Mercedes-Benz Vito vs Renault Master

What's the difference?

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.

The first Renault Master was launched in 1980 and its evolution through four generations and almost half a century of commercial service has resulted in the latest model winning numerous European industry and media awards. It combines practical payloads, tow ratings and load volumes with good driver comfort, energetic performance and thrifty fuel economy, making it worthy of consideration for those wanting a large commercial van that can meet a multitude of job requirements.

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.

Our test vehicle rides on an expansive 4215mm wheelbase with external dimensions of more than six metres in length (6315mm) and more than two metres in width (2080mm) with a height of almost 2.5 metres (2498mm). Its turning circle is 14.9 metres.

The latest Master features new wind tunnel-developed body styling to optimise aerodynamic efficiency (and therefore fuel economy). There’s also ample use of unpainted dark grey plastic in all the usual areas prone to bumps, scrapes and wear in hard-working vans including the grille, bumpers, door handles/mirror-shells and along each lower side.

The latest interior design brings a larger multimedia screen and the e-shifter for the automatic transmission has been relocated to a stalk on the steering column, even though the prominent dash protrusion which previously housed the auto’s shift lever remains (repurposed here with a small storage bin) to accommodate the base model’s manual shifter.

Although seating for up to three occupants is standard issue, a two-seat configuration (with or without the steel bulkhead) is available for MWB Mid-Roof/LWB Mid-Roof automatic models as a $400 option.

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’s 2108kg kerb weight and 4000kg GVM results in a payload rating that’s nudging two tonnes (1892kg).

It’s also rated to tow up to 2000kg of braked trailer and with its substantial 6000kg GCM (or how much weight it can legally carry and tow at the same time), it can tow its maximum trailer weight while carrying its maximum payload. And that’s a practical set of numbers for tackling a multitude of jobs.

The cargo bay, with its cavernous 13 cubic metres of load volume, measures 3857mm in length and 1537mm in width with 1885mm of internal load height. And with 1380mm between the rear wheel housings, it can carry up to three standard 1165mm-square Aussie pallets or up to four 800 x 1200mm Euro pallets.

Alternatively, if kitted out with a work bench, cabinets and shelving it could serve as a spacious mobile workspace for a variety of trades.

The cargo bay is accessed via a large kerbside sliding door with a class-leading 1312mm opening width (allowing side pallet loading) or through the twin-swing rear doors which open to a full 270 degrees (with body-mounted magnets to hold them there) for optimum forklift and loading dock access.

It doesn’t come standard with a load floor-liner (ours is fitted with a thick rubber mat) which we’d recommend to avoid scratches and dents, but all walls and doors are lined from floor to roof. There are also internal lights, a 12V power socket and large handles in the side and rear entry points to assist climbing aboard.

Cabin storage includes full-width overhead shelving, two tiers of storage in each door plus three open bins across the top of the dash with cupholders on each side. There’s a small glove box on the passenger side plus more dash storage and another 12V socket.

The hinged passenger seat base cushions also tip forward to reveal a large hidden compartment beneath. And, given our example is fitted with the optional Business Pack, the centre seat backrest folds forward to reveal a large multi-function work station (see image) for those needing an office on wheels.

Australia’s MY27 Renault Master range consists of four diesel models comprising Mid-WheelBase (MWB) and Long-WheelBase (LWB) with a choice of Mid-Roof (aka standard roof) and High-Roof body styles.

Our test vehicle is the LWB Mid-Roof (L3H2) finished in standard solid white paint (premium paint options available) which comes standard with a 2.0-litre turbo- diesel engine, nine-speed automatic (only the entry-level model is manual) and front-wheel drive for a list price of $61,990 plus on-road costs.

That pricing compares well with numerous European rivals including the Fiat Ducato 2.2L LWB Mid-Roof Auto ($60,500), Iveco Daily 35 S14V H2 LWB Auto ($75,447) and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 315CDI LWB Auto ($86,107).

It comes standard with numerous work-focused features including:

• 16-inch steel wheels with replaceable covers, 215/75 R16C tyres and a full-size spare
• LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL)
• Heated door mirrors
• Auto dusk-sensing headlights
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Reversing camera
• Rear parking sensors
• Steel cabin bulkhead with window
• 10-inch multimedia screen (Apple CarPlay/Android Auto wired and wireless)
• Analogue instrument cluster with 3.5-inch digital display
• Two USB-C charging ports
• Two 12V power sockets
• Steering wheel paddle-shifters and more

Our example is also equipped with the optional Business Pack ($1000) which includes a fold-down work station (see Practicality), climate control air-conditioning, LED cabin lighting, card-type sensor key with automatic walk-away locking and push-button start.

