2020 Mercedes-Benz Metris

Starting at the base price of $26,570 the 2020 Mercedes Benz Metris is offered in two trims. Both trims have a Turbocharged 2.0L Inline-4 engine mated to a 7-speed automatic transmission. The powertrain can muster 208 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The Metris is a surprisingly a rear-wheel-drive making it the oddball in the minivan market.

Mercedes launched the Metris to add something exotic to the minivan market. There are two trims levels, the Worker Passenger and the Passenger van. The Worker van is a pure barebones at heart and the normal version adds more safety and driver assist features making it more livable. However, if you are not the type of guy who spends $4000 for features then you are better off with the Worker Passenger van which gets the job done. You can configure you van for seven, five, or eight seats.

The other trim is the Passenger trim, which offers a wide array of features. Some of the highlighted features of this trim are the option between 180 degree rotatable doors or liftgate door. The Passenger trim is more concentrated on the Passengers.

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Mercedes made a fine spartan vehicle with a galore of options to customize. The rest of the options are clubbed in packages like the Driver COmfort Package which tunes the suspension for comfort and adds lumbar support.

Mercedes boast a class leading power with its Turbocharged 2.0L Inline-4 engine mated to a 7-speed automatic transmission. Where other minivans won't dare cross the 200 horsepower mark but the Mercedes went all and broke all rationality with its 208 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Despite the higher power output the Metris falls short of the Ford Transit Wagon which can generate far better power than Merc and is equipped with a much powerful engine. Some minivans perform well in the city but the lack of power impair with its cruising capability, the Metris however doesn't face such a problem.

Metris is the king of the minivan country. It's the most powerful minivan and there is no arguing on that. The Ram Promaster tries to catch up with the Metris but hits a dead end at 178 horsepower.

Acceleration

Germans know how to extract power from a smaller engine and they are pretty good at it. Compared to other Minivans the Mercedes Metris's punchy engine can deliver an energetic ride. The turbocharged engine shows its magic and the linear power delivery brings out the best of these 208 horses. From a standstill the Metris zooms to 60 mph in 7.9 second which is more than enough for a minivan.

The Turbocharged 2.0L Inline-4 earns the Metris an edge over other minivans in the segment. While the Ford Transit Connect and Chevrolet 2500LS takes a slow 10 seconds to zip to 60 mph, the Metris does the same in 7.9 seconds. Its impressive number for a minivan of this weight and stature.

Ride and Handling

Since we are in the minivan town, you won't get the agile handling experience so don't set your hopes high. However, the Metris is possibly the most fun to drive minivan in the market today. Raw power plays in favor of the Metris and the well responsive contributes to the handling as well. It feels stable and predictable and don't feel taxing at all. The engine remains silent and gear shifts smooth, however, crosswinds may slap the Metris to divert its path, that's something all minivans face in the market.

This van was curated keeping Passengers in mind but Mercedes kept the driver in their mind too. Steering feedback is sharp and won’t let you down on corners. The generous turning circle provides you with better maneuverability in cities.

Braking

Metris was tested to endure hard traffic and maintain an effortless braking. The brake pedal is easy to modulate and share a sense of predictability. The front brakes are rated at 11.8 inches and the rear at 11 inches. However, the higher curb weight can affect hard barking and impact the panic brake test. Speaking of which the Metris passenger minivan can halt from the speed of 60 mpg in 119 feet.

Metris is bolstered with a wide spectrum of safety features which provide this Merc with safer braking. The brakes are hard to get used to but spend a little time behind the wheels and you’ll get accustomed to it. Switch-off all the safety switches and you’ll find yourself stuck in an unstable box with little wheels.

People buy a passenger van to earn and not invest their savings to gas up the Metris, being a commercial vehicle the Mercedes Benz Metris is expected to be efficient too. The Metris might fulfill the segment demands but don't touch the peak of efficiency. In the city the Metris delivers 21 mpg and on the highway it pushed the envelope to 24 mpg. Together the combined mileage is fixed at 22 mpg. You might not be satisfied with the ergonomic numbers as the majority of competitors are delivering much more.

Fuel economy is probably the only thing where Metris displays a below-average performance. Other minivans in the lot propel up to 24 mpg mileage in city and 28 on the highway. Vans like Ford Transit Connect, Nissan NV200, and Chevrolet City Express revolve around the same number, while the Ram Promaster joins the Metris on this one.

The Metris is a well-built minivan and the interior supports the fact. It might be a Mercedes manufactured van but it was not based on luxury and comfort. This van was created keeping utility and Passenger capacity in mind, and that resulted in an unorganized and cheap interior. Metris can seat up to 7 people including the driver, the rear seating area is a little cramped up. Getting inside the is not an issue though it will require you to get a step up. The seats on the other hand are can be manually adjusted but fails to deliver an ideal seating position. The steering wheel is tilt adjusted and can be awkward to maneuver. Speaking of the wheel, it doesn't feel coming from the Mercedes garage. The other qualities of the interior are decent and better than that of other minivans. Being a passenger van, the lack of visibility can create a big of a scuffle in cross-view.

The seating position might feel odd but you will adapt to it. For the two people sitting in the Metris's front seat, they will enjoy a lot of shoulder and elbow room. The headroom is measured at 39.6 inches and the legroom at 35.8 inches, which is fair for a minivan, though it's a little less than the industry standards. The other five at the back are not abandoned either, they have a decent amount of space. Other brands might not give you any interior options but Merc features an option for Black Leather interior.

Infotainment

Since the Metris strictly means business, it features a small navigation screen of 5.8 inches. The system is fairly responsive is not distracting. Other features are plain like AM/FM radio, a USB port, Bluetooth connectivity, a five-speaker audio system and more. A navigation system is the part of the Multi-Function wheel package but it's not accessible through your phone.

