Will 2022 Mercedes-Benz T-Class van make sense in PH?

All-new Mercedes-Benz T-Class officially revealed

After nearly a month of releasing its first-ever teaser image, Mercedes-Benz has officially revealed its latest class of vehicle.

Joining the likes of the V-Class, Vito and Sprinter vans is the 2022 Mercedes-Benz T-Class. Essentially the posher and classier version of the brand new Renault Kangoo, the T-Class now serves as the brand's smallest people carrier and comes with some unique features.

But first, let's talk about its exterior. While its overall shape is shared with the Kangoo, its looks and design are very Mercedes-Benz. It comes with the signature front grille complete with the three-pointed star, eye-catching headlights, and a stylish front bumper. Depending on the variant chosen, the T-Class also comes with a wide array of alloy wheels, exterior trim pieces, and roof rails that can hold extra cargo. And in true van fashion, the T-Class comes with sliding doors on both sides.

Size-wise, the T-Class measures 4498mm long, 1859mm wide, and 1811mm tall. Despite its size, the T-Class is only available as a five-seater for now. But in the future, Mercedes-Benz will release a long-wheelbase version with three rows of seats.

Hop inside and those familiar with Mercedes-Benz cabins will find the T-Class interior familiar. Like all Mercedes-Benz vehicles today, the T-Class comes with a dual display that consists of a dual-gauge instrument panel and 7-inch touchscreen infotainment. Fitted as standard on all variants is the intuitive MBUX system. It comes with a wide array of features such as Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, a navigation package, and an intelligent voice assistant that can be activated by saying “Hey, Mercedes”.

Other available features for 2022 T-Class include high-gloss black trim elements, Artico leather upholstery, NEOTEX imitation leather trim for the door trim panels, height-adjustable front seats, and chrome accents on the loudspeakers and door handles. Last but not least, practical folding tables are installed on the back of the front seat backrests. This will allow items such as smartphones, tablets, or children's toys to be conveniently placed here.

Under the hood, the T-Class will be available with both diesel and gasoline power. First up is the 1.5-liter turbo-diesel engine for the T 160d and T 180d models. The former comes with 95 PS and 260 Nm of torque while the latter generates 116 PS plus 270 Nm of torque.

Meanwhile, the gasoline engine is a 1.3-liter turbocharged inline-four. In the T 160 trim, the engine makes 102 PS with 200 Nm of torque. If you prefer something with a bit more oomph, the T 180 makes more at 131 PS and 240 Nm of torque. Both the turbo-diesel and turbo-gasoline engines can be mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.

For now, the all-new T-Class will be first made available for European markets. However, we won't be surprised if it will also be offered outside The Old Continent in the future.

Should Mercedes-Benz Philippines actually bring this in? And should they only offer it with the long-wheelbase version that comes with three rows of seats?