While S.U.V.s have raced to the forefront of sales in recent years, they’re often lacking something in the luxury space. Sure, many utility vehicles offer no shortage of visual appeal and interior refinement, but many are awkward to climb into—and cramped once you do. Mercedes-Benz has decided it can do better by reinventing a completely different segment: the luxury van.
Welcome to the new VLE, which Mercedes-Benz calls a “Grand Limousine.” Yes, that’s a somewhat aspirational label for what, on the surface, looks like a dressed-up, electric minivan, but this is actually a ground-up reinvention for the automaker’s biggest of haulers. It provide a unique and impressive experience for both the driver and passengers, but it’s not quite perfect.
The Mercedes-Benz VLE luxury van.
Mercedes-Benz
There’s no denying the VLE’s overwhelming van-ness. While its edges have been rounded off in the name of style and aerodynamics, it has a fundamentally pedestrian shape that many will struggle to get beyond when considering this as a truly luxury machine.
