The first luxury pickup truck X-Class - Nissan Navara with Mercedes logo

The X-Class is Mercedes-Benz's first pickup truck and also the first commercial vehicle in the luxury car world to lead the pickup truck trend in many markets.

Mercedes X-Class 2018 officially launched in the market

Finally, Mercedes-Benz has officially unveiled its first pickup truck called the X-Class, as previously rumored. Even compared to the concept design of the car, there are not many changes. The car stands out with the ribs on the hood, the sides of the body, the sporty black front bumper, the sharp LED headlights, and the more prominent rearview mirrors. However, the biggest difference with its twin brother, the Nissan Navara, is probably the three-pointed star logo in the middle of the grille and the rear cargo door.

Compared to the exterior, the X-Class interior is completely renewed compared to its brother Navara with the typical Mercedes style somewhat similar to the V-Class. The car has a 3-spoke sports steering wheel with integrated features, a 2-zone air conditioning system with air vents for the rear seats with round vents, a neat control panel with fewer buttons and a 5.4-inch touch screen that can be optionally upgraded to 8.4 inches. The car's interior is covered in fabric on the standard version while the new high-end version is covered in leather. Overall, the X-Class interior can disappoint many Mercedes fans.

The Mercedes X-Class is 5,334 mm long, 1,920 mm wide, 1,819 mm high with a wheelbase of 3,150 mm. With a ground clearance of 202 mm that can be increased to 221 mm when using the off-road suspension system, it can wade through water 600 mm deep. The vehicle has a payload of 1,042 kg and a pulling force of 3.5 tons. The vehicle has 3 versions, of which the X-Class Pure focuses on the needs of normal transportation work, the X-Class Progressive is aimed at business users while the Power version is for sports and adventure enthusiasts.

In terms of power, the X-Class has 4 engine options, including 2 versions of 2.3-liter turbocharged diesel engines with a capacity of 160 horsepower on the X 220d version and 190 horsepower on the X 250d version. Petrol enthusiasts will have 2 options including a 4-cylinder engine with a capacity of 163 horsepower on the X 200 version and 254 horsepower on the X 350d version with a V6 engine, but will have to wait until the middle of next year. All versions have a 6-speed manual transmission, rear-wheel drive as standard, with the option of a 7-speed automatic transmission and 2-wheel drive. The car has many safety features, including a lane keeping system, lane departure warning, traffic signs, automatic emergency braking and a 360 camera.

The first X-Classes are expected to arrive in Europe in November for $42,758 before heading to Australia, Argentina, Brazil, and South Africa. Mercedes has yet to announce plans to sell the vehicle in the U.S., despite the high demand for pickup trucks. Perhaps the fact that American brands are too strong in this segment and the X-Class is too small for American demand is an obstacle.

According to TNO