Mercedes-Benz S350 vs Mercedes-Benz Vito

What's the difference?

The 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class remains a technological tour de force, a luxury sedan to be reckoned with - one that has safety, technology, comfort, finesse and performance all rolled into a stylish package. 

It's hard to see why you'd need anything more than the S 350 d, which is now much more attractively priced. It'd be my pick, but I'd have to get the Energizing Comfort Control package, and probably the AMG styling pack, too. And even then it would cost less than its predecessor.

The Vito 119 Panel Van LWB offers excellent performance and driver comfort, with styling and all-round refinement that could make it an appealing business partner. However, the absence of an ANCAP star rating and a sub-one-tonne payload limit could be deal-breakers for some tradies and fleets alike, along with a list price that exceeds its Toyota HiAce LWB equivalent by almost $30K. Therefore, only a potential buyer can decide if its positives outweigh its negatives.

I swear it has been facelifted, and the changes are bigger than they might appear. There is no doubt that the S-Class shape is largely unchanged, but the German company has kept the modifications minimal in the scheme of things.

That doesn’t mean those changes are unnecessary, though. The new headlights, for example, are standard on every model, and are constructed with 84 LEDs (including three for the daytime running lights), and of course they’re adaptive with automated high-beam - meaning they’ll shield other road users from the glare of the lights at night. And the lights themselves will throw a main beam up to 650 metres, according to the company. 

Other things are slightly more cosmetic, like the revised three-bar grille treatment, new front and rear bumper designs that feature broader sculpted sections to widen the stance of the car, and there are new LED tail-lights as well.

The smallest set of wheels used to consist of 18-inch rims, but now the base car rolls on 19s, while the rest of the expansive range sits on 20s. 

The inside has seen some changes, too, but the appearance of things in the cabin isn’t the focal point - its the usability of the technology that's the big change. 

Oh, but I should tell you there are now 64 ambient lighting colours to choose from, which is up from seven, and now you can also set the lighting in three different zones - so theoretically you can have blue, orange and green areas of the cockpit, if you’re gross.

Our LWB test vehicle rides on a 3430mm wheelbase, with 5370mm overall length and 1928mm width. Its 1916mm height ensures comfortable access to height-restricted areas like multi-storey car parks and underground loading zones and it has a reasonably tight 11.8-metre turning circle.

The rear-wheel drive chassis includes MacPherson strut front suspension, independent semi-trailing arm/coil-spring rear suspension, four-wheel disc brakes and rack and pinion steering.

It’s arguably the best-looking mid-sized van on the market with its bold frontal styling, purposeful wedge-shaped profile and elegant contours along its flanks.

The neat and functional interior has fabric-trimmed seats with an attractive speckled pattern on their facings. It also comes standard with a chrome interior package including air-vents, air con switch panel, interior door handles/surrounds and more.

The minimalist dash design results in a clean and uncluttered appearance. Even so, it still (thankfully) includes mechanical 'piano key' buttons for numerous functions and knurled barrel-style switches for controlling audio volume, cabin temperature, airflow direction and drive modes, to avoid the potential driver distraction of touchscreen prompts.

If you’re buying a Mercedes-Benz S-Class there’s a good chance you’re more interested in the back seat than the front: you could be buying it for a business, or you could like to be driven around - and there are definitely worse places you could be.

We would suggest, though, that the best place you could be if that’s your caper is in the back of a long-wheelbase S-Class model, which has extra legroom. 

And if you happen to be in a LWB model with the 'Business Class Package', you’ll enjoy two individual rear seats rather than a three-seat bench, folding tables for your bento box or laptop, and an ‘executive seat’ on the passenger side that features a foot rest and allows you to slide the front seat forward to liberate more room. Deluxe. 

No matter if you are in one of the stretched models demarcated as such by the ‘L’ suffix or not, you will enjoy excellent seat comfort and good head- and shoulder-room. Legroom in the regular models isn’t as plentiful as you might expect: much more affordable cars like the Hyundai Sonata give the S-Class a run for its money in that regard.

