News / 27 July 2023 / Michael Taylor

New Mercedes-Benz V-Class coming to South Africa – Taking luxury to the next level

Mercedes-Benz Vans has revealed the luxurious new V-Class, and it’s coming to South Africa.

The company confirmed to TopAuto that the new van series will make its local debut within the next 18 to 24 months, putting its launch date somewhere in the first half of 2025.

In European markets, the family of Mercedes vans comprises five units including the standard V-Class, the commercial Vito, the electric EQV and eVito, and the all-new Marco Polo camper van, though the company has not yet confirmed which models will be available locally.

The complete package

The upcoming V-Class was designed with electrification in mind, as the brand estimated that electric vans will constitute 50% of all its sales by 2030.

As a result, the passenger and commercial models are available with both internal combustion engines (ICE) and as battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), though it appears the Marco Polo will only be sold with an ICE setup.

The Stuttgart-based automaker has thus far made no mention of what engines the facelifted van will come with, so it’s reasonable to assume for now that the existing V220d, V250d, and V300d 2.0-litre, turbo-diesel powertrains will be retained.

For reference, here are the outputs for each of the diesel engines in the current V-Class:

V220d – 120kW/380Nm
V250d – 140kW/440Nm
V300d – 174kW/550Nm

Likewise, the company has not provided any details on the new BEV’s capabilities. The outgoing model has a range of 356km, and a charging time that ranges from 45 minutes to roughly 10 hours, depending on whether a 110kW or 11kW socket is used.

Travelling in style

The V-Class will be offered in four trim levels, namely a base model and three higher tiers dubbed Style, Avantgarde, and Exclusive, in ascending order.

There are also two optional design packages called the AMG Line and Night package, said the carmaker.

Visually, the multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) has received a new radiator grille with a new light band (exclusive to the passenger models), and the range-topping Exclusive now features the brand’s iconic star insignia on the bonnet for the first time.

There are five new paint colours, too, and the alloy wheels now come in 17, 18, and 19-inch sizes, depending on the model.

Inside, an MBUX screen now dominates the dashboard, consisting of two 12.3-inch displays on the V-Class, EQV, and Marco Polo, and a 5.5-inch driver screen and 10.25-inch media system on the Vitos.

The MBUX operating system has smartphone replication and onboard navigation with live traffic updates, and the electric models can make use of a database of nearby charging points.

Mercedes has also included a number of assistance items, including driver attention alert, rain-sensing wipers, active distance assist, cross-traffic alert, blind-spot assist, lane-keep assist, intelligent speed assist, and a parking package with a 360-degree camera.

Another big selling point is the van’s adaptive Multibeam LED headlights, which are operated by 84 individually-controllable LEDs that can react to oncoming traffic.

Equipment on the high-end vehicle then includes a heated Nappa leather steering wheel, multi-zone climate control, a wireless charger, keyless entry and start, 64-colour ambient lighting, and front comfort seats with four-way lumbar control, depending on the trim level selected.

The manufacturer has not provided concrete details on what the Marco Polo camper van will offer, but based on the press images it’ll have four seats split between the front and back, with a kitchenette filling the space between.

It’s shown to have a wooden floor, multiple cupboards, a sink and stove, and a deployable table that can slide out in front of the rear chairs. The bed can be found in a mounted fabric tent on top of the vehicle.

The local subsidiary told TopAuto that it does not have any information on when the Marco Polo will arrive in South Africa, but that a new Sprinter motorhome conversion will be arriving in early 2024.