Mercedes Viano 3.0 V6 CDI 204 CV X-Clusive, road test (Part I)

As we announced with the road test teaser, this time we wanted to bring something different , a vehicle that is rarely seen in magazines, of which there is little information online and few road tests, but that does not leave you indifferent. From the moment I left the Mercedes garage in Alcobendas, it was the centre of attention, and this Mercedes Viano Long, equipped with the X-Clusive package, is the German brand’s vision of seven-seat MPVs (but really) and enough boot space, which is normal considering its length of 4.99 metres.

If the exterior makes an impression, what lies under the bonnet does not fall behind, since our Mercedes Viano came equipped with the 3.0 V6 CDI engine, which delivers 204 CV, an engine with which you can get around in this Viano forgetting its size, its weight, and the number of occupants you carry inside, because it will always respond with authority.

Nowadays there are many MPVs with seven seats, or even SUVs, as we have tested some of them, but all of them compromise the space of the two optional seats or simply take up the boot, problems we do not find in this Viano. If anyone thinks it is a van, after reading our test thoroughly you will see it has nothing to do with the concept of a van we all have in mind, and this cannot be called a van (I recall the phrase the press officer of Mercedes told me when I referred to the Viano as a van). As usual we will begin with the performance of this powerful engine and its road response.

Engine and performance

This Viano fits the powerful

three-litre V6 diesel powertrain that delivers 204 CV, an engine shared with the rest of the Mercedes range, but which has its power reduced in the specific case of the Viano. This engine is the most powerful diesel version, with the more rational 2.2 CDI of 150 CV below it.

The figures for this Viano equipped with this engine are on a grand scale, starting with its weight of 1.9 tonnes, which exceeds even the weight of some SUVs. But neither its weight nor its size is a problem for this 204 CV engine, which has a generous torque of 440 Nm from 1,600 rpm and keeps pushing up to around 3,000 rpm. This guarantees that we can move the Viano with agility both when overtaking on the road and in the city.

This engine is most comfortable between 2,000 and 3,000 rpm, but as I say, motorway driving with it is no problem, and the torque from low revs guarantees a good response and recovery. Furthermore, like a good V6 engine it stood out for its smoothness and low noise levels, except during acceleration where it became somewhat louder.

This engine, which transmits power to the rear wheels (the house’s trademark), is paired with a five-speed automatic gearbox, similar to those fitted in other models from the German brand. The gearbox has fairly elastic ratios, and depending on how we set off, it always favours a strong start from the Viano; normally it shifts at 3,000 rpm, but if we demand more power it has been known to stretch to 4,000 rpm. The result is that you forget you are driving a heavy vehicle of nearly 5 metres, and there is always a forceful response.

The acceleration is proof that the V6 CDI engine is the perfect complement for this Viano, because it manages to move it from 0 to 100 km/h in just 9.2 seconds, and has a top speed of 198 km/h. One detail remains about the gearbox: although its operation was quite smooth, when stationary, shifting from P to D to set off was a little abrupt, demonstrating the power of the engine.

Road behaviour

As for behaviour, we find a model that has the typical body roll of its size and height, but shows exemplary composure even in situations where it could behave worse. I also have a clear example: driving on a road at about 50 km/h past a parked vehicle, a man opened his door as if there were no traffic, and I had to make the typical sharp swerve to avoid the gentleman and his door. It responded perfectly to my inputs and carried on as if nothing had happened.

When we get into the city, we notice the weight of the whole and its dimensions, but precisely its engine does its best to mitigate, as far as possible, the feeling of driving a heavy vehicle. In addition, its suspension maintains the house signature at all times, that is, it prioritises the comfort of its occupants without compromising the Viano’s stability.

The steering had a rather firm feel and was little assisted, yet it still benefited the driving of the Viano. The interior comfort was very good; apart from the equipment and the series of seats (quite literally) it has to pamper its seven passengers, only the aerodynamic noise on the motorway was slightly bothersome.

To complete the picture, it had brakes that are up to the vehicle and its engine and weight; without doubt the four disc brakes stopped the Viano better than many smaller and lighter cars.

Fuel consumption

Finally, we have the fuel consumption section, which, as you can imagine, was not exactly low, but even so, considering the engine, weight and size, it is very justifiable. On the motorway at 120 km/h the average consumption hovered around 10 l/100 km, on country roads it was hard to get figures below 9 l/100 km, and in the city consumption was around 14 l/100 km.

A curiosity about the consumption is that it does not have an instantaneous consumption indicator, only an average one, and of course, as soon as we set off it showed an average of 40 L/100 km, which gradually came down, but it is still impressive to see that after half an hour of driving it showed an average of 36 l/100 km.

In the second part of the test we will focus on the design and especially the interior and liveability of the Mercedes Viano X-Clusive. If the engine is impressive, the interior is a rolling lounge with outstanding space; in the second part we will look at everything in detail.

Photos | David Taboada