The Mercedes-Benz brand can be considered synonymous with luxury and prestige, but the Germans are gradually moving away from a conservative style and introducing cars to the market that are completely illogical for the brand. A break in the mold occurred when Mercedes-Benz introduced a model that surprised absolutely everyone. It was the X-Class pickup. For many, a Mercedes pickup is a kind of unknown animal that attracts attention and arouses genuine interest from others. “Yuzhny Avtomobil” tested the capabilities of the first premium pickup.
What kind of beast is this?
The mid-size pickup niche in the Mercedes-Benz model lineup was empty until recently. But, let’s start the story about the new product with the fact that Mercedes-Benz did not develop the pickup itself. The Nissan Navara served as its basis. The company has been collaborating with the Renault-Nissan alliance on niche models for several years now. First, there was the collaboration with Renault on the launch of the new-generation Smart, and now Mercedes-Benz has teamed up with Nissan to produce the X-Class pickup truck.
It’s impossible to even recognize the X-Class as a Navara pickup, the designers did such a good job. The Mercedes has a completely Nissan-sourced cabin, but it’s been so thoroughly redesigned that only the side windows betray its connection to the Navara. All add-ons are completely original. The Mercedes-Benz pickup also got a rear spring suspension. In addition, Mercedes-Benz has completely proprietary engines and gearboxes.
The new X-class pickup truck makes a pleasant impression in appearance: large headlights in the style of the off-road flagship GLS, a large radiator grille with a huge three-pointed star, and the same massive bumper. The Mercedes pickup truck is similar to the Nissan Navara in profile, especially in the shape of the cabin and body. By the way, the bed can carry a ton of cargo. As an option, you can order a bed cover or a canopy, and put a retaining plastic liner on the bottom.
Interior
Inside the car, the ears of the Navara do not stick out openly, but are visible. Personally, I got the impression that the Navara’s cheap components were thrown out and replaced with expensive ones. The Mercedes steering wheel, multimedia system tablet, touchpad, leather seats, and round air vents fit well into the interior. As for the leather, it’s quite rough by Mercedes standards, not only on the seats but also on the dashboard. Our model has a decorative trim panel with a matte metal finish, while more expensive models will have a wood-effect plastic veneer. The Navara’s “ears” protrude from the gearshift tunnel. As is well known, the gear selector on the latest Mercedes-Benz SUVs is located on the steering wheel. The gearshift lever is framed in rough gray plastic—similar to that found in Nissan. The climate control unit has a typically Mercedes-like gloss.
Our car had leather seats, but top-of-the-line trims can be had with Alcantara. The steering wheel is small in diameter, but that’s perhaps the most Mercedes-esque detail in the X-Class’s interior. It’s only height-adjustable, like the Nissan Navara’s. The multimedia system’s tablet has been carried over from Mercedes-Benz models unchanged, but I personally find it inconvenient to use the Mercedes-Benz cobra touchpad. The X-Class also features more advanced electronic systems, including automatic braking, traffic sign recognition, a surround-view camera, a transparent hood, lane-keeping assist, and other high-tech goodies.
The second row of seats is a bit cramped, but it’s still manageable. The rear bench and front seats are upholstered in rough leather, but the roughness here is purely due to the vehicle’s utilitarian purpose. By the way, the rear seat has Isofix mounts for child seats, so the X-Class is not only a practical pickup truck, but also a family one.
Let’s go
We had a Mercedes-Benz X-Class 250D at our disposal. The 2.3-liter diesel engine produces 190 horsepower – quite enough for such a car. The car is rear-wheel drive by default. Maneuvering in city traffic is easy, but only after you get used to the dimensions of the car. The high seating position allows you to see further than in a regular car. But you don’t get the feeling that you’re driving a car; it’s a truck in every respect. Another plus is that on asphalt, with the bed empty, the rear of the pickup doesn’t bounce over bumps. On the highway, the car drives exactly as a pickup truck should.
There is no lightning-fast dynamics, acceleration is smooth. When you press the accelerator pedal, its movement is smooth and there is no sudden launch. On unpaved surfaces, you can drive for quite a long time even with rear-wheel drive. Ground clearance is 222 millimeters. Expertly designed noise insulation, a reinforced frame and body structure minimize unpleasant sounds and vibrations. The X-Class has an approach angle of 30º, and a ramp angle of 22º. The rear bumper limits the departure angle to 25º, but it can be omitted in favor of a tailgate that folds down 180 degrees. The Mercedes is ready to ford water up to 600 mm deep.
The all-wheel drive is engaged using a rotary knob on the center console (hello Nissan Navara), but with all-wheel drive you feel more confident on unpaved surfaces with rocks. We conducted off-road testing on a tractor racing track; with all-wheel drive, the pickup easily navigated long turns at 60 km/h without any noticeable roll. A low-range gearbox and a rear differential lock are also available. Overall, the X-Class inherited all its off-road capabilities from its Japanese relative, with the Germans only improving them. In challenging conditions, the driver will be supported by electronic assistants – hill-start assist and descent control systems.
Who is it for
Generally speaking, a Mercedes-Benz is not a mass-market vehicle, and a pickup truck is even less so. The X-Class is a purely niche model. It is not a hard worker or a workhorse, but rather a kind of athlete who only shows off his abilities to the public. Therefore, the main buyers will be those who enjoy all sorts of expensive sports – such as windsurfing, kitesurfing, yachting, mountain biking, motocross, and other healthy, yet fashionable lifestyles. Considering the fact that pickup trucks are not particularly popular in our country, the X-Class will be in demand as a unique model, a fashionable toy for wealthy individuals and fans of the Mercedes-Benz brand. The base Pure trim starts at 2,899,000 rubles for the barebones version with black plastic bumpers and stamped wheels. It will feature a 120-horsepower diesel engine, which in the entry-level configuration will be mated to a manual transmission. The car featured in our review, equipped with an automatic transmission and the top-of-the-line 2.3-liter diesel engine producing 190 horsepower on the Russian market, alloy wheels, an automatic transmission, and body-colored bumpers, costs 3.7 million rubles. The difference between the basic and top versions of the pickup is almost a million rubles.