There are good storage options for odds and ends, with the back seat featuring a fold-down armrest with pop-out cupholders and a storage box, as well as map pockets - and the boot space varies depending on the model, but the S 350 d has a 510-litre cargo capacity (VDA). All four doors have bottle holsters, and a bit of extra room besides. Of course there are rear-seat air-vents, and if you’re kids are lucky enough to ride around in a S-Class, the two ISOFIX/three top-tether points will be welcome.

Up front there are two cupholders between the seats, and a new wireless phone charger in the centre console (Qi compatible phones only). There are two USB ports as standard in most models, while models with the rear seat entertainment package fitted get rear USBs. 

The huge screen that runs across two-thirds of the dashboard has seen the noticeable join marker removed for this update, with the monitors being upgraded to a higher resolution and the graphics have been reworked, too. The codpiece-style controller of the Comand media interface remains, and while it still isn’t as simple as other controllers, it is reasonably easy to get used to. 

So … what about Beyonce? 

She comes in as part of the Energizing Comfort Control system, which is standard in some models and a $1400 option in those that don’t have it fitted. 

Essentially it allows you to choose between different set moods: 'Joy', 'Freshness', 'Vitality', 'Warmth', 'Comfort' and 'Training', the latter of which offers three different stretching/exercise programs that last for 10 minutes to stop fatigue. The instructions are given by voice over the sound system.

Each of the moods will adjust the temperature and ventilation (the Freshness setting offers ‘gusts’ of fresh air as if you’re at the beach!), ambient lighting, air fragrance and intensity, and the massage function for the seats. And the music bit - there are predefined songs the system can cue up to suit the mood, or it can identify songs on a hard-drive or USB that suit the programs by analysing the tempo of the tune. Amazing, right?

The new steering wheel looks a lot sportier than the one in the pre-update car, and it has finally done away with the awkward cruise control stalk in favour of steering wheel buttons for the adaptive cruise control system.

With its 2068kg kerb weight and 3000kg GVM, our test vehicle has a 933kg payload rating which falls short of the one-tonne-plus capabilities of numerous rivals.

However, it’s also rated to tow up to 2500kg of braked trailer, which is 1000kg more than Toyota’s dominant HiAce. And with its 5500kg GCM rating (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) the Vito can carry its maximum payload while towing its maximum trailer weight.

Access to the cargo bay is through sliding doors on each side with 822mm openings, or the single tailgate (optional rear barn-doors are also available). With load floor dimensions of 3061mm length and 1695mm width, along with 1270mm between the rear wheel-housings, it will carry up to two standard Aussie pallets or up to three Euro pallets, secured with a choice of eight load-anchorage points.

Standard equipment includes the cargo bay’s internal walls and doors being lined from floor to roof height. The optional Cargo Pack's solid metal bulkhead serves as both a noise insulator for the cabin and a sturdy cargo barrier, with large assist handles on each side and a full-width open storage area at its base ideal for storing ropes, straps, load-padding etc.

Access to the driver’s cabin is through doors with a relatively narrow opening angle. The seat padding is firm and well-bolstered, with the Cargo Pack’s two-seater bench offering sufficient knee clearance from the dash for central passengers.

However, central seat foot-room is limited for those with large boots and the bench seat also has no adjustment, so we’d recommend only short trips for a crew of three.

Cabin storage includes a large-bottle holder and bin in the base of each door, with a smaller bin above. The dash offers storage slots below the air-vents, plus small-bottle/cupholders and three handy open storage areas across the dash-pad.

There’s also a single glove box, overhead glasses-holder and a useful-sized compartment hidden beneath the passenger seat which is accessed through a side hatch.

Our test vehicle is the Vito 119 Panel Van LWB, which like all light commercial models (except the eVito) comes standard with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine and nine-speed automatic for a list price of $79,796.

Our example has also been fitted with a couple of factory options including a digital rear-view camera ($1031) and the 'Cargo Pack' ($2287) which adds a two-passenger front bench seat and full-width metal bulkhead with window, plus sturdy wood-flooring and bright LED lighting for the cargo bay.

These options bump the list price to $83,015, plus on-roads, so for such a sizeable spend you’d rightfully expect to get a lot more than just a prestigious badge as standard equipment.

