2018 Mercedes-Benz X-Class X250d Power first drive review
- Quiet on the road
- Excellent safety features
- Luxury appeal
- Close links to Nissan
- Ordinary engine
- Unladen ride comfort
The Mercedes-Benz X-Class brings new levels of safety and refinement to the ute market. But underwhelming engines, high prices and close ties to the Nissan Navara stand in the way of its push to pass mainstream pick-ups.
Hands up who saw this coming?
A proper high-riding, four-wheel-drive, turbo-diesel ute with Mercedes-Benz badges goes on sale this week, opening a door to new opportunities for the three-pointed star and pick-up customers in Australia and beyond.
This sort of car was unthinkable a decade ago. But we should not be surprised by its appearance.
Dual-cab pick-ups have exploded in popularity in recent years, triggered by the promise of adventure, a desire to stand apart from the SUV crowd, and tax breaks which encourage people to run them as company cars.
High-end models are leading the push.
Toyota says its top-of-the-line HiLux SR5 represented half of four-wheel-drive ute sales which made the pick-up Australia’s best-selling vehicle in 2017, and Ford figures show 70 per cent of Ranger sales go to high-grade XLT and Wildtrak models.
Like Holden, those brands are working on more exclusive, expensive and feature-packed models set to hit showrooms soon.
Pick-ups with price tags exceeding $70,000 threaten territory usually occupied by prestige brands, so it was only a matter of time before a luxury marque had a crack at producing its own ute.
Who else but Mercedes? After all, this is the manufacturer which offers everything from the tiny two-seat Smart ForTwo hatch to the twin-turbo V12-powered four-wheel-drive Mercedes-AMG G65 and Formula 1-powered Project One supercar – at least overseas – along with all manner of luxury cars and heavy duty transport solutions including buses, prime movers and vans.
The latter arm started work on the X-Class following the mid-2000s financial crash which exposed Mercedes-Benz Vans’ reliance on strong European trade. A fact-finding mission ruled out massive US-style “trucks” such as the RAM 2500 and Ford F250, before putting a line through South American light pick-ups with compact petrol engines.
Dianne Tarr, managing director of Mercedes-Benz Vans in Australia, says the brand is “super excited” about the potential offered by the new X-Class.
“We see it as a real game changer,” she says.
“We’ve had a little bit of a white spot between the passenger car and commercial portfolio and I know the X-Class really fills that spot with its natural Mercedes-Benz heritage, strong four-by-four qualities, and the genes of Mercedes Benz – the safety and off-road capabilities that come from the star.
“We’ve been waiting for it.”
Tarr says almost 9000 Australians have expressed interest in the X-Class, with 69 per cent new to Mercedes-Benz Vans (though they may own Mercedes passenger cars). Some 60 per cent come from rural or regional areas, 40 per cent are tradespeople, and unsurprisingly, 97 per cent are men.
“We’ve got to change that,” Tarr says of the lack of interest from women.
“I think our vehicle can change that.”
The N word
Work started on the mid-sized X-Class seen here in 2012, when Mercedes reached an agreement with Nissan to extend an existing technical alliance and use the Navara platform as the basis for its HiLux alternative.
Those six-letter N-words, Nissan and Navara, are sensitive topics in Mercedes circles as the X-Class employs the Japanese brand’s chassis, all-wheel-drive system and four-cylinder engines.
While the X-Class’ exterior bodywork shares little in common with its cousin, if you look under the bonnet of an X250d you’ll find the same 2.3-litre twin-turbo diesel engine making the same 140kW and 450Nm as a Nissan Navara ST-X, using the same six-speed manual or seven-speed auto transmissions to send drive to all four wheels.
A peer under the rear reveals what is fundamentally the same suspension set-up as the Navara, right down to unorthodox coil springs and conical rubber bump stops which felt under-done when originally fitted to Nissan’s pickup.
Scott Williams, project manager for the X-Class in Australia, counters that point by saying the Mercedes’ wider track and retuned hardware results in a more refined driving experience.
“This is not a badge engineered Navara,” Williams says.
“It’s a unique body on a shared frame.”
How much?
The X-Class’ success hinges on Mercedes’ ability to separate the model from its Nissan donor.
After all, the hearts, minds and wallets of potential customers must be convinced to spend significantly more for what is, at its core, a Nissan pick-up. A dual-cab, four-wheel-drive Navara RX with an automatic transmission and similar body to the X-Class starts at $42,990 plus on-road costs, while a loaded Navara ST-X auto with leather trim is $55,990 plus on-roads.
Equivalent Mercedes models will set you back $55,300 for an X250d Pure, and $64,500 for an X250d Power, which then requires optional leather seats ($1750) winter ($590) and style ($2490) packs to match the same level of equipment as the much cheaper Navara.
Mercedes offers caped price servicing at 12 month, 20,000 kilometre intervals that cost $162 per service more than the Nissan, though it does prove cheaper than other rivals such as the Volkswagen Amarok over 60,000 kilometres of ownership.
Our time with the X-Class during its brief Australian launch was spent in the range-topping X250d power, which features a decent level of equipment as standard. 18-inch wheels, LED front and rear lamps, dual-zone climate control and seats trimmed in “Artico” faux leather join a proper Mercedes-derived 7-inch infotainment system with sat nav, a 360-degree camera and more.
