New Mercedes V class

[Galaxy]

It still looks to boxy imo, but it is a huge improvement of the last one, and arguably one of the nicest minivans if one can get over the boxiness.




















This is the regular length, it will also be offered in a shortened and extra long variant. The V class gets most of the tech from the S class, the magic ride suspension is missing for example. Currently the most powerful engine is a 190hp diesel, and only RWD is available. AWD and more powerful engines will follow. Prices star at, wait for it, € 42.900. Yes that includes all taxes and stuff but still.

[cawimmer430]

Extremely fake motion blur and physics.   

[cawimmer430]

I'm glad that it retains the RWD layout. This is like the perfect family car! You can drive your kids to school during the week and set record-breaking-lap times on the 'Ring on the weekends.   

[Speed_Racer]

Looks like a great roadtrip vehicle!

[Madman]

"We're locking both of you in the car until you learn to behave."

[ifcar]

"We're locking both of you in the car until you learn to behave."

Yep, they're raising Mom's blood pressure for sure:

[veeman]

This is a real nice looking minivan.  I really wonder how it would sell in the US if they brought it here.  Sit in the backseat and it just might win over some g-class buyers.  Maybe it's the oversized grill and height of it, it doesn't look as feeble as your typical minivan.  Put some bigger tires on it, and it looks kinda badass.

As an aside, the vessels on her arms are veins which in general don't have much to do with blood pressure.   Blood pressure is related to arteries.  Now if she just got done slapping her kids around, her veins might be engorged.

[Autobahn]

I like it a lot!

I love the split tailgate on my 5er wagon - so convenient when you reverse-parked it in a tight space. Great that MB is taking on this idea in the V-Class.

However, I can't get over the thought that some guy in Stuttgart must have said: "Listen guys, it's probably an awesome idea to copy zee taillights from it's only competitor, zee VW Multivan and slap it on the new V-Class!" and the whole Board of Management answered: "super, toll! You will get promoted for ziss as ziss is the best idea since zee invention of sliced bread! And now let's go to grab some Linsen mit Spätzle and some Trollinger to celebrate this genious!"

What were they thinking? 

[SVT32V]

One of these days some company is going to somehow make a nice looking minivan...

This one, not even the stylist's mother could love.

[cawimmer430]

One of these days some company is going to somehow make a nice looking minivan...

It already exists. 

[cawimmer430]

Yep, they're raising Mom's blood pressure for sure:

It's probably grandma, not mama.

[SVT32V]

It already exists. 

I am not sure that is a minivan, you know 3 row seating, sliding door etc., but I agree it is not ugly.

[cawimmer430]

I am not sure that is a minivan, you know 3 row seating, sliding door etc., but I agree it is not ugly.

I don't even know what the DS5 is. An MPV? A Crossover? I don't care - it's hot.

[MX793]

I don't even know what the DS5 is. An MPV? A Crossover? I don't care - it's hot.

Seems similar in shape to an Accord Crosstour or 3-series GT and would be whatever those are (crossover I guess?).  Same seating capacity as a hatch or sedan, taller seating than a car but a faster, more car-like shape than an SUV.

[ifcar]

It's not even any taller than an ordinary passenger car -- it's just a compact hatchback with a big nose.

[veeman]

It's probably grandma, not mama.

Oh c'mon man :)  she's in pretty good shape for a 40 something year old Mom.  The majority of 40 year old moms look far worse.  Less than 1% of 40 year old moms look like Cher did in her 40s.

[MX793]

It's not even any taller than an ordinary passenger car -- it's just a compact hatchback with a big nose.

It's ~2" taller than Civic, Corolla, or Mazda3.  Not far off of the height of the departed Matrix/Vibe (which was considered a tall hatch or CUV).

[ifcar]

It's ~2" taller than Civic, Corolla, or Mazda3.  Not far off of the height of the departed Matrix/Vibe (which was considered a tall hatch or CUV).

