I have never driven a more refined, commercial-grade passenger van than the 2016 Mercedes-Benz Metris.
Usually these commercial vans are coarse but effective at workhorse business chores, but the superior engineering for the Metris puts it in its own class, and likely with a higher asking price.
At almost 17 feet long, almost 6 1/2 feet tall and hefting 4,850 pounds, I kept asking myself if this was really a van, because it handles more like a big car. The ride quality has waftability unlike any Mercedes and while it is soft, it is not sloppy.
But Metris has its limits. It seems big enough to satisfy the needs of many users, but its standard and only turbocharged, four-cylinder engine may not be adequate for the weighty duty of plumbers or contractors, and its smallish cargo capacity behind the third row will limit luggage capacity as an airport van.
Metris is a European transplant, where it has been on sale since 1996. Mercedes clarifies its role as a right-sized vehicle for large, metropolitan areas. In this segment, the rear-wheel drive Metris is a midsize van and smaller than the mega Mercedes Sprinter van, but larger than the small cargo vans, such as the Ford Transit Connect, Nissan NV200 and Ram ProMaster City. It's also significantly larger than the typical minivan, but as nice as this rig is to drive, there could be crossover.
With seats for up to eight, the passenger van pricing starts at $33,495, including the $995 freight charge from Vitoria, Spain. The cargo van starts at $29,945. A free 15,000-mile service check is included.
The six-passenger test van was $44,560, which made it quite accommodating and comfortable. The basic architecture of the van is for cargo, so most creature comforts are add-ons. Such extras on the tester included power sliding side doors ($740 each) and high performance air conditioning ($1,000). The Driver Comfort Package ($630) included a front seat upgrade with lumbar adjustment. The Driver Efficiency package is a must-have at $1,540 for its cruise control, rearview camera, navigation, fog lights and a center console storage tray. And the Active Safety Plus Package with Active Parking Assist ($2,270) added, among other things, some practical safety features such as blind-spot monitoring, parking assist, collision prevention assist ad lane keeping assist.
Eight air bags are standard (six in the cargo van) and the four-wheel-disc brakes are large and in charge.
There is no wasted luxury fluff in the van. It is not as posh as Mercedes can do, but the materials, construction and assembly are good quality with recognizable parts and features from Mercedes passenger cars.
The passenger quarters are far more comfortable than the usual church van in this class. The large seats have head restraints and the belts are integrated into the seat frame, which makes a stronger design.
The best parts are the hardware, the powertrain and suspension.
Despite a tall forehead and a face that's 7.4 feet wide, there is minimal wind noise at highway speeds and it's quite well soundproofed around town. There were no creaks and groans from the cabin, which are common in most big vans.
The steering wheel — possibly from the C-Class sedan — is small but hefty in the hand. The steering weight is light and consistent — but dive into a corner and the turn-in is clean and easily held through the arc. There is some body roll, but nothing to make me gasp and scream out a prayer.
Braking felt secure enough — four-wheel disc brakes with 11.8-inch vented discs front, 11 inches rear — but the discs seem on the small side for short-stopping in a full-on panic at Interstate cruising speeds.
And don't laugh at a 208-horsepower, four-cylinder hefting this rig. It is common to other M-B passenger cars, such as the C-Class. But in the Metris, the engine has V-6 pull and the seven-speed automatic always nailed the right gear for the task at hand. It is an eager balance of power and response that diminishes the weight. With 258 foot-ponds of torque from 1,250-5,000 rotations per minute, the max towing is 4,960 pounds. Fuel economy ratings are 20 miles per gallon city, 23 highway and 22 miles per gallon combined. I was consistently averaging 21.7 to 22.8 and almost 23.
The bad thing about shared car parts is that in this large vehicle, the controls are small and fussy for making adjustments, whether for mirror controls or tuning the audio system. And the side mirrors are small.
The whole package is a lot easier on occupants than other big, status livery vehicles, such as the Cadillac Escalade.
Metris may be a work van, but I can see it leading to a whole lounge-class of customized limos.
2016 Mercedes-Benz Metris
Body style: midsize, 3-row commercial passenger van
Engine: 208-horsepower, direct-injection, turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder; 258 pound-foot torque at 3,000 rotations per minute
Transmission: 7-speed automatic
Fuel economy: 20/23 miles per gallon city/hwy.; premium fuel
Fuel tank: 18.5 gallons
Cargo space: 38 cubic feet behind 3rd row
DIMENSIONS
Length/wheelbase: 202.4/126 inches
Width/height: 88.3*/74.4 inches *w/mirrors
Curb weight: 4,850 pounds
Turning circle: 38.7 feet
FEATURES
Standard equipment includes:
Safety features include: 8 air bags, stability and traction controls, crosswind assist, hill-start assist,
PRICING
Base price: $33,495, including $995 freight charge; price as tested $44,560
Options on test vehicle:
Where assembled: Vitoria, Spain
Warranty: 3-years/36,000-miles bumper to bumper; 5-years/100,000-miles powertrain
Mark Maynard is online at mark.maynard@sduniontribune.com. Find photo galleries and more news at Facebook.com/MaynardsGarage. To find out more about Mark Maynard and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.
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