Drove the Mercedes Vito 111 Tourer towards the end of last year. It is a commercial vehicle that promises low running costs and boasts a high payload. The Vito is a go-to amongst mid-size vans with a permissible weight between 2.8 & 3 tons. The value for money is apparent with a fairly low purchase price, and low maintenance costs for what is offered.
A bit of a jack of all trades( excuse the pun) it lends itself to trades, retail, service providers, shuttle services & skilled crafts. It comes with two drive systems and can handle cargo up to 1344kg, claimed by the manufacturer to be the highest payload in it’s class. It is both a people mover as well as a cargo mover, so is very versatile. Coming in two types namely the PRO & SELECT which is more premium, it offers a variety of passenger transport.
Styling.
The Vito has a look of quality to it, and occupants know they are driving in a premium mode of transport. It has a good cd value of 0.32 so wind resistance is optimised. In short, the Vito looks like it can get any job done.
Cabin.
It is uncluttered and has a premium look to it as well. Seats are comfortable and roomy for both driver & passenger. The cockpit area is very clean looking. And all knobs and buttons are close by for easy use. The back seats are comfortable for passengers, and the sliding door opens and shuts easily. The storage area at the rear, when carrying passengers is not exceptionally large, but is functional.
Drive Train & Gearbox.
It comes in front wheel and rear wheel drive. The new front wheel system is very light, and whether fully laden or lightly loaded, it offers great traction. This also contributes to the low running costs.
The front=wheel drive Vito has a transverse-mounted, compact four-cylinder engine with a displacement of 1.6 litres and is available in the Vito 111 CDI with 84 kW. . In cases where demands on performance are higher, use will be intensive, gross vehicle weights are high or trailer towing will be demanding, the right choice is the new Vito with rear-wheel drive and four-cylinder engine with a 2.2-litre displacement. It is available at three power output levels: the Vito 114 CDI with 100 kW; the Vito 116 CDI with120 kW, and the Vito 119 BlueTEC, rated at140 kW.
The six-speed manual handles power transmission as standard but the 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission with torque converter is optional for the Vito 114 CDI and Vito 116 CDI and standard equipment on the Vito 119 CDI. For vans, it is the world’s only automatic transmission with torque converter and seven gears.
Fuel efficiency is a hallmark of the Vito & the Blue efficiency is available for the new Vito with rear-wheel drive and is standard on the 116 and 119 Vito Tourers with automatic transmission. The certified figure of 5.7 litres per 100 kilometres for the Vito 116 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY is unmatched in this vehicle category.
Whatever the engine variant, every new Vito benefits from long service intervals of up to 40,000 km or two years.
The service plans have been increased my Mercedes from the previous 5-year/ 90 00km to a 5-year/120 00km for all derivatives of the Vito.
Pricing.
111 CDI Panel Van – R 372,780.00
114 CDI Panel Van – R 409,830.00
116 CDI Panel Van R 443,460.00
111 CDI Mixto R 443,460.00
116 CDI Mixto R 556,320.00
111 CDI Tourer PRO R 516,272.00
114 CDI Tourer PRO R 540,314.00
116 CDI Tourer PRO R 572,348.00
116 CDI Tourer Select R 676,088.00
119 CDI Tourer Select R 744,386.00
To sum up, the Vito Tourer 111 is a premium van, that offers a versatile array of uses to many different industries, as well as being a people mover as well. It is a good value option considering what you get for your buck.