Mercedes-Benz VLE review

Technically an electric V-Class van. Except completely not – it’s as similar to the V-Class as a tortoise is to a jump jet.

Completely new, it’s a mixed material monocoque called VAN.EA as a platform – lots of aluminium – powered by a 115kWh of your finest NMC battery, giving upwards of 400-miles of WLTP range. Which means more like 300 on most versions during the depredations of real life, but that’s enough.

We’d call it an electric MPV, though Mercedes is billing it as a ‘Grand Limousine’, which might be a little bit of an oversell. Yes, it’s a box, but a very well thought-out box, with excellent efficiency, decent styling and an endlessly configurable interior that includes removable, individually roll-able seats (Roll&Go) with built-in wheels.

And no, it might not be the last word in driving dynamics, but it holds up pretty well when the lightest version is 3.5 tonnes. Yep, you did read that right. Luckily, electric vehicles get weight exemptions for a current UK-standard driving licence, or people who passed their tests after Jan 1st 1997 would have to take a heavy-thing driving test.

Sounds… big. 

It is. Up to eight seats, big battery, big interior volume, big everything. At over 5.3 metres long for the standard size (there’s a LWB coming with 175mm extra in the inside leg), a single millimetre under 2.0 metres wide and 1,943mm tall, it’s large rather than gargantuan.

But at least it makes use of the real estate. The seating is endlessly configurable, including switching the rear seats to look backwards, and there’s a massive split tailgate which will make film crews swoon. Instant tracking vehicle with full safety on board. A specific market, but it’s there.

The grille/nose changes for each trim/model but retains the same squircle shape, variously chromed or darkened down, with Mercedes badges either integrated or on the usual sticky-up plinth. All grilles are backlit and flanked by slim LED headlights with a star-shaped motif, and there’s a kind of double-ended hockey stick on the bottom lip that, when in the ‘Exclusive’ trim looks like a set of chrome tusks. Weirdly cool. 

The profile is notably van-ish, with a big swoopy window, but you’ll notice the deep sides, cleverly shortened by the use of black on the lower quarter – this is one chunky limo. There are sliding passenger doors left and right, and a hatch. Actually, it’s at the back where the VLE looks most like a van, even with the LED light banding around three quarters of the circumference. It looks like a launch tube from Star Wars. Niche reference, sorry.

What models are available?

There are several versions, all with the usual indecipherable and overly complicated Mercedes nomenclature. The basics are VLE 300, which is front wheel drive and gets a single motor and 272bhp (9.5 seconds to 62mph from rest). The VLE 400 4Matic gets a pair of motors, all-wheel drive and just over 400bhp for 6.5 seconds to 62mph. Both ride on AirMatic air suspension.

Then there’s standard spec, AMG Line, AMG Line Plus, Exclusive and Premium or Premium Plus versions of all of them – plus some others. Honestly, it’s quite confusing. Although the base version comes with most of the things you need and looks pretty much like the others. After that, it's configurator time. Good luck with that: you can even choose from three styles of centre console.

What about the details?

Where the VLE excels, frankly. Okay, so the dash is the usual chintzy Mercedes Superscreen, but we’re kind of frustratingly used to that. But there’s a feeling that if you have multiple streams of existence, the VLE has an answer to all of them. Camper, luxury limo, business centre, seven-a-side tourbus, ‘lifestyle’ transport – it’s all possible.

There are loads of charging points for gear, pocket dimensions of storage, a huge boot even with the third row in place (at 795 litres, it’s more than double the size of a VW Golf, for instance), and convenience at every turn.

You can pull individual seats from the back and have them all on one side – handy for a pedal or motorcycle garage, if you feel so inclined – and if you opt for the electric seating (which admittedly isn’t quite as easy to remove), there are programmes that electrically adjust to different configurations. So you just press a button for max second-row legroom and a big boot. Or less legroom all round and an even bigger boot. Or a small boot and giraffe-spec legroom. You get the idea.

The split tailgate is brilliant – it’s the entire ‘gate, not just the glass, so you can properly pack – and the side doors are wide. Even the sliding door glass drops entirely into the doorframe, so you get widescreen fresh air – not something that usually happens in slidey doorframes.

It’s also got an 800-volt architecture, so fuelling it up should be a doddle. It’ll charge at more than 300kW, so convenience is only at the mercy of the charger itself.

How does it drive though?

That’s an interesting question. Largely, absolutely better than you might expect. It’s partial deafness quiet, light and unfussy at the wheel without any particular feedback. There’s a rear-steer system (up to seven degrees) which makes it feel way more nimble than it should during parking and U-turns, more stable on faster roads and corners. It’ll actually U-turn within a tennis court. Which doesn’t sound that great, but when you see the size of it is lightly remarkable.

The Merc AirMatic air suspension lowers itself at speed for efficiency or for access, and can be raised for hilly driveways or big speedbumps. A system which acquits itself well – unless you’re going a bit fast on a bumpy road. The rear suspension is brilliantly designed, with the airbag/damper almost laid flat to give the maximum interior space, but if you hit two bumps in a row at speed, it basically runs out of travel and skips.

This might be what’s called a ‘roadtester problem’ because most normal people don’t drive like crash test dummies in 3.5 tonne MPVs, but you do find the limitations of the design. It’s much better just cruising, too. Actively calming. Option the Burmester sound system and it’s a little bubble of good vibes.

In fact, the only real issue is that of excessive fatness. More of which you can read about in the ‘Driving’ section.

A brilliant car from Mercedes Benz. It’s an electric MPV with a little bit of everything. Yes, the plusher versions do ape Chinese people carriers – you can tell Mercedes is eyeing the Chinese market with this one – but Mercedes has at least come to the table with an excellent proposition. It’s refined, useful, up-to-date and desirable, with lots of attention to detail and good ideas. Upper class private hire will be swamped with them.

The AMG VLE 400 4Matic is rapid and more desirable when it comes to handling, but honestly, you don’t really need it for the speeds the VLE is most comfortable at. Take the VLE 300 and leave the all-wheel drive for those who live in snow-inclined places or people who need to tow.