Mercedes-Benz is set to shake up the ute market with its new X-Class. NZ4WD’s Damien O’Carroll attended the first major market launch in Chile and filed this report.

So let’s say you want to launch a new a mid-size pick up into the world, where would you do it?

Well, it would seem to go without saying that somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere is a no-brainer, after all, that is where they sell in the biggest numbers.

Australia and New Zealand, along with South Africa, Southern Asia and South America are all the big areas for mid-size pick-ups, in fact it seems that pretty much anywhere south of the equator is far keener on the mid-sizer than their northern neighbours.

North Americans favour the large pick up, while Europe really doesn’t care for them all that much (although that is changing), so it made a lot of sense that Mercedes-Benz chose Chile as the location for the international launch of its first ever mid-size pick up, the all-new X-Class.

Splitting heirs

Now, those of you who know your Mercedes history may well screaming right now about the Argentinian-built 220d from the 1970s, which was certainly first.

But then that just depends on how pedantic you want to get about nomenclature - the 220d was based on the 115 Series sedan, actually making it more of a ute (like a Holden Commodore or Ford Falcon) than an actual “pick up”. So let’s just give them that one, huh?

While the ladder chassis pick up is pretty much as popular in Chile as it is in our market, that isn’t the only similarity.

New Zealand and Chile are on the same (give or take) latitude, enjoy a similarly temperate climate, produce a surprising amount of the world’s wine and both are long, narrow countries, although Chile does trump New Zealand on both those counts

Chile is, in fact, the narrowest country in the world. At 4,270km long and an average width of just 177km, Chile has a massive diversity to its landscape and climate, including Mediterranean beaches, deserts and, of course, the massive presence of the impressive Andes mountain range that dominates the eastern side of the country.

Which, if that sounds familiar, is rather like our fine land, just laid out a bit differently.

The sweeping flats and craggy mountain ranges are reminiscent, for instance, of Central Otago/ The lush, grassy farms are quite like the Waikato, and the capital city of Santiago de Chile is, well, nothing like Auckland or Wellington.

City slicker

Santiago itself is instead remarkably European; a vibrant, bustling and thoroughly modern metropolis with a liberal scattering of skyscrapers and even more trees.

Driving out of the capital to get to some decent roads and off road tracks takes you through everything from leafy and palatial gated communities to shanty town like slums, and everything in between. All of which - including the slums - are remarkably and spotlessly clean.

Our on-road drive route for the new X-Class would take us out of Santiago and down as far south as the spectacular winery of Vina Vik at San Vicente de Tagua Tagua.

The scenery south of Santiago is a blend of quite similar to New Zealand, with a bit of Europe and the ever present backdrop of the towering snow-tipped Andes range.

The roads ranged from similar to New Zealand’s, to much, much worse, with massive and aggressive potholes becoming more common the further you venture from civilisation.

This is where the X-Class absolutely shone.

The only variant we drove on the launch was the X 250d Power (the top spec of what will initially be available) and it was remarkably refined, stunningly composed and startlingly quiet over the rough Chilean roads.

How this will see it deal with New Zealand’s coarse chip seal roads remains to be seen, but the cabin of the X-Class is so quiet that tyre noise may well be an issue in our market.

Ride benchmark raised

One thing that won’t be an issue is ride comfort and handling - the X-Class resets the benchmark for both in the ute segment, with beautifully composed ride that only betrays a slight hint of  a traditional ute style ride around town at lower speeds.

Crank the speed up and the composure and refinement also increases, with well-sorted SUV style ride and handling becoming the predominant trait.

After a long day spent driving the X 250d around the back roads (and weaving through heavy traffic in Santiago), the second day was the really interesting part - an off road course located north of Santiago at an up-market golf course. Yep, a combination golf course, 4WD park and adventure park, at the base of the Andes and above some seriously fancy gated communities.

While the off road course wasn’t anything too challenging, it did provide a number of very Kiwi obstacles, just minus any mud.

Off road, the X-Class is equally impressive, refined and composed as it is on road, while the 4WD system is delightfully simple to use, dropping effortlessly into 4WD high on the fly, while stopping and dropping it into low with a further push and twist of the rotary selector is almost instantaneous.

Numbers game

The X-Class boasts ground clearance of 222mm and a wading depth of 600mm, while its approach and departure angles are 30 degrees and 25 degrees respectively. Breakover angle is 22 degrees, while it can handle a maximum tilt angle of 49 degrees.

With its combination of raw mechanical ability and clever off road electronics, the X-Class made effortless work of the obstacles.

However….the 140kW 2.3-litre engine in the X 250d is best described as adequate. With a hint of turbo lag and a slight sluggishness on the transmission’s part to kick down, it lacks the Ranger’s big mid-range punch and insistence off the line. That said, it also lacks the Ranger’s intrusive coarse bellow and is, again, incredibly refined for the segment.

Then there is the interior, which (how can I put this?) wasn't quite the triumph that the ride and handling is.

