Riding Business Class Mercedes-Benz Viano

The rich, as they say, are different from you and me. While a Toyota Hi-Ace or even a Ford E-150 might be good enough for the masses, sometimes a little more ritz, sophistication, and prestige might be required by all those platinum card holders. The Viano, you see, starts at P3.7 million for the "basic" variant and cha-chings the cash register at P4.3 million for the more powerful V-6. Too expensive, you say? Then perhaps you aren’t rich enough. Or something like that.

In any case, the Viano is Mercedes-Benz’s prime people mover, technically billed as a "luxury MPV" but you know, we know a minivan when we see one, so minivan it is. An all-new design (it is NOT in anyway a rebadged Ssangyong like the MB100 was), the Viano is an 8-passenger, 3-row minivan that makes no pretenses about its mission in life, which is to transport its precious cargo from point to point in uncompromising comfort and low-key style. Sure it looks like a loaf of bread just like any other minivan out there, but out in front is really what sets you apart from the hoi polloi: that shiny tri-star emblem that alone ensures the resale value of this minivan for many years to come.

Inside, despite all your suspicions that you’ll be climbing aboard something best reserved as the shuttle at Frankfurt International Airport, you’re greeted with colors, contours and even odors that only a marquee brand can produce. The dashboard features a fine grain that wouldn’t look out of place in an E-Class, the burr walnut-look trim actually looks convincing, and the gauges, dials, and switches all have that trademark refinement that makes you wonder why you’d settle for anything less after.

Ergonomically, the Viano has also got its priorities straight. Ingress is easy as can be, with no daunting step-and-heave-yourself routine that’s the bane of the frail and elderly folks. You open the door, then you sit down. That’s it. Once you’re seated, it’s akin to flying Business Class thanks to the many options you’re afforded by the Viano.

The 2nd row seats, for example, are captain’s chairs that can be set to face aft. The 3rd row bench, on the other hand, features folding outboard seats. In between the 2nd and 3rd rows is a novel folding table where the boss can rest his laptop and plan his next hostile takeover with enough space left over for the wifey’s Louis Vitton handbag. Celebrities, take note: the passenger compartment has curtains too.

Dynamically, we’ve yet to actually drive the Viano, but the specs indicate we’d best get a chauffeur to fully appreciate the van when it happens: the 2.2 CDI "Ambiente Long" (meaning long wheelbase, of course…) gets by with a 2.2-liter diesel engine rated at 150 horsepower. The 3.2-liter V6 variant, on the other hand, has a bit more vigor in its cylinders with rated output of 190 horsepower. Both engines are mated to 5-speed automatic transmissions. Neither engine will probably get the adrenaline pumping in your veins, but then again, this is one of those rides where you’d rather sleep in anyway. To that end, both variants are equipped with a rear air suspension with a self-leveling system.

Being a Benz, the Viano also comes loaded with a host of standard safety equipment, such as all-disk brakes with ABS, and an Electronic Stability Program with Acceleration Skid Control. The Viano’s extensively crash-tested structure has also earned it a five-star EURO-NCAP rating, offering a level of safety on par with the best passenger cars and the only MPV to achieve top marks. All seats are equipped with 3-point seatbelts, and the driver and front passenger get the usual airbags and seatbelt pre-tensioners. Thorax sidebags for the driver and front passenger are also standard. Meanwhile, Isofix child seat mountings are standard, while an automatic child seat recognition system ensures that the airbag and belt tensioner for the front passenger seat are only activated when required.

But that’s enough of the morbid stuff. Other standard modcons include automatic front and rear climate control, fragrant leather upholstery snatched from the more expensive cows, a premium sound system, power sliding doors for the V6 variant, and even the Parktronic backup sensor for the V6 so your chauffeur will have no more excuses if he backs up your Viano into your neighbor’s swimming pool. So, there you have it: it’s large, it’s comfortable, and it’s got a healthy dose of exclusivity. The Viano may not be for everyone, but for those who can, it’s probably the closest thing to a Business Class flight on four wheels.