December 29, 2017
Mercedes-Benz is coming out with an entirely new model and you will never guess what it is. No, it’s not a luxury SUV or sedan or a coupe. The new model from Mercedes-Benz is a pickup truck called the X Class, and it is going to be the luxury automaker’s first mid-size pickup truck. This new model from the luxury brand has a lot of people excited because they will be getting the luxury of a Mercedes and the power of a pickup truck in one vehicle.
When the truck was first announced back in 2015, many people wondered why Mercedes would make a truck. The answer is simple: it is a great financial opportunity. The pickup truck segment has been growing around the world. Mercedes saw a chance to be the first luxury car maker to release a pickup truck since none of the other luxury car makers were budging. The risk has proved to be a successful one as the X Class has been met with positive reception in the territories that the vehicle has been made available so far. Many critics and car publications have also praised the pickup for its abilities as a pickup truck and for the luxurious Mercedes touch.
The vehicle comes with some great pickup performance stats. The vehicle comes with a 2.0-liter diesel inline-four engine that reaches a horsepower of 187 and has 332 lb-ft of torque. The vehicle can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 11.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 109 miles per hour. The vehicle’s fuel economy ranges from 20-28 miles per gallon depending on if you are driving in the city or on the highway. Furthermore, the vehicle can tow up to 3.5 tons and can handle rough terrains very well. The body of the vehicle is sturdy and durable and comes with an impressive ride/handling balance compared to other pickups on the market.
The vehicle’s body borrows some design elements from the Nissan Navara. For example, the X Class has a wider track by about 2.8 inches. The wider body gives the vehicle a lot more interior space than the Navara.The X class comes with sleek lines, a smooth look, and no jarring edges.
The vehicle will be made available for purchase in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand in 2018. Currently, there are no plans for a US release, and the company has not given an explanation as to why. Many have speculated that the X-Class may not be able to compete with the US pickup market. Nearly 1.3 million pickup trucks were sold in the US market in 2017. Many of the trucks sold were full-sized trucks (e.g. the Ford F-150 or Chevrolet Silverado). The X-Class is a midsize pickup and the market for midsize vehicles in America is not as robust.
Another reason why the vehicle may not come to America is the price. Data collected by Kelley Blue Book revealed that the average amount of money Americans spent on pickups was $32,000. This is $11,000 below the price of the X-Class. If demand in the US becomes big enough, maybe Americans will be able to try out the truck the world has been raving about.