As usual for a luxury car, an extensive options list includes extras such as metallic paint ($950), a towbar wired up with an electronic brake controller ($2063), side steps ($1337) and a soft cover for the load bed ($1040).
One with everything – including a metal roller blind for the tray and a removable hard canopy - will set you back more than $90,000 plus on-road costs. Our test example at the model’s launch in Tasmania cost just shy of $75,000 – call it $80,000 in the traffic.
That is not cheap.
But the X-Class has an ace up its sleeve in class-leading standard safety features for all models, which get autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping assistance, seven airbags and tyre pressure monitors as standard – a package you will find on no other ute.
Business class
The price makes more sense when you climb into the cabin, where a Mercedes steering wheel with perforated leather joins stylish air vents, a stitched dashboard and first-class electronics – at least in the top-end model. While its main central display is not a touchscreen, you take control using the same touchpad and rotary interfaces found in much more expensive Mercedes models, bringing a taste of Benz’ technology in an more affordable package. It certainly doesn’t feel like a Nissan.
Mercedes’ seats are more comfortable than what you might find in rival utes, though a lack of reach adjustment for the steering wheel disappoints. While it feels taut and well-assembled, customers expecting a similar level of fit-and-finish to Mercedes sedans and SUVs won’t be pleased by cheap materials and hard plastics around the lower levels of the cabin, where it feels more like a van than a luxury sedan.
Prestige know-how emerges on the road, where the X-Class feels much quieter than rivals. Wind and road noise is lower than expected, as is the hum from Nissan’s engine. The manufacturer claims this is the quietest ute on the road – without testing rivals back-to-back, we’re inclined to believe them.
On the road
A faster steering rack ranks among the key changes introduced by Mercedes. Tested on winding country lanes outside Hobart, the X-Class’ quicker reactions to steering inputs make it a reasonably satisfying machine to drive, helped by a beefed-up rear anti-roll bar which keeps the body relatively flat while cornering.
Time constraints at a somewhat rushed launch event prevented us from getting behind the wheel of a fully loaded example. But it was good to see static utes with 650 kilograms of cargo in the tray offered plenty of clearance between the car’s bump stops and body – something you couldn’t say about the Navara until its most recent update.
Like the Nissan, Mercedes’ offering exhibits a fidgety, nibbling ride when unladen, feeling unsettled over repeated bumps that have you jiggling away in the cabin. While optional 19-inch wheels look sharp, they don’t help with ride comfort, or contribute meaningfully to its off-road ability.
A brief excursion on wet grass and muddy hillsides showed the car’s electronics suite – including shift-on-the-fly four-wheel-drive and hill descent control – get the job done in tricky conditions, though a particularly greasy slope required a couple of attempts at a run-up before we found our way to the top.
Nissan’s 2.3-litre twin-turbo diesel is adequate if not outstanding in the X-Class, which weighs around 250kg more than its cousin. Noisier than equivalent Mercedes diesels, the motor lacks wallop in this class – particularly compared to the V6-powered Volkswagen Amarok or Holden’s punchy 500Nm Colorado – requiring a dozy 11.8 seconds to reach 100km/h in automatic form. That extra weight over the Nissan contributes to higher fuel use too – an additional 0.9L/100km when comparing four-wheel-drive, auto machines.
Mercedes says more than a few customers are holding out for a 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo model set to bring 190kW and 550Nm outputs before the end of the year.
X-Factor
We don’t know exactly how much of a price premium the V6 X-Class will carry. But we know a proper Mercedes engine pushing the X-Class toward the top of the pile for power outputs has to help perceptions surrounding the big ‘Benz.
Quiet on the road, the Spanish-built X-Class sets a new benchmark for cabin comfort, safety and tech while bringing a dash of prestige appeal to the pick-up segment.
But for now, questionable value, unsettled suspension and uninspiring four-cylinder engines are unlikely to make it a default choice for ute buyers with money to burn.
2018 Mercedes-Benz X-Class X250d Power pricing and specifications:
Price: From $61,600 plus on-road costs
On sale: Now
Engine: 2.3-litre four-cylinder twin-turbo diesel
Power: 140kW at 3750rpm
Torque: 450Nm at 1500-2500rpm
Transmission: Six-speed manual or seven-speed auto, four-wheel-drive
Fuel use: From 7.0L/100km
- Interested in owning the new X-Class? Visit our Mercedes showroom
Big-ticket utes
Mercedes isn’t the only brand pushing the boundaries with high-priced pick-ups.
Ford confirmed prices for its new Ranger Raptor ute this week, slapping a $75,900 plus-on-road sticker on a sought-after machine with race-inspired suspension and a new 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine.
Holden fans might consider the HSV Colorado SportsCat+ for $66,790 plus on-road costs, or closer to $75,000 when you load it up with SupaShock suspension, an automatic transmission, sporty-looking sailplane and more.
Not to be outdone by four-cylinder rivals, Volkswagen plans to offer an upgraded Amarok V6 with impressive 190kW and 580Nm outputs which should keep it at the top of the class in late 2018 – expect it to pair the engine with rugged body styling and big wheels to draw new buyers to the brand.
Those who want something bigger can try on full-sized Chevrolet Silverado and Ram 2500 pick-ups imported from the US, while a petrol V8-powered Ram 1500 ute could make people think twice about diesel power later this year.
While Mercerdes offers high-performance AMG versions of many models including hatchbacks, sedans and SUVs, the brand has no plans to introduce a performance-minded X-Class.