Externally, the Vito delivers on that expectation with stylish 17-inch alloy wheels and 225/55 R17C tyres with a full-size steel spare, colour-coded front and rear bumpers, chrome grille highlights, black roof rails, rear window tint, multibeam LED headlights, LED tail-lights and classy LED puddle-lamps that project a Mercedes-Benz logo.

MY25 equipment upgrades fitted as standard include the latest 'MBUX' multimedia system with a big 10.25-inch LCD colour touchscreen, 'Hey Mercedes' voice command, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity and more.

The driver’s instrument cluster gets a 5.5-inch central colour display and all models are now fitted as standard with a multifunction steering wheel with touch-sensitive controls, plus keyless start and an electronic parking brake replacing the old spring-loaded pedal version.

Standard safety has also been upgraded with active lane-keeping assistance, traffic sign recognition and tyre pressure monitoring.

Our 119 model also comes with complimentary metallic and non-metallic paint finishes, so the latest Vito is more indulgent than your typical steel-wheeled workhorse without compromising its core load-carrying capabilities.

The big news for the majority of S-Class buyers is the new engine in the S 350d, which is a 2.9-litre in-line six-cylinder turbo-diesel with 210kW of power and 600Nm of torque. It has a nine-speed automatic and is rear-wheel drive (RWD).

That same diesel engine is wicked up in the S 400d L, with that model churning out 250kW and 700Nm, and remains rear-drive with a nine-speed auto.

The petrol model range is opened by the S 450 L with a 3.0-litre six-cylinder twin-turbo mill producing 270kW/520Nm. Again, nine-speed auto, RWD.

The S 560 and S 560L run the same 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol with 345kW of power and 700Nm of torque. Nine-speed auto, rear-drive - naturally!

The AMG-fettled S 63 has a thumping twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine with 450kW and 900Nm, with a nine-speed MCT multi-clutch auto and - you guessed it - RWD.

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder intercooled turbo-diesel meets Euro 6 emissions standards using AdBlue.

It produces 140kW of power at 4200rpm and 440Nm of torque between 1350-2400rpm. This is paired with a smooth and intuitive nine-speed torque converter automatic, which offers three drive modes comprising 'Comfort' (the standard default setting), 'Sport' and 'Manual'. The latter’s sequential manual-shifting is via steering wheel-mounted paddles.

The diesel models are - unsurprisingly - the most frugal in the range, with the entry-level S 350 d using a claimed 5.4 litres per 100km across a range of disciplines.

The S 400 d L - which uses a higher-output version of the same diesel drivetrain as the model above - uses only a minuscule amount more: its claim is 5.5L/100km. 

The most frugal of the petrols is the S 450 L, with its six-pot petrol twin-turbo using a claimed 8.4L/100km.

Every model has stop-start - including the AMG - and the V8 petrols also feature cylinder deactivation when in 'Eco' mode.

That cylinder deactivation system helps the S 560 achieve an incredibly low claimed consumption of 8.5L/100km. So does the longer, slightly heavier S 560 L.

The higher-out Mercedes-AMG S 63 L uses 9.0L/100km, according to its claim. Amazing for the outputs of the engine.

Mercedes-Benz claims official combined average consumption of only 6.7L/100km but the dash readout was showing 8.3 at the completion of our 342km test, of which about one third was hauling a heavy payload.

This was lineball with our own figure, calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, of 8.5L/100km. Any mid-sized van that can produce genuine sub-10L economy in 'real world' urban use gets a big tick from us and, based on our figures, should produce an excellent driving range of around 800km from its 70-litre diesel tank.

Smooth. It wasn’t even because I’d chosen the Energizing Comfort Control mood to elicit that vibe. It’s smooth - and so it should be.

Whether it’s the near-silent new six-cylinder diesel, which hauls the near two-tonne sedan along with less fuss than a medical centre receptionist dealing with a room full of coughing patients. There is no fuss. You just hand over control to the engine, and trust it will get you where you need to be.

The V8 petrol in the S 560 also has a bit of a silent killer vibe to it. There’s perhaps not as much noise as a V8 fan might want, but the mumbo is there, and in both cars the gearshifts are sublimely timed and super smooth.