As these were all pre-production vehicles, picking out some of the niggly fit and finish issues is probably unfair, but the shiny black plastic air vents were not a high point, by both looking cheap and fitting poorly with the dash.

There are hard plastics present, but these lessen as you move up through the range, but all models get superbly comfortable seats (across a range of spec levels and different upholstery), a nicely detailed dash and centre console and the touchpad and rotary dial out of the company’s sedans to control the infotainment system.

Inside scoop

It would be nice if the hydraulic steering was a bit faster and packed more feel (it is still a very good set up though), the steering wheel lacks reach adjustment (which is a very disappointing oversight) and the rear seats, while impressively comfortable, are too high for taller passengers - I am 185cm and my head was touching the ceiling in the back. I did, however, have plenty of leg room.

The X-Class is an impressive debut into the pick-up market for Mercedes-Benz and one that redefines the levels of refinement, ride and handling in the segment.

It will be very interesting indeed to see how it handles the local experience, although if the Chilean experience is anything to go by, it should be equally impressive here.

What’s Nissan?

So how much of a Navara is the X-Class?

It is hardly a secret that the X-Class is based on the Nissan Navara. But even that knowledge leaves a lot of questions unanswered. Is it just the chassis that the two share? Or is the X-Class merely a re-badged Navara?

At first glance you could actually be forgiven for thinking it is the latter. After all, that rear door window is straight off a Navara.

Except it isn’t.

When you look closely at it, the Mercedes has a shallower angle that straightens out further into the door than the Navara and is, in fact, a totally different panel. Both the doors are, in fact, at least on the outside. The inner doors are shared with the Navara, but the outer door skins - like every other panel on the X-Class - is unique to the Mercedes.

The whole vehicle is also wider, (the track by 70mm) and Mercedes has extensively tuned the suspension, using different springs and dampers and even different mounting points for the rear dampers for a more Mercedes-like ride and handling experience.

Even that platform has been tinkered with, with Mercedes engineers adding extra reinforcement and an addition cross member.

The X 220d and X 250d also share a Renault-derived 2.3-litre engine and manual and automatic transmissions with the Navara - albeit tweaked by Mercedes - while the X 350d following at a later date gets a 190kW/550Nm Mercedes-Benz diesel V6, a Mercedes 7Gtronic automatic transmission and 4WD drivetrain.

But that is a story for another day!

NZ-spec

The X-Class will come to New Zealand with a 2.3-litre four-cylinder diesel engine -  in either single or twin turbo guise - and two transmissions.

The single turbo engine produces 120kW of power and 403Nm of torque, while the twin turbo produces 140kW and 450Nm. Both are available with a choice of a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmission, depending on model.

The Pure model is the rugged workhorse of the range and is available with either the 120kW or 140kW engine.

The 120kW Pure is available in either 2WD or 4WD with a six-speed manual transmission, while the 140kW Pure is 4WD only and is available with either the manual or a seven-speed automatic transmission.

Workhorse

Entry-level Pure gets black bumpers, 17-inch steel wheels and plastic floor coverings though it also comes standard with (manual) air conditioning, reversing camera, electric mirrors and halogen headlights.

An optional “Plus Package” adds a parking assist package and load securing rails on the deck floor (the basic Pure comes standard with load securing rings in each corner).

Order up

The Progressive ups the spec game considerably and is only available with the 140kW engine and a choice of the six-speed manual or seven-speed auto.

The Progressive adds painted front and rear bumpers, carpeted floors, 17-inch alloy wheels, rain sensing wipers, satellite navigation, a leather steering wheel, gear knob and handbrake lever, aluminium door sill panels, an eight speaker audio system, a chromatic rear view mirror with an integrated compass and load securing rails.

Option packages include a “Comfort Package” that adds electric front seats, dual zone climate control and Artico artificial leather/cloth upholstery, a “Style Package” that adds LED headlights, an electrically opening rear window, rear privacy glass, running boards, roof rails and 18-inch alloy wheels, and a “Parking Package” that adds the parking assist system and a 360-degree camera.

Top ‘o the line

The Power is the high-spec townie ute of the range and is only available with the 140kW engine and a choice of the manual or automatic shifters.

The Power comes standard with all of the Progressive’s equipment, but adds chrome exterior highlights (including the rear bumper and front underbody panelling), 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, heated mirrors, an Artico upholstered dash with contrasting stitching, electrically adjustable Artico/cloth seating, Mercedes’ COMAND multimedia and navigation system, dual zone climate control, a 360 degree camera, a parking assist system and keyless entry and start.

An optional “Style Package” adds the same extras as the Progressive, but ups the wheels to 19-inch alloys, while a “Winter Package” adds heated front seats and heated windscreen washer nozzles across the entire range.

Pricing will be announced closer to the local launch date of April next year.

To read every story in the December 2017 issue of NZ4WD go to Zinio.com (Nov 17) or purchase your own hard copy at the Adrenalin store.