Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class vs Volkswagen Crafter

What's the difference?

Mercedes-Benz loves to fill a niche. This is the company, after all, that has a coupe version of its GLC and GLE SUVS, four-door coupes ranging in size from the CLA to the AMG GT 4-door, and enough electric vehicles to make Tesla jealous.

The nichest of all though, might the CLS, which has been updated for the 2022 model year.

Positioned above the E-Class but below the S-Class in the line-up as a sporty sedan for customers after a blend of style, technology and performance, the new CLS is available in just one engine now, while styling and equipment have also been tweaked in the update.

Can the CLS earn its place in the Mercedes line-up or is it destined to be a bit player amongst more popular models?

Long before a hash-tag was anything more than a confusing symbol on a typewriter, vanlife was already a thing.

And you can largely thank Volkswagen for that because its Kombi models from the 1950s, '60s and '70s help cement the idea of roaming around the planet in a self-contained car-cum-house as a counter-culture favourite. More than that, the affordable, rugged Kombi made it actually possible.

Back then, there were a couple of paths to tread. You could take a second-hand butcher’s or florist’s Kombi van (windows optional) and trick it out with a bed, a table and whatever gear you needed to survive on the road.

Or, if the cash was around in sufficient quantities, you could buy a Kombi brand-new and have it converted to camper spec. And of all those brand-new conversion options, Volkswagen’s own, in-house conversion supplier, Westfalia was (and is) regarded as the pick of the crop.

So, when VW announces a 21st Century take on the concept of a factory campervan, those who like the idea of a lap of Australia but don’t like caravans or towing, are suddenly all ears.

Like most things, the latter-day VW camper has grown a size or two over the last six or seven decades. Which is why the factory Kampervan TD1410 4 Motion (to give it its full name) is based on the long-wheelbase, high-roof version of the Crafter van rather than the original Transporter layout. (There’s still the VW Multivan-based California if the Kampervan is too big.)

But just as commercial vehicles have become bigger and more sophisticated, and glamping has grown out of actual camping, does the modern take on a hippy legend make the grade in 2024? And does the Volkswagen offering retain any of the charm of the original campervan?

Oh, and forget about Westfalia. This conversion is the work of none other than Aussie caravan specialist Jayco.

The deal between Jayco and VW locally, means this variant of the Crafter Kampervan is an Australia-only deal.