The minivan segment has lost units in recent years. However, the larger models have gained in popularity. The two most premium models in the category are the Mercedes C-Class and the recently revamped Volkswagen Multivan.
Surely you’ve heard us say that minivans are in the doldrums, but the truth is that only compacts are. In recent years, the supply of large minivans has grown tremendously given the high demand. The undisputed king of the category is the Mercedes V-Classbut a very serious rival has just arrived that could shake his hegemony, the volkswagen multivan. Will it be a better option? Let’s find out.
Obviously the Volkswagen Multivan is not the first time it has been on the market, it has been one of the best alternatives in the segment for many years. Nevertheless, for this generation Volkswagen has wanted to separate it from the Volkswagen Transporter line, the industrial vehicle from which it derives. To give you an idea, it is the same successful strategy that Mercedes has followed with the V-Class and the Vito.
Each one tries to differentiate itself from its industrial versions, although one does so more clearly than the other. While the Mercedes V-Class is more serious and elegant, the Multivan sports a more casual look like two-tone paint. In both cases the shape is the main thing, but it must be recognized that both Mercedes and Volkswagen have been able to create a very attractive design.. They are the wheelbricks they used to be.
Table of dimensions and capacities of the Volkswagen Multivan
With function over form, the Multivan and V-Class come in different body sizes to suit different uses and customers. Three versions for the Class V between 4.89 and 5.37 meters, and two for the Multivan with 4.97 and 5.17 meters. Thanks to these differences in size we get space for more or less passengers, between 5 and 8, and more or less trunk volume, between 509 and more than 5,000 liters.
Table of dimensions and capacities of the Mercedes V-Class
If this type of family van stands out for something, it is for its excellent versatility and versatility. Both in the Class V and in the Multivan you can play with the space depending on the specific needs. The seats can be moved longitudinally, turned around and even removed, although in the V-Class all these operations are very difficult and heavy because each individual seat can weigh more than 30 kilos and the rail system invented by those from Stuttgart leaves much to be desired.
Where there is no discussion is in quality. Both the V-Class and the Multivan move away from the industrial concept showing typical tourism materials and finishes. I have to admit that the V-Class provides a somewhat more luxurious feeling due to its finishesalthough the Multivan is more striking because of the technology available, including details that the Mercedes cannot mount, such as the digital instrument panel.
In terms of equipment, it is difficult to opt for one or the other minivan. The range of systems is as complete as that of a passenger car or an SUV. It should be noted that both units come with decent equipment from their starting point, although the Multivan may show more modern elements. On the contrary, the Class V already has a few years behind it and although it has been recently renewed, it continues to bet more on quality and comfort than on the offer of systems.
A full-size minivan only serves one purpose: space. With that goal in mind, Multivan and Class V offer very usable cabins and rear rows where space and accessibility are not a problem. Sliding side doors, folding tables, storage spaces and flexible interior habitability that allows space to be arranged according to the need or taste of each one.
At the wheel
It is clear that today it is an advantage to have a favorable label with which to be able to move around calmly without worrying about low-emission zones or anti-pollution protocols. The problem is that in Mercedes there is no middle ground. The entire range has the C label and if we want a better sticker we will only have the ZERO label of the Mercedes EQV, that is, the 100% electric variant that is very expensive and impractical due to its limited autonomy.
However, I have to admit that this type of vehicle, at least for me, only makes sense with a good diesel engine with which to drive many kilometers with very low consumption. The V-Class only has diesel engines between 163 and 239 horses. On the contrary, the Multivan dispenses with diesel engines and divide the bet between the 1.5 petrol with 136 horsepower, the 2.0 petrol with 204 horsepower, and the plug-in hybrid with 218 horsepower and the DGT ZERO label, which is the unit we are testing.
Volkswagen has wiped all diesel versions off the map, which honestly seems crazy to me. If we look at the approved consumption, the Multivan consumes more in all versions, except for the plug-in hybrid that announces an average consumption of 1.78 liters, but be very careful. That is in such ideal conditions that they are rarely going to happen. During our week of testing in normal driving, consumption has almost always been above 8 liters, and it is only possible to lower it during the little more than 40 kilometers that the battery lasts.
To take full advantage of the Multivan it will be necessary to charge it almost every day, bearing in mind that when the help of the electric motor runs out we will begin to spend much more. The V-Class, on the other hand, has more restrained consumption throughout the range, between 7 and 8.5 litersyes An expense similar to the Multivan but with more power and size. Therefore, each one will have to evaluate what interests them more, whether the sticker with the need for the charging point or the consumption.
The V-Class is not only more rational in its mechanical commitment, it is also superior in comfort and ride quality. Although the Multivan has improved a lot in that aspect, it is clear that the hand of Mercedes had to be noticed. The quality it transmits despite its shapes, size and weight is surprising. Driver and passengers can travel long distances without getting tired, which is always positive when traveling with children. The Volkswagen is not that it is uncomfortable, it is just that it is not capable of reaching the level of the Mercedes.
In the price battle there are several details to take into account. The cheapest in this comparison is the Multivan with a starting price of 48,195 euros, VAT included. The Class V is offered from a minimum of 54,374 euros, with VAT. In both cases, the shortest body in the range is included, and the access engines, the 1.5 petrol with 136 hp for the Volkswagen and the 220 diesel with 163 hp for the Mercedes. In more powerful and larger configurations, the V-Class remains the most expensive thanks to its greater range of bodies, its more powerful diesel mechanics and the better quality of finishes and luxuries offered.
Conclusions
A minivan is never a passionate purchase. Cars like the Multivan or the Class V are bought because they are needed. But thank God, the latest generations of large minivans have improved so much that they are no longer like driving an industrial van. In this comparison there is no clear winner. The Multivan is cheaper and with somewhat more modern technologies, but the V-Class has more quality and a more logical range of engines, although it is more expensive and it is a Mercedes.