effortless van to live with, especially for town and city driving. Other options on this model include a Traveliner version which comes with an extra three removable seats.
Strangely, for a van, the first place I chose to take the Sport X was the dual carriageway where I thought I might best be able to experience the extent of its high performance credentials. The first thing I noticed when I turned the key to the van was the lack of throaty growl from the engine. Perhaps I was a little too eager to hear the tones of a drag racer, which was always going to be optimistic, but the Sport X doesn’t give too much away at the point of ignition. That said, the engine certainly sounded smooth and pulling away gave me my first taste of the Vito’s fantastic 11.8m turning circle.
Along the dual carriageway it becomes clear why the Vito Sport X holds the title of World’s Fastest Van. It’s like being swept along by a hurricane. One that also displays an unstoppable desire to increase in velocity. As with many automatic transmissions, there is a slight lag when you first put your foot down with any force but once the engine catches up with your instruction, the power is ladled on with almost obscene generosity. This sort of acceleration in a vehicle the size of the Vito is extremely impressive, but it is worth noting that it is very easy to find yourself travelling a good 15mph quicker than you thought you were.
The automatic gearbox can also be used as a manual by flicking the lever to the left or right depending on whether you want to change up or down. I found this reduced some of the lag evident when in automatic mode and actually made the van feel even quicker. It’s definitely a useful addition to the Vito’s array of gadgets, especially if you’re not a driver who is overly fond of automatics.
Storage in the cabin is vast and is all fashioned from highly durable plastic and the general sense of solidity is tangible throughout. Thanks to the steel bulkhead, driving along at a good lick didn’t bring with it too much noise in the cabin. In fact, the whole design is engineered towards comfort. The seats are leather trimmed and offer four-way adjustment, the steering wheel is also leather-covered and the air-con includes a pollen filter. The cruise control option will assist long motorway drives and all of the controls for the CD/radio and mileage information can be accessed via steering wheel mounted buttons. I also found the built-in sat nav very easy to use, with its large, clear screen and intuitive functions, though it was a relief once I’d learned how to switch it off.
Taking my first peek into the back of the Vito’s 5.19m³ load area I was impressed by the tough anti slip flooring which seemed more resistant to gouges than other types, though still did suffer a little under particularly heavy metal items (sorry, Mercedes!). The model that was supplied to EPA came with a top-hinged tailgate which made access to the load area extremely easy. However we did find the dual sliding side panels did require a very a deliberate push in order to get them to lock open.
The extra power of the Vito Sport X became especially useful with the load area fully laden. Its outstanding acceleration seemed virtually unaffected by the additional weight and cornering still felt secure and accurate.
But is power and sporty appearance an important consideration for people when buying a van? Well, we thought there was only one way to find out so we took the Vito Sport X to our local electrical wholesaler, QVS in Tonbridge, to ask what they and their customers thought of it.
First to offer their opinion was Mark, QVS branch manager who said: “I think that looks, performance and comfort are important. If you’re in a trade where you’re driving around in a van all day they are definitely important things. With this van, I’m not sure if it would be right for a large company buying a fleet but for someone in the trade it seems a very practical choice.”
When asked the same question to Mike of MJT Electrical thought the Vito Sport X was perfectly suited to electricians: “You’re talking about the prima donnas of the building industry! You don’t see electricians with their hands down a stinking 4-inch drain. It’s definitely a spark’s van, though you would still have to have it kitted out inside and if you were to carry 3 or 4 metre lengths of conduit or trunking that need to be kept straight you would need to use the roof.”
And Mike also thought the additional features were practical and necessary nowadays: “I always go for leather seats and decent trims. You’ve got to have air con, and then also sat nav. For plumbers it’s worth it though sparks always know where they’re going.”
Conclusion
It would be wrong to suggest that this is going to be the natural choice for anyone looking to buy a van. The fact Mercedes have launched this as a Special Edition indicates they are aware of that. But the more you think about it, and the more I drove it, it seems strange that people are willing to sacrifice a certain level of comfort when selecting a van, and the Vito Sport X does make you realise that they can be pleasures to drive and spend time in.
The peripheral elements such as the Brabus alloys and other adornments may not be to everyone’s taste, but underneath the Vito Sport X is still a very practical van and delivered extremely well on everything we asked of it. It’s not just about the acceleration as the driveability was probably the most impressive aspect overall. But if you do want to stand out from the crowd and enjoy being the first off the mark at the lights, then this is unquestionably the van for you.
Technical Information – Mercedes Vito Sport X
Price:
£25,430 exc. VAT
Engine:
Mercedes-Benz OM6420E30LA, 6-cylinder turbo-charged and intercooled diesel with piezo injectors
Maximum power:
204bhp/150kW at 3800rpm
Maximum torque:
440Nm at 1600 - 2400rpm
Transmission:
5-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Acceleration (0-60mph):
8.3 sec
Maximum speed (calculated):
122 mph
Fuel consumption at constant 56mph:
38.1 mpg
Load length (mm):
2424 - Compact
2667 - Long
Maximum load width:
1650 – Compact
1650 - Long
Payload (kg):
900 - 980 - Compact
875 - 965 - Long
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