New Mercedes Valente - Viable alternative to the Multivan

[Sharkie]

Doing some research and found that Mercedes released the Valente in April (2012). It is essentially an upspec Vito (or downspec Viano).

$57990 driveaway and has a lot of features not standard (including BT) on the Comfortline Mulitvans. Also has 8 seats

More importantly (to me anyway) is RWD and a 5 speed automatic (not a DSG).

2.2 TDI making 120kw and 360NM.

Mercedes-Benz Australia - Current Offers - Valente $57,990* drive away

BTW, the Viano at $78000 has a 3.0l V6 TDI making 160kw and 440NM for those interested in a Highline MV.

[Sunny43.5]

Yes there are alternatives I also saw this in a motoring journal I subscribe to recently .

[Seano]

The Ford Transit Bus is RWD with similarily powerful 2.2 TDI and 12 seater for a couple of grand less than the M-B. Unfortunately only 6spd manual.

[rymi]

I own a 2011 Viano, and HIGHLY recommend them. The 3.0L V6 165Kw/440Nm diesel is an absolute gem and the ride and handling is, in my opinion, superior to Multivan.

The 8 seat configuration is very comfortable, however nowhere near as versatile as Multivan. It is almost impossible to flip a row of seats around singlehandedly, as they are extremely heavy and difficult to align in the tracks. Multivan wins here.
The Bi-Xenon headlamps in the Viano are woeful too, don't be fooled just because they are Xenon. But apart from these issues, the Viano is the better drive.

[Tornado T5]

I own a 2011 Viano, and HIGHLY recommend them. The 3.0L V6 165Kw/440Nm diesel is an absolute gem and the ride and handling is, in my opinion, superior to Multivan.

The 8 seat configuration is very comfortable, however nowhere near as versatile as Multivan. It is almost impossible to flip a row of seats around singlehandedly, as they are extremely heavy and difficult to align in the tracks. Multivan wins here.
The Bi-Xenon headlamps in the Viano are woeful too, don't be fooled just because they are Xenon. But apart from these issues, the Viano is the better drive.

If I can ask, what sort of economy@avg speed do you get and have you ever done any towing with it?

[Sharkie]

I testdrove a Valente on Saturday and here is my feedback .....

Favouring the Valente
1. The 5spd auto is much more responsive off the line than the DSG.
2. It is a RWD and you can feel it. Traction is much better than the FWD Multivans.
3. It has a very small turning circle.
4. It feels more car like to drive.
5. It seats 8.
6. The dash plastics are better than the T5s
7. Power feels midway between the 103 and 132 even though pricewise its at 103 level.
8. BT is standard

Favouring the Multivan
1. Being a 5spd auto on the Valente ir cruises at 2300rmin at 100km/h compared to the 1700rmin of the DSG 7spd.
2. Interior versatility is much better, flexible seating and space wins by far
3. Interior plastics (except for the dash) is much better
4. The instrument panel and MFD is far far better.
5. It feels the more expensive car (except for the cheap dash) by a significant margin.
6. Optical parking display (on RNS510 & RCD510) is far better than the very basic parking sensor setup in the Valente.

When I compared the Multivan to the Vito Wagon 2 years ago the Multivan was the clear winner. Mercedes have narrowed the gap significantly with the Valente, but I would still choose the Multivan today.

I still hate the DSG with a passion, but overall given the luxury and additional versatility of the Multivan IMO it is still the better buy. If I could get it in the TSI with a manual 6spd gearbox I'd be ecstatic.

[Transporter]

Sharkie, I had Vito vans, you maybe remember me mentioning it. I spend 6 years driving them before I bought my T5. On every single Vito I had the driver seat had collapsed (I weight 75-80kg), the door seals did a poor job of keeping the dust out (you will only notice it on very dusty roads). I have a few customers with Vitos and I still see the driver seats going bad within 2 years/50,000km or less.
Other than that, they're OK and I still have a wandering eye for Vito. But, the driver's seating position to close to the door gives me feeling that the cabin is smaller than in T5.

When you mention RWD and advantages, there are also disadvantages that many are not avare of and MB will not advertise them; when reversing on the steeper driveway your rear wheels will loose the traction and you make the skid marks, if it was on grass you would go nowhere. In the slippery conditions the T5's FWD system shines. However for towing heavy trailers in wet and going up the hill Vito would have the edge, unless you use the 4motion T5.

If, MB would come with Vito AWD and that V6 CDI, I would strongly consider (I like logitudinal drivetrain better, but not with the RWD).