Skip to main content

Mercedes’ 2014 V-Class is the minivan you wish your parents owned when you were a kid

Mercedes-Benz has cannonballed into a segment that no other luxury automaker has dared to enter: minivans.

The German automaker just pulled the sheets off its 2014 V-Class, a legitimately luxurious minivan. The folks at Benz have called the V-Class the “Mercedes of MPVs”, and we believe that, as the next nicest family hauler in the segment is either the Honda Odyssey or Toyota Sienna.

The 2014 V-Class is offered in three lengths across two wheel bases, and it can seat as many as eight passengers. However, there are multiple seating configurations, our favorite of which allows the middle and rear rows to face each other, not unlike a limousine. You’ll also find the full suite of Mercedes-level luxury appointments available inside, ranging from heated and cooled seats and navigation, to an adaptive suspension, LED lighting and selectable driving modes.

The V-Class is powered by a 2.1-liter turbo diesel four-cylinder, which is offered in three different levels of horsepower. The base version of the car produces 136 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque. The mid-trim offers 163 hp and 280 lb-ft. And the big mill in the group produces 190 hp and 325 lb-ft of wheel-turning goodness. No matter the version you choose, the V-Class engine is mated to a 7-speed automatic transmission with eco, comfort, sport and manual drive modes.

There’s no word on the V-Class heading stateside at this point, but we could see it eating into the sales margins for highest-trim minivans on the market here today. Watch out, Sienna Limited and Odyssey Touring Elite.

The V-Class goes on sale in Europe later this spring.

Davis Adams
Former Contributor
Whether you're talking about gadgets or cars, Davis always seems to prefer "next year's models." He's a neophile to the core…
I tried an e-bike for the first time and now I’m hooked
It’s not about being a 'bike person', it’s about finding small upgrades to everyday life
A woman sitting on the Aventon Pace 4

Before this year, I’d never even touched an e-bike before, and the thought of riding one was never on my radar. With life already in constant motion thanks to two toddlers, biking wasn’t something I ever considered adding to the mix.

I’d always assumed e-bikes were for hardcore commuters or serious cyclists, not someone like me. I wasn’t looking for a big lifestyle change. I just wanted a quicker way to get to the park so we’d have more time to play before dinner.

Read more
This week in EV tech: Audi exemplifies auto industry’s EV holding pattern
Close-up of 2025 Audi SQ5 grille, headlight, and badge.

The road to the future runs through the present, and it’s not a straight line. This week, we’re focusing on how Audi is negotiating the twists and turns on the way to an electrified future. EVs are here to stay at Audi, but a gasoline crossover SUV is still the automaker’s bestselling model, and it’s not ready to risk those sales just yet. That’s why the 2025 Audi Q5 received a top-to-bottom overhaul for this model year, bringing its tech features and styling up to date without altering the what has proven to be a very popular package. By maintaining parallel lineups of electric and internal-combustion cars, Audi hopes to give customers more choices. But that doesn’t completely level the playing field. The new Q5 may have yesterday’s powertrain, but Audi isn’t holding back on tech. It features the same electrical architecture, operating system, and three-screen dashboard display as the latest Audi EVs, like the Q6 e-tron. So aside from a little engine noise, there’s little difference in what you can see and interact with from the driver’s seat. It’s not just the infotainment systems. The Q5 and Q6 e-tron are close in size, with similar space for passengers across their two rows of seats. The Q6 e-tron has a bit more cargo space, but not as much as you’d think given the lack of a bulky engine, transmission, and driveshafts. The two SUVs also have similar styling but, having now driven both, we can say that the Q5 is the more pleasant of the two.

More than a difference of powertrain tech

Read more
Take a peek inside the factory making tomorrow’s ride
A Zoox robotaxi.

Amazon-owned Zoox has opened its first facility producing fully autonomous robotaxis. 

A video (above) released by the California-based company offers a peek inside the factory, which, when it reaches full capacity, could roll out as many as 10,000 autonomous vehicles per year.

Read more