Admittedly, the stiff-sided run-flat tyres on both the 19- and 20-inch wheels can exhibit a slight terseness over sharp edges, but when it comes to rolling over pockmarked surfaces or rougher country backroads, the ride offered up by the air suspension with variable dampers is superb. Put it in Sport mode and it stiffens up to the degree you’d expect, but Comfort is no doubt the best place to be.

The steering is super light but accurate, meaning it’s easier than you’d think to pilot this behemoth of a sedan through corners. The grip on offer is excellent, too, even if traction can be an issue - I had a full couple of seconds of strobe light action from the traction control light when I buried the throttle in the S 560. 

I didn’t get a chance to drive the six-cylinder petrol S 450 L, or the S 400 d L. And, I’m really sad to report, there was no opportunity to drive the AMG S 63 L, either. 

But the overall feeling of the updated range is that it remains a deluxe and delightful limousine - whether you have the good fortune of being in the driver’s seat or not.

The Vito offers exceptional comfort for the driver, with the prestige look and feel of its leather-wrapped and height/reach adjustable steering wheel combined with a driver’s seat offering a fold-down inboard armrest, height/reach-adjustable lumbar support plus adjustable base-cushion rake and length.

A left footrest would be icing on this comfort cake, but in its absence there’s plenty of clear floor space in which to rest your left foot.

Eyelines to all mirrors are good and although the centre-seat headrest for the Cargo Pack bench partly blocks the central mirror’s rear view, most of the tailgate’s window remains clear.

Given the huge blind-spot over the driver’s left shoulder created by the cargo bay’s solid walls, the Vito’s blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, 360-degree camera etc are effective in creating a safety zone in such a vulnerable area.

The steering feel is superb, as we’ve come to expect from Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles. Cabin noise remains commendably low even at highway speeds, during which the engine needs only 1700rpm to maintain 110km/h. However, tyre noise can become intrusive on coarse bitumen surfaces.

Engine response in city and suburban use is excellent, as the nine-speed auto efficiently keeps the turbo-diesel operating within its 1350-2400rpm peak torque zone. And 440Nm of torque is competitive for a van this size, ensuring strong acceleration with or without a load.

The driver-selectable Sport and Manual drive modes provide greater driver engagement and direct control respectively, but for most driving the default Comfort setting provides a commendable balance of comfort and engine response which allows the Vito to shine in a working role.

We proved this after loading 770kg into the cargo bay, which with driver equalled a total payload of 870kg which was only about 60kg under its legal limit. The coil-spring rear suspension compressed 50mm under this weight, which still left more than enough suspension travel to ensure there was no bottoming-out during our test drive.

This included our usual 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km set climb at 60km/h, in which it downshifted to fourth gear and 2000rpm (bang in the middle of its peak torque band) to easily reach the summit.

Engine-braking on the way down, in a manually-selected second gear, was impressive for an engine with relatively small displacement restraining almost 900kg in payload, requiring only one firm application of the brake pedal. Overall, it proved to be a competent load-hauler.

Although Vito vans built from January 2023 are still without an ANCAP star rating, models built from May 2024 scored 90 per cent for collision avoidance in ANCAP’s Commercial Van Safety Comparison, earning the highest Platinum grading for scores of 80 per cent and above.

The latest Vito’s active safety additions join a suite of existing features including front/thorax/window airbags for driver and passenger, AEB, lane-keeping, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alert, daytime running lights, front/rear parking sensors and lots more.

Mercedes-Benz offers a standard three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.

Servicing is due every 12 months or 25,000km on all engines except AMG drivetrains, which require servicing every year or 20,000km. 

Mercedes-Benz has a (pricey!) capped-price servicing plan. The standard diesel and petrol models in the S-Class range cost $596 for the first service, and $1192 for the second and third visits. The costs for the sole AMG model is $736 for the first service, then the second and third visits are $1472 per.

The Vito comes with a five years/250,000km warranty which includes 24-hour roadside assistance.

Scheduled servicing is 12 months/25,000km whichever occurs first. Capped-price servicing for first five scheduled services totals $5555, or a pricey average of $1111 annually.