Cargo volume

Ferry passenger in an efficient manner is Metris's first love and it accomplished that in the good old Merc Fashion. It has a cargo volume of 94.2 inches with all seats up. You can extend the wheelbase for more cargo volume. The payload capacity for the Metris is 2502 pounds. To access the cargo bay you have a tailgate option that opens 180 degrees.

Interior Features

• Premium Overhead Control Panel
• Heated And Electrically Adjustable Exterior Mirrors
• Rear Cargo Area Luggage Net- Floor To Ceiling
• Passenger Comfort Seat W/Lumbar Support
• Cruise Control
• Becker Map Pilot
• Incomplete Vehicle (4th Seat Rail)
• Reading Lights For Front Overhead Control Panel
• Interior Chrome Accents
• Smoker Package
• Parktronic W/Active Parking Assist
• Rear Carpet
• Parametric Special Module (PSM)
• 5-Seat Configuration
• 8-Seat Face-To-Face Seat Configuration
• Automatic Climate Control
• 8-Seat Configuration
• Rear Liftgate Courtesy Light
• Pre-Installation Becker Map Pilot Navigation System
• Driver Comfort Seat W/Lumbar Support
• Storage Tray, Lower Console
• Partition W/Cutout For Extended Loading

Mercedes when entered the minivan market in 2015 they brought something new to the table. The look was better than other minivans and ahead of its time. However, it was not up to the Mercedes mark. The statement made on its bigger cousin was much better and elegant, this one is more groovy. In terms of design, Metris has given other brands something to look forward to. Some vans like the Nissan NV just mean business and is offered in just two color options, while Mercedes gives one a lot of paint options like Cavansite Blue, Jupiter Red and more.

Dimensions and weight

Proportions of the Metris are somewhat different than the rest of the class. Its longer, taller and wider. Just the sheer weight of this big box on wheels is 500 pounds more than the heaviest minivan in the market. In terms of length the Metris is the longest minivan with 202.4 inches of length and 75 inches of total width. There is no extended height option but you can avail the option for a bigger wheelbase of 135 inches. The ground clearance is the lowest at 4.4 inches. Even the regular wheelbase of 126 inches is more than the rest of the minivan.\t

Exterior Features

• Single Flip-Up Tailgate W/Hardboard Trim
• Black Roof Rails
• Trailer Hitch
• Rear Cargo Door Premium Trim
• Backup Alarm
• Full Wheel Covers
• Bumpers Painted In Vehicle Color
• 17" 5-Spoke Alloy Wheels
• Bumpers Primed For Painting
• 3-Button Key Fob
• 17" 20-Spoke Alloy Wheels
• Driver Side 2nd Row Fixed Window
• 180 Degree Opening Rear Doors
• Passenger Side 2nd Row Fixed Window
• Black Tinting For Rear Windows
• Sliding Door, Driver's Side
• Heated Windows, Rear Doors And Wipers/Washers

The 2020 Mercedes Benz Metris is yet to undergo any third party crash testing. The base Worker passenger may not have a rich safety feature list but the full-fledged Metris Passenger secures safety with its rich safety feature list. The standard feature list adds a variety of safety features like-

• Dual Front Side-Mounted Airbags
• Stability Control
• Emergency Braking Assist
• Passenger Airbag Occupant Sensing Deactivation
• 2 Front Headrests
• Dusk Sensing Headlamps
• Auto Delay Off Headlamps
• Tire Pressure Monitoring
• Traction Control
• Front, Rear And Third Row Head Airbags
• Front Head Airbags

Ford Transit Connect Passenger vs Mercedes Benz Metris Passenger Minivan

Ford trumps over other brands when it comes to commercial vehicles. Their quality and reliability is what brings in the customers. This has been a religion since the first generation of Ford Transit which was launched in 2002. To pit the market favorite against the Luxury brand of Mercedes Benz will surely be a dog fight. Though the Metris is better in every way, its bigger, offer more utility, is backed with more power, and feature better ride quality.

The Transit connect surely gives a good fight but it won't last long in front of the Metris.

Nissan NV200 Compact Passenger vs Mercedes Benz Metris Passenger Minivan

Nissan NV200 is what you would call a mediocre minivan. Its pricing closely resembles the Metris but it fails to match the deliverables Mercedes has got for you. The NV200 is the most underpowered minivan in the segment, on the other hand, the Metris is at the summit of the minivan mountain in terms of power. The bigger passenger bay and better interior quality is a big reason why minivan buyers are going for the Metris. The only place where NV200 outruns the Metris by a small margin is the fuel economy but you can live with that. A minivan shoppers should go for the Metris any day over the Transit.

Ram Promaster City Tradesman vs Mercedes Benz Metris Passenger Minivan

Ram Promaster city is possibly the only minivan which can challenge the Metris head on. Ram tries to match every bid the Mercedes make but to a certain level, though it hardly succeeds in any area. Metris has dominated every other minivan in terms of power and practicality. The bigger cargo bay makes it more functional and fuel economy is fair for a minivan. With the base Metris just a little over $1000 from the Promaster, it makes up for a better option.

Mercedes is known as a top-contender in manufacturing luxury vehicles and they pursue their job pretty seriously. With Metris, Merc decided to put their resources in creating a more practical vehicle and overlooked the luxury part.

An expensive option to consider, Metris has nothing to offer for its price tag. The 2.0L in-line engine can generate sufficient amount of power and torque but cannot satisfy you with its features and handling. The comfort has been compromised with excessive tire and cabin noise. We would recommend frisking through different options in Passenger van segment.