News & Reviews- Make: Mercedes-Benz

It was only a matter of time before Mercedes-Benz combined its much-lauded 4x4 know-how with the ultimate utility of its Sprinter van, the result being one of the most versatile vehicles to arrive on the commercial market. Mercedes-Benz has been building four-wheel drive vehicles for more than a century. Most will be familiar with its lineup of compact and mid-size SUVs, from the diminutive GLA and larger GLC to the mid-size GLE and largest seven-passenger GLS. Serious off-road fans will also be well aware of the legendary G-Class, dubbed Geländewagen when introduced in 1979, and the brand's unstoppable Unimog (UNIversal-MOtor-Gerät) range of multi-purpose four-wheel drive medium trucks that were first introduced in 1947 and are still available for commercial application today. Mercedes' commercial van division is newer, at least to Canadians. Similar to its 4WD heritage the German automaker has more than a 100 years of commercial vehicle sales under its corporate Read Full Story

It must be uncomfortably embarrassing to go up against Mercedes' E-Class. After all, it outsells its direct competitors so dramatically there's very little contest.

Even mighty BMW pales in comparison, the M-B E Sedan, Coupe, Cabriolet, Wagon and CLS four-door coupe resulting in a cumulative 2,953 sales last year compared to just 2,477 for the similarly diverse 5 and 6 Series models. And that's the very best of the rest, with Audi's A6 and A7 combining for only 1,721 sales, Cadillac's CTS and CT6 twosome managing just 1,130 mid-size deliveries, Jaguar next with (here comes the red-faced embarrassment) just 542 XFs (and that was a particularly good year), Lexus with (it gets worse) 415 GS sales (albeit 2,568 if you factor in the similarly sized yet significantly cheaper ES), Lincoln with 372 Continental and MKS buyers (or 1,492 when including the comparatively inexpensive MKZ), Infiniti with a mere 156 Q70 deliveries, Volvo's beautiful new S90 and archaic S80 combining for a scant Read Full Story

If you need a visceral explanation as to why Mercedes-Benz whips every other premium brands' behind when it comes to subcompact luxury segment sales performance, spend some time with a CLA45 AMG 4Matic Coupe.

The word Coupe is used roughly with this car, a misnomer that I happen to think is a good thing. Like the German luxury brand's CLS that ushered in the four-door coupe phenomenon, the CLA is more along the lines of a sleek, low-slung sport sedan, which means it's a lot more practical than a coupe, but it's not as staid and conventional as a more upright sedan. Hence why this best-of-both-world's model has been tearing up the sales charts since inception with 3,653 sold throughout Canada over the first 11 months of this year, 3,870 during all 12 months of 2015 and 3,851 in 2014, or at least that's half the story.

It's always looked great to my eyes, and the top-tier CLA45 AMG version all the better. It boasts more aggressive bodywork, more expressive lighting elements, Read Full Story

Although the Metris just arrived on North American soil last year as a 2016 model, it's been available in Europe and other global markets since 1996 and is already in its third generation. Across the pond it's referred to as Vito, but it's the identical mid-size van sold here and therefore, with more than 20 years under its beltline, has a great deal more experience than Canadian commercial buyers might realize.

Step up to its comfortable driver's seat and grab hold of its sportily shaped three-spoke steering wheel and Mercedes' seasoned approach to the commercial van market begins to sink in, the level of refinement offered to small business owners and fleet drivers alike certainly good for morale. Really, I've driven most cargo vans currently available and the Metris interior goes above and beyond what's expected, with some of the same premium detailing Mercedes is known for in its revered consumer products, such as fabric-wrapped roof pillars and satin metallic finished gauge Read Full Story

The compact premium D-segment is filled with sport/luxury hopefuls, but to most buying into this class there are only two considerations. Mercedes-Benz sells more C-Class models than any rival, but that's where things get a bit murky. Arch-rival BMW splits its D-segment sales into 3 and 4 Series entries, which means its overall sales are higher.

Here in Canada, 2016 calendar year-to-date numbers as of September are 8,996 for BMW and 7,208 for Mercedes, with Audi trailing respectably with 5,623 A4 and A5 deliveries, Lexus managing 4,347 sales of its IS, RC and ES (the latter sized more like an E-segment E-Class and 5 Series fighter yet priced much lower), Acura with 3,125 TLX customers, Infiniti with 2,274 combined Q50 and Q60 buyers, Cadillac with 1,871 ATS Sedan and Coupe sales, Volvo with 1,023 S60 and V60 deliveries, Lincoln with 816 sales of its larger mid-size Lexus ES-fighting MKZ, Buick with 693 new Regal owners, and Jaguar finding 196 buyers for its entirely new XE.
Read Full Story