THE Mercedes-Benz V-Class is an impressive way to transport groups of people around in style.
The V220d is the entry level variant for the V-Class, and is currently in the third generation. It was officially offered by Mercedes-Benz Malaysia from the end of 2015, on a custom order basis and fully imported from Spain.
We had the opportunity to spend a weekend testing the V220d Avantgarde.
Powering the premium people-carrier is a 2.1-litre four-pot turbodiesel engine that is mated to a seven-speed 7G-Tronic automatic transmission. It produces 163hp and 380Nm of torque.
Mercedes-Benz claims the V220d can sprint from standstill to 100kph in 11.9 seconds and has a top speed of 195kph. It records 6.3 litres per 100km (l/100km) over a mix of urban and highway driving.
It measures 5,140mm in length, 1,928mm in width, 1,880mm in height and weighs 2,075kg. The V220d Avantgarde has a minimum 650 litres of boot space with all seats up and a 85-litre fuel tank capacity.
The Mercedes-Benz V220d Avantgarde is equipped with 18-inch wheels, adaptive LED headlights, LED taillights, powered tailgate, paddle-shifter, seven-inch multimedia system, COMAND online system with navigation, dual-zone climate control, 360-degree parking camera and powered adjusted front seats with memory function.
If that is not enough, there’s also cruise control, sports pedals, 16-speaker Burmeister sound system, leather upholstery, ambient lighting, powered sliding doors on both sides, Agility Control suspension and multifunction leather steering wheel.
Safety features include six airbags, stability control, hill-start assist, Attention and Crosswind Assist, Collision Prevention Assist, Traffic Sign Assist, lane keeping assist, blind spot assist, adaptive highbeam assist and ISOFIX child seat mounting points.
The luxury six-seater is priced at RM434,888, excluding insurance. It is covered by a unlimited mileage two-year manufacturer and two-year in-country extended warranty.
THE DRIVE
The Mercedes-Benz V220d Avantgarde is a very comfortable, stylish and spacious people-carrier.
It is a solidly built vehicle that is finished with top quality materials. It has a simple yet elegant interior design accompanied by fine curves, leather finishes, glossy wood trims and silver trims.
The seats are very comfortable and supports well. All six seats comes with arm rests, one each for the front occupants and two each for the rear occupants.
Space in the V220d Avantgarde is abundant. A large frame adult who is over 180cm tall has no problem getting in and out the luxury six-seater, with ample headroom, legroom, and shoulder room to spare.
It is also equipped with a smart switch at both its B-pillars.
The rear occupants have access to a folding table that allows them to get work done or even to have a meal while being chauffeured.
The wind, engine and tyre noise is very well isolated from the cabin. It also has enough boot space to fit in another row of seats with some space left to spare for cabin size luggage.
Driving the V220d Avantgarde is pure pleasure. The engine is powerful enough to keep up with traffic on the highway with a full-load occupants. The mid torque engine is enough to exceed the legal speed limit without the needs of flooring the throttle. It provides a smooth and fast ride.
The seven-speed 7G-Tronic automatic transmission switches gears flawlessly and smoothly. It gives the driver precise gear ratios for the most fuel efficient drives.
It is very easy to manoeuvre the large size people-carrier around town and highway, thanks to the large turning circle. Getting in and out the parking lots is a piece of cake, thanks to all the sensors around the vehicle and the 360-degree parking camera.
However, due to the size of the V220d, it will surely take some time for the driver to get used to driving it, as well as its tougher to get around narrow lanes.
The V220d Avantgarde sits firmly throughout the corners. The lightly weighted steering wheel is obedient and accurate. It directs the vehicle to enter the corners correctly. The dampers absorbs most rough and damaged road conditions with ease, but the setting is on the hard side for rear passengers when it passed bumps or large pot holes.
Operating the COMAND online system with navigation is very straightforward and user-friendly. Just swipe your fingers over the touchpad or even rotating the dial above the touchpad will easily let the occupants adjust the system.
We managed to clock about 950km in the V220d Avantgarde. On a mixture of city and highway driving, it consumed about 7.8 to 8.9 l/100km. When we were cruising on the highway within the speed limit, the odometer shown that it used 6.4 to 7.3 l/100km. After some full throttle driving, it recorded 12.6 to 14.8 l/100km.
Overall, we are impressed with the Mercedes-Benz V220d Avantgarde. The German carmaker has put in a lot of effort in making the people-carrier luxurious, elegant and modern. Best of all, there’s no flimsy material in its interior.
However, there are some areas that the V220d Avantgarde can be improved on. It’s hard to reach to the cup holders for the front occupants and there are a shortage of USB charging ports.
It would also be a good if the V220d Avantgarde comes with chilled compartments to keep some cold drinks in it and it should have more colour options for the ambient lighting to further enhance the elegance of the six-seater people carrier.