• Van origins have their advantages
• Vast interior seats eight as standard
• Room for luggage, too

How much space is there?

Much though the firm wants to distance itself from such comparisons, being based on a van means Mercedes-Benz V-Class practicality is almost exemplary. There’s certainly no need to worry about running out of interior room and leg, shoulder and headroom are available in abundance thanks to the vast cabin; there’s genuine space for up to eight adults and their luggage.

However, unless you really need eight seats, we’d recommend the seven-seater package. This no-cost option comes with a handy pop-up table. It works particularly well when the middle row faces backwards, creating more of a lounge feel in the back.

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Folding the seats is easy, as is sliding them around the cabin, though removing them completely is a job for two people due to their weight. Slotting them back into the rail system requires a degree of deftness that further slows down the operation. You also need to have somewhere to store the bulky seats once you’ve removed them.

Boot space and storage

Disappointingly, given the size of the thing, there’s little stowage space for odds and ends around the cabin. However, you can get a luggage area cover with fold-out carry boxes located within it – great for containing smaller groceries rather than having them roll around on the boot floor.

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The loadspace behind the rearmost seats is impressive, offering up to 1,410 litres with the seats in place on Extra Long versions – remove the rear chairs and that jumps to 4,630 litres – while the Long model still makes room for 1,030 litres with all the seats fitted. The tailgate glass can be opened separately, too, which is perfect for tight spaces given the enormous tailgate.

How easy is it to park?

Inevitably, the nose of the longest version will poke out of most car parking spaces, but in spite of that – and its width – it’s the V-Class’s height that may restrict where you can park it. At 1,880mm tall it might be too high for some multi-storey car parks.

Cameras and sensors make the act of parking otherwise relatively straightforward, something you can make easier still by paying extra for the 360-degree camera package.

How safe is the V-Class?

• Five-star Euro NCAP rating
• Plenty of safety kit as standard
• Four Isofix points

Mercedes-Benz has a long-established reputation for safety, so it was no surprise that the V-Class earned the top five-star rating when it was crash tested by the experts at Euro NCAP. And although this was way back in 2014 – standards have gotten much tougher since then – this should still prove a sound choice of vehicle.

Standard across the range are autonomous emergency braking, child locks for the electrically sliding rear doors, automatic wipers and LED lights front and rear with automatic main beam and brake lights that glow brighter the quicker the rate of deceleration. Attention Alert monitors the driver for signs of drowsiness. As part of the 2024 update, an enhanced cross-traffic active brake assist system has been introduced to the V-Class, capable of warning drivers of oncoming traffic taking dangerous overtaking manoeuvres and then braking if necessary.

All V-Classes have four Isofix points. On bench seats, they are located in the centre and off-side positions, while in vehicles with the individual captain’s chairs, these have a set each.

Watch: Mercedes-Benz V-Class MPV Euro NCAP crash test