The big question is: Are Americans ready for a $130,000 luxury van? Mercedes certainly thinks so. I’m not as confident.<\/p>\n
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- Immensely Refined<\/li>\n
- Intuitive Tech<\/li>\n
- Comfortable As Hell<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- Odd Front Seat Recline<\/li>\n
- Floaty Ride<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Van With A Plan<\/p>\n
![\"2028](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/16x9-tr.png\")
<\/p>\n2028 Mercedes-Benz VLE 400<\/p>\n
Photo by: Chris Rosales \/ Motor1<\/p>\n
Under the Basque sun, it couldn\u2019t be clearer that the VLE is a new generation and a different attitude for Mercedes-Benz’s van division. It\u2019s not just steel panels and hard plastics\u2014acres of leather, suede, and luxury adorn the inside of the VLE. Even for what Mercedes calls its “entry-level” luxury van, it\u2019s an impressive introduction.<\/p>\n
All three vans and the upcoming Sprinter branch from the same brand-new electric van platform, which was optimized for a more luxury experience rather than the bare-bones utility-focused Mercedes vans of yore. Metris, this is not.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nPhotos by: Chris Rosales \/ Motor1<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nPhotos by: Chris Rosales \/ Motor1<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a ground-up engineering exercise. In preparation for a luxury product, Mercedes made specific moves to quieten down and refine the new architecture, with extensive structural reinforcements to give its suspension a stable platform to work with.<\/p>\n
The suspension itself is a fairly normal front strut, but the rear suspension is unorthodox. Mercedes leaned the rear shock absorber and spring at an aggressive angle to fit it under the floor, keeping the floor totally flat. It all fits a large 115.0 kilowatt-hour battery with a reported 400+ mile range, which is plenty. The dual-motor VLE 400 makes a solid 415 horsepower and 490 pound-feet of motivation.<\/p>\n
Driving (And Riding) In Luxury<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nPhoto by: Chris Rosales \/ Motor1<\/p>\n
For my drive, it came in multiple trim levels, but I sampled the Exclusive grade, with rear reclining captain’s chairs and every possible technology. Though Mercedes is nebulous about what will make the tough US market, they say there will be a variety of trims and configurations available beyond this ultra-premium stuff. A more traditional luxury van with a regular second row will make it more accessible to families and everyday use.<\/p>\n
But the trick of the VLE lies beneath the surface. Whatever you see inside is almost infinitely configurable, with the rear two rows fully removable. Even the two massive recliners within the Exclusive are removable, though it takes a little more effort.<\/p>\n
Everything is mounted on a clever rail system that allows plenty of forward-and-back adjustment and ease of removal. You could theoretically remove one side\u2019s worth of seats to fit a bicycle, or remove the third row to make more luggage room, or remove the second row to have a proper cargo hold.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\nPhotos by: Chris Rosales \/ Motor1<\/p>\n
Photos by: Chris Rosales \/ Motor1<\/p>\n
Up front, you get a trio of screens: Two 14.0-inch displays for the center and passenger, and a 10.3-inch instrument cluster. All of it is packed with the latest generation of the MBUX infotainment system, which is more intuitive than ever.<\/p>\n
More controls are easily accessible, and it was less of a headache to navigate overall, with plenty of screen space devoted to graphics rather than to fixed controls. All the major stuff is neatly organized at the bottom of the UI, and the menu system is much simpler than before.<\/p>\n
Quality has also taken the lead inside the VLE, rather than the flash and dash of the last generation of Mercedes. The materials are lovely, with a great mix of leather textures, suedes, and comfortable, supple seats. Fixtures inside the cabin like the center console (which has an optional cooler) feel much more substantial than usual, and the plasticky feeling is fairly absent from the interior.<\/p>\n
While the final US configurations are far from decided, Mercedes is firm on offering plenty of standard features. It says the panoramic sunroof and Burmester stereo will be standard, as will much of the MBUX screen and software suite. Even better, Mercedes is mulling over making the higher-output VLE 400 the base trim, as the VLE 300 is quite slow, and the extended-wheelbase version (which we did not drive) will be the standard size.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Driving the VLE was almost entirely uneventful\u2014it is a van, even if Mercedes likes to dub it a “grand limousine.” There is no denying the van-ness of the driving experience, with the upright and tall seating position, the pedals mounted almost parallel to the floor, and the steering column pointing toward the sky.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll say that the steering, brakes, and throttle had a nice linearity, making it easy to drive smoothly. For a six-figure luxury product, it didn\u2019t feel all that grand to drive; it was very much a van with the kitchen sink\u2019s worth of amenities.<\/p>\n
You\u2019re forcibly reminded of your place in society as The Driver by the front seat recline limits\u2014you cannot encroach upon the room of the rear passenger. It\u2019s easy to understand that the rear seat is the place to be. Handily, Mercedes had a chauffeur loop on hand to experience the support of my driving experience, so I can say that in both the front and rear seats, the VLE rides almost beautifully, and it\u2019s extremely quiet.<\/p>\n
Sometimes, larger bumps can discomport the VLE, and the van crashes into its rear bump stops, which wouldn\u2019t happen if the dampers were tuned a shade better. It\u2019s a very old-school, Cadillac-like ride: Floaty, imprecise, and lazy.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nPhotos by: Chris Rosales \/ Motor1<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nPhotos by: Chris Rosales \/ Motor1<\/p>\n
VLE Verdict: A Tough Sell<\/p>\n
The truth to this is that Mercedes will have a tough time selling this in the US. Not because it isn\u2019t worthy\u2014I think it actually does exactly what it needs to do\u2014but because of the inertia in the US against vans. As a luxury product, the VLE holds up to the scrutiny. And in certain trims, like the Exclusive with AMG Monoblock-style wheels, it looks cool.<\/p>\n
But convincing American buyers that a van can be cool is an entirely different exercise, especially when the van will easily command six figures. As tested, my Exclusive was around $130,000, though US pricing isn\u2019t final.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, we won\u2019t know for a long while. Mercedes says it won\u2019t introduce its line of luxury vans to the US until 2028 and will start at the very top with the VLS Maybach. So yes, the VLE is pretty great for passengers, decent enough but very van-ey for drivers, presents an incredible practical luxury argument, and it will be in a class of one. But will Americans embrace it? Time will tell.<\/p>\n
2026 Mercedes-Benz VLE-Class<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBattery
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t115.0 Kilowatt-Hour Nickel-Manganese Cobalt \n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOutput
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t415 Horsepower \/ 490 Pound-Feet \n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDrive Type
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAll-Wheel Drive \n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSpeed 0-60 MPH
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t6.4 Seconds \n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEV Range
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t435 Miles (WLTP) \n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCharge Time
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t10-80 Percent In 26 Minutes \n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCharge Type
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t300-Kilowatt DC Fast Charging \n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSeating Capacity
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t8 \n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCargo Volume
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t28.0 Cubic Feet \n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBase Price
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t$85,000 (est.) \n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAs-Tested Price
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t$135,000 (est.) \n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n
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