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.

Our test vehicle is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine which complies with Euro 6 emission standards using AdBlue and produces 125kW of power at 3500rpm and 380Nm of torque at 1500rpm. Those outputs represent gains of 15kW and 30Nm over the previous model.

It drives the front wheels through a nine-speed torque converter automatic which offers the choice of sequential manual-shifting using the steering wheel-mounted paddles.

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.

Official consumption figures issued by manufacturers are not mandatory in commercial vehicles above 3.5 tonnes GVM, but for the record we completed a total test distance of 306km in mostly metro driving, of which about one third was hauling a one-tonne-plus payload. We also had the engine’s auto stop/start function switched off for the duration.

When we stopped to refuel, the dash display was claiming a thrifty 8.3L/100km which was close to our own figure of 8.8 calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings.

That’s outstanding sub-10L/100km economy for a vehicle of this size (better than many utes), which should deliver a real-world driving range of around 900km from its 80-litre tank.

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.

It has a commanding driving position with ample headroom, large glass areas and good vision along both flanks courtesy of its large truck-style mirrors with their lower sections offering wide-angle views.

The height/reach-adjustable steering wheel feels nice in your hands and the driver’s seat offers ample comfort with its fold-down inboard armrest and adjustable lumbar support.

However, some rake adjustment in the base cushion would be welcome as it can feel like you’re sliding forwards at times, given there’s no dedicated left footrest to brace against like the one in the passenger footwell (which of course is the driver's footwell in LHD models).

Unladen ride quality is firm, as you’d expect given its big GVM rating, but supple enough for acceptable driving comfort. The diesel powertrain is impressively quiet which combined with strong braking and responsive steering makes it easy to manoeuvre in busy metro traffic.

Ample torque ensures spirited acceleration from standing starts, combined with efficient gearing that keeps the turbo-diesel engine mostly within its peak torque zone at typical urban speeds.

Although sequential manual-shifting is available using the steering wheel paddles, we found the nine-speed auto’s snappy but smooth shifting optimised the engine’s performance. It’s also a low-stressed highway cruiser requiring only 1800rpm to maintain 110km/h, at which speed the cabin bulkhead blocks most of the cargo bay noise.

To test its GVM rating we forklifted 975kg into the cargo bay which combined with our crew of two equalled a total payload of just under 1200kg, which was still about 700kg short of its payload limit.

There was minimal compression in the leaf spring/solid beam rear suspension and although acceleration was slightly subdued it hauled this one-tonne-plus load with competence, including our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km set climb which it easily cleared in fourth gear.

Engine-braking on the way down, in a manually-selected second gear, was not as robust as it overrode our manual selection when the engine reached 4000rpm on overrun (tacho reads to 7000rpm with no redline) and self-shifted up to third, which is an engine-protecting protocol commonly found in European vans we’ve tested.

Although the four-wheel disc brakes proved capable of maintaining the speed limit to the bottom of the descent it’s important to be aware of these engine-braking limits in commercial vans, particularly when hauling heavy loads in hilly terrain.

ANCAP safety ratings do not apply to large commercial vans in Australia but the latest Master did earn a premium Platinum safety rating from Euro NCAP. Comes equipped with standard driver and passenger front airbags plus active safety features including:

• Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) with pedestrian/cyclist detection
• Lane keeping
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Rear parking sensors
• Traffic sign recognition
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Reversing camera
• Hill-start assist
• Driver attention/drowsiness warning
• Cruise control (non-adaptive)
• Auto dusk-sensing headlights
• Rain-sensing wipers and more

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.

The Master comes standard with a five years/unlimited km warranty plus five years' complimentary roadside assistance if serviced within the Renault dealer network.

Scheduled servicing is 12 months/30,000km whichever occurs first. Capped price servicing for five years/150,000km totals $4125 or an average of $825 annually which is at the higher end of service pricing among its European rivals.

Renault Australia has a national network of 50-55 dealerships across most states and territories and most provide vehicle servicing.