Date: 28 June 2025
Distance: 277 km
Location: Scotland
Up front: The minimalist cabin only has a gear lever and a single hazard light button. There’s nothing on the centre control stack except a touch screen and shiny plastic reflecting the sun back into the driver’s eyes. The power controlled seat are heated as is the steering wheel. The leather is supple to touch and steering wheel controls are intuitive enough.
However, it takes two screen presses to turn the air conditioner on or off, making climate controls dangerous to operate while driving. The steering wheel is manual control. Mercedes offers a power-adjusted steering column at a lower price point.
In the back: The trunk is small and legroom is meagre for a compact crossover. The Toyota Rav 4 is about the same size and offers much more interior space. I could fit one airline style luggage and two carry-ons before I had to remove the load cover.
Driving: The four-cylinder diesel pro ides brisk acceleration for most in-town uses with help from a turbo, but that also makes it jerky. Its conservative dynamics at highway speeds makes it feel like spirited oversteer. Switching between sport and comfort mode makes no discernible difference in driving dynamics.
The hybrid motor helps the car squeeze out just over 45 miles per gallon in mixed highway and urban conditions. But if I wanted a reliable, spacious, hybrid crossover with leather seats, I could just buy a fully-optioned Rav4 for half the money.
0 Comments