Andy Dubberley from Chauffeur Network UK takes the Mercedes-Benz Vito Tourer Select on the job to find out if it’s a V-Class alternative for companies with a smaller budget.
Long before I encountered my demonstration vehicle, I really wanted the Vito Tourer Select to be a serious alternative to the V-Class. After all, there’s a big price difference for a start and as someone whose Viano is due for a change, I really, really wanted Mercedes’ commercial workhorse to both surprise and delight me, as well as saving a good chunk of dosh.
We’d already discussed the Vito Tourer on the Chauffeur Network UK Facebook page and as with every potential chauffeur vehicle, responses were mixed.
However, when you look at the Mercedes MPV’s, they’re essentially vans with seats and this fact alone has always made me reluctant to part with forty odd grand of my hard-earned unless I absolutely had to. Long and short of it then, is the significantly cheaper Vito up to the job of a chauffeur industry people shifter?
Right from the word go, you have to be prepared for some fairly major differences when you start dealing with Mercedes’ commercial side, rather than its car retailers.
The van sales centres aren’t set-up for chauffeurs walking in, so the no frills approach can be a bit of a culture shock, albeit a refreshing one if, like me, the predictable car sales patter induces a feeling of severe nausea.
These sales staff are used to dealing with people who use vehicles for their livelihood and this shines through in their no nonsense, ‘tell us exactly what you need’ approach and I for one much prefer it this way.
First impressions: To put it bluntly, ‘wow factor’ is in pretty short supply with the standard Tourer Select. It’s a commercial vehicle that shouts ‘practicality’ at you from the word go, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
I won’t deny, a little bit of me wanted to hand the demo vehicle straight back and say it’s not for me, but this wouldn’t have given it a fair crack of the whip and I’d have been guilty of first degree snobbery without exploring it’s possible merits a little further, (to be honest, this was largely due to the very off-putting promotional sales livery adorning the body and windows).
