The MPV segment in South Africa isn’t so great. Being dominated by the luxurious Mercedes-Benz V-Class, reputable Volkswagen Caravelle, Ford Tourneo and Hyundai H-1, the segment continues to grow yet at a rather slow pace.
This is a tale of two MPVs that couldn’t be more different in how they go about their business in this respective stable; the new Mercedes-Benz V300 and refreshed Volkswagen Caravelle T6.1.
Both of them carry a rich history as perennial people movers and I had the opportunity to sample both products back to back to get a better feel as to how they both flare up in the stable.
The two MPVs are both practical. They are seven seats big and both offer impressive levels of practicality as well as comfort.
Speaking of the Caravelle, its simplicity when it comes to practicality places it ahead of the V-Class.
Both MPVs have automatic rear sliding doors that can be operated via a key fob. My absolute favourite function in the Caravelle is the two middle row seats that can each rotate 180 degrees without the need to physically detach the seats from their trails as you would do in the V-Class.
The rear bench of both the Mercedes-Benz V-Class and Volkswagen Caravelle offers sliding functionality that aids in terms of boot space.
The lack of practical cupholders was somehow a bit of an issue in both MPVs.
Other amenities include cooled seats for the V-Class as well as a self-opening rear window that makes loading easier, yet when it comes to rearranging the interior, the VW wins.
Sit back and relax…
On the road, the Mercedes-Benz delivers a comfortable drive that is accompanied by a rather quiet interior compared to the Volkswagen Caravelle. I had the thrill of taking both cars on a longish drive down to Mpumalanga and there was just something that Volkswagen has gotten right with the Caravelle.
The Caravelle employs a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine with 146 kW and 450 Nm, plus a smooth 7-speed DSG transmission.
It offers a responsive drive once the turbo lag has subsided when accelerating off the line. The test unit was fitted with the optional Active Suspension as well as the 4Motion system.
The Caravelle comes with five driving modes: Eco, Comfort, Normal, Sport and Individual. Most of the driving was done in Normal mode.
Meanwhile, the V-Class, on the other hand, has proven to be more luxurious with its four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that churns out 176 kW and 500 Nm plus a 9G-Tronic automatic transmission.
There is a Dynamic Select switch to select the drive programs: Comfort and Sport.
The V300d features some of the most luxurious extras, because it was the range-topping Exclusive model. It came fitted with features such as a fridge in the front centre console, heated and cooled second-row seats, heated and chilled cup holders, a 360-degree camera, a 10.25-inch screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto plus a Burmester sound system.
The Caravelle, on the other hand, lacked most of the stuff but had s a 10.25-inch digital info display instrument cluster and a touch screen infotainment system with Discover Pro Media system with sat-nav as standard.
Owning the duo
It solely depends on your application, as well as the depth of your pockets. Yes, both models excel in their application, yet they might appeal differently to certain buyers.
During my time with the Caravelle, I met a gentleman at the local carwash who was willing to get rid of his V250d for the Caravelle and his only reason was the simplicity that comes with the VW.
I managed to average a combined cycle of 10l/100 km, but those numbers would drop below that on the open road, whereas the V300d was somehow thirsty at 10.9l/100km.
In conclusion, the Caravelle is relatively cheaper at R1 166 600 than the V300d at R1 645 880 and you get a load of standard equipment. For that, its value for money yet it has a low 5-year/60 000 km Maintenance Plan versus the Merc’s 5-year/100 000.