It's closer to a Focus or Cruze (about one inch in height) than to a Matrix, even if you do put the Matrix in a different class (I wouldn't). Something in the MPV class would be more like a Kia Rondo or Mazda5, each nearly five inches taller than this Citroen.

An MPV is just a compact car with a raised roof, so an MPV with a lowered roof isn't still an MPV. It would be like calling the regular Golf a hot hatch because it's a less sporty version of the GTI, whereas the very definition of a hot hatch is "sportier version of ordinary hatchback."

Edit: A better example is within Citroen's own lineup -- the DS5 is based on the C4, which is less than an inch lower. That's not really class-changing.

[MX793]

It's closer to a Focus or Cruze (about one inch in height) than to a Matrix, even if you do put the Matrix in a different class (I wouldn't). Something in the MPV class would be more like a Kia Rondo or Mazda5, each nearly five inches taller than this Citroen.

An MPV is just a compact car with a raised roof, so an MPV with a lowered roof isn't still an MPV. It would be like calling the regular Golf a hot hatch because it's a less sporty version of the GTI, whereas the very definition of a hot hatch is "sportier version of ordinary hatchback."

Edit: A better example is within Citroen's own lineup -- the DS5 is based on the C4, which is less than an inch lower. That's not really class-changing.

I didn't say it was an MPV.  I said it could fall under the CUV category.

[2o6]

It's really just an upscale styling editon of the C4, and blends several styling elements from a few different segments. The interior is wayy nicer, and that's why it's a "DSX" car rather than a regular ol C4 or something.


The actual compact van they sell is this

[ifcar]

I didn't say it was an MPV.  I said it could fall under the CUV category.

But...missing the utility....

[MX793]

But...missing the utility....

One could say the same of the X6, ZDX, or CrossTour...

[ifcar]

One could say the same of the X6, ZDX, or CrossTour...

I would, but they were at least taller than cars. They lost practicality by sloping the roof downward, but they had raised seating positions and raised roofs. The DS5 doesn't have that. It is just an ordinary hatchback. Nothing more to it.

[93JC]

It's ~2" taller than Civic, Corolla, or Mazda3.  Not far off of the height of the departed Matrix/Vibe (which was considered a tall hatch or CUV).

O_O

wat

[MX793]

O_O

wat

I believe Pontiac classified it as an SUV (for CAFE reasons).  Similar to how Chrysler classified the PT Cruiser and Dodge Magnum wagon as SUVs.

[93JC]

1. For the purposes of CAFE calculations it is the government that decides what any given vehicle is classified as, not the manufacturer, so GM didn't "classify the Vibe as an SUV". GM didn't classify anything.
2. CAFE calculations only have two classes of vehicle: "passenger car" and "light truck".
3. The Vibe was not a "light truck".
4. The Vibe was not a truck, an SUV, a CUV, a crossover or any other cockamamie classification you can think of. It was a Toyota Corolla hatchback.

[MX793]

1. For the purposes of CAFE calculations it is the government that decides what any given vehicle is classified as, not the manufacturer, so GM didn't "classify the Vibe as an SUV". GM didn't classify anything.
2. CAFE calculations only have two classes of vehicle: "passenger car" and "light truck".
3. The Vibe was not a "light truck".
4. The Vibe was not a truck, an SUV, a CUV, a crossover or any other cockamamie classification you can think of. It was a Toyota Corolla hatchback.

PT Cruiser wasn't a light truck either, but that's what the EPA classed it as.

[2o6]

So? That doesn't make it a light truck.

[MX793]

If the Outback and Outback Sport are/were CUVs, the Vibe/Matrix was.

[2o6]

If the Outback and Outback Sport are/were CUVs, the Vibe/Matrix was.

The Outback has raised ground clearance, at least. And most don't consider it a CUV.


And most Vibe/Matrixes are FWD, with no ground clearance whatsoever. It's a Corolla Hatchback.



If I remember correctly, the bogus "Light truck" designation was to bring down CAFE averages.