The next generation Mercedes-Benz Viano minivan and Vito commercial van may be introduced to the United States. According to company insiders quoted by Automotive News, the new V-Class minivan, which replaces the Viano , and the new Vito commercial vehicle could arrive in the U.S. in 2015, following their launch in Europe in spring 2014.
If introduced in the U.S., the V-Class would compete with the Chrysler Town & Country, Honda Odyssey, Nissan Quest and Toyota Sienna, although it will be slightly larger than these models. The V-Class would also be the only rear-wheel drive minivan in the segment.
As for the Vito, which sits a class below Mercedes’ Sprinter commercial van, its competitors will be the Ford Transit and the Chevrolet City Express, Nissan NV200 sibling models. Both the V-Class and Vito are using the same rear-wheel-drive platform and will be available with all-wheel drive as well. Four- and six-cylinder engines will be offered.
As Mercedes-Benz revealed last month , the V-Class will have a more luxurious interior than the outgoing Viano, including wood trim, ambient lighting, many electronic features and a big panoramic roof, among others.
Mercedes-Benz USA declined to comment on the report, but earlier this year Volker Mornhinweg, global head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, said the Sprinter was a “door opener” and a U.S. launch of the new vans was possible. I, for one, believe the V-Class would make sense in the United States, as Mercedes-Benz has been left without a luxurious people-carrier after the R-Class was discontinued last year.
By Dan Mihalascu
