We were in Chile this past weekend where Mercedes-Benz presented its all-new X-Class bakkie to the media and prospective customers. Here in the foothills of Santiago we got to drive the Mercedes Benz X250d 4Matic.
It is powered by the same 140kW 2.3-litre twin-turbo diesel engine used in the Nissan Navara and performance is adequate. ( A 190kW six-cylinder diesel engine expected to join the range next year.) The cabin is a luxurious business, with some neat Merc touches. The ride is also good – it is definitely more rounded than the Navara. But maybe not quite as spectacular as we had imagined it would be.
The price? That’s still not been revealed, but the good news is that Mercedes says the company is aiming for volume sales in South Africa, and not just niche sales.
If you read between the lines, this will hopefully mean the Benz bakkie will come with a competitive sticker price once it arrives in South Africa early in 2018.
While we were in Chile, the automaker shot some fresh promotional videos of the brand’s first-ever bakkie, which you can see below.