Auto Express – July 30, 2019

86 SpecialIssue http://www.autoexpress.co.uk

OURCARSROADTESTSLivingwithaMercedesX-ClassXxxxxxxxxxx

Question

Ourman is

impressedby

the X350 d–

but isn’t sureit

quitejustifies

its pricetag

Performance

0-60mph/top speed

7.5secs (ontest)/127mph

FINALREPORTWe ponder whether this posh pick-up can fit into our life

Mercedes X-Class

THEREcomesapointinjustabout
everylong-termtestofacarwhenyou
begintowonderwhetherit’samachine
you’dwantpermanentlyinyourlife.
Sometimesthethoughtisonlyfleeting,
whenthecarhasproveditselfobviously
unsuitable.It’susuallyafundamentalflaw,
likeitwon’tcarryallthefamily,orithasa
poorrideoragearboxthatyoujustcouldn’t
bringyourselftospendmoneyon.ButI’ve
beenhavingseriouslonger-termthoughts
abouttheMercedesX350dthathascome
totheendofitssixmonthsonourfleet.
First,Ishoulddeclareaninterest–I’m
ahugepick-upfan.Theyperfectlysuitmy
currentfamilyrequirementsandhobbies,
luggingtrackandrallycars,toolsandspares
alloverthecountryandabroad.AndIlove
thatyoucankeepallthegrubby,smellybits
separatefrompassengersandluggage.
I’vebeenluckyenoughtohaveexperienced
lotsofpick-uptrucksovertheyears,and
there’snodoubtthattheX350disthecream
ofthecrop.Trucksdon’tgetmuchbetter
thanthis,orasfarfromtheircommercial
roots.Mercedeshasworkedwonderswith
theride,transformingitfromitshumble

baseintheNissanNavaraandmakingit

somethingIcaneasilylivewith.Yes,there

aresurfacesthatunsettleit,butthereis

nowherenearthelevelofshuddering

andcrashingI’vefeltinrivals.

It’scomplementedbytheengine.That

254bhp3.0-litreV6neverfeltlacking,even

onseverallongtowingsessionswithmy

FordEscortonatrailerandthecabinloaded

withpassengersandluggage.Gettingupto

speedonasliproadrequiresjustabitof

throttle,andtheslick–ifslow-witted–seven-

speedautorarelyhastodownshift.There’s

agruffnesstotheenginethatIlike,too.

Thenthere’sthecabin,withelements

takenfromelsewherewithintheMercedes

range.It’sagreatplacetospendafewhours,

thankstoitsleatherupholstery,effective

air-conditioningandsolid-feelingcontrols.

There’snoavoidingthefactthatthisisa

bigvehicle,sotheoptionalParkingpackage

isamust.The360-degreecamerasmakeit

easytojudgewhereitsextremitiesare,while

hitchingatrailerisabreeze.Finallythere’s

theundoubtedpresencetheX-Classhas

comparedtoitsrivals.Thatthree-pointed

starmovesthetruckupmarketonitsown

“Mercedes has workedwonders with the

ride, making it something Ican live with”

Running costs

22.0mpg (ontest)

£96fill-up/£260 tax

Practicality

Payload capacity

1,067kg

andattractsattention.Allthesepositives

havemecheckingbankstatementsand

financedeals,butthereareareaswhere

I’vefoundtheX-Classlacking.

MymajorgripehastobetheCOMAND

Onlineinfotainmentsystem.Itsimpressive

8.4-inchscreendominatesthedash,but

thelackofAppleCarPlayandAndroidAuto

connectivityisashame.Atthisleveland

priceit’sunacceptable,particularlyfor

thosethatpreferusingacontinually

updatedsat-navappoverabuilt-insystem.

Ieventuallyfoundmywayaroundthe

menusandgotittodowhatIwanted,but

I’mnotconvincedI’dwanttospendalmost

£3,000onanoptionalsystemthatlacks

thesefeatures.TheUSBsocketinthearmrest

isapain,too,becauseitleavesalongwire

trailingacrossthecabin.Atleastitsupplied

enoughpowertokeepmyiPhonecharged.

Anotheroptionthatfellshortwasthe

rolltopcover,whichleakedandseemedto

getworseastimewenton.I’veusedthese

beforeandtheyhavebeenmorewatertight,

soitmayjustbeafittingissue.Itcomeswith

aseparatekeytolockit,whichisacceptable

foranaftermarketfitting,butwhat’snotso

easytolivewithisthetailgate,whichisn’t

partofthecentral-lockingsystem.Itneeds

tobephysicallylockedseparatelyand

requiresremovingthekeyfromthefob.

MyotherissuewasthefacttheX-Class

onlyreturned22mpg.Butwiththeamount

oftowingitdid,I’mnotsurpriseditdidn’t

getclosetoitsclaimedbestof31.4mpg.

SoamIgoingtoseekoutanX-Class

nowthisonehasgone?It’sareluctantno.

WheneverIspoketopeopleaboutitthey

wereimpressed,butnobodycouldbelieve

thatitcostnorthof£58,000intestedspec.

That’swhyI’dgoforamuchless-

expensivealternativethatdoesthejob

almostaswell.Thatdoesn’tmeanI’m

notgoingtomissitlikehell,though...

KimAdams

[email protected]

@AE_Consumer