2022 Mercedes-Benz Metris

The 2022 Mercedes Metris cargo van will be offered in a single trim. Buyers have the option to go for the 126” short wheelbase variant or the 133” long-wheelbase variant with no big differences in base prices. The former is expected to come in at $33,630 while the long-wheelbase will set you back from $34,155 Both configurations will offer a passenger-side sliding door and a 180 degree split rear hatch. The engine and the transmission will stay similar but the maximum payload for the long-wheelbase trim is limited to 2,150 pounds compared to the short wheelbase’s 2,205 pounds.

Coming to the features, Mercedes has equipped the van with decent creature comfort tech while giving primary focus to safety. As on that, features like crosswind assist, load adaptive electronic stability program, driver attention assist, collision prevention assist, hill start assist, and a backup camera comes in as standard. Also, optional equipment such as blindspot and lane-keeping assist is something unseen in the class. As for the inside, features like a 7-inch infotainment system with Bluetooth/SD card support, seats with lumbar adjustment, single-zone manual air conditioning, and monochrome driver information screen do come in as a part of the package.

Which trim should you buy?

Since the 2022 Mercedes Metris cargo van is only offered in a single trim, there are no obvious choices in that regard. Talking about the wheelbase options, our choice would be the long-wheelbase configuration. For just a premium of less than $550, you are getting a 199 cu-ft cargo bay which is about 16 cu-ft over the standard wheelbase configuration. It does come in with a 45-pound drop in payload, but that is not enough to bring any noticeable change in performance. Mercedes does offer a bunch of optional packages and the $549 cold weather package with heated seats is something we would suggest as an add-on.

2022 Mercedes-Benz Metris Cargo Van Release date

We do not have any official information on the launch as of now but based on what we know from previous years, it should happen sometime in the last quarter of this year. Expect a silent model year transition as no major updates have been brought about.

The 2022 Mercedes Metris cargo van, as it always has been, is the most powerful van in its segment. Pumping out nearly 208 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels, the Mercedes Metris cargo van can hit 60mpg in about 8.5 seconds. The 2022 Mercedes Metris cargo van has a rated maximum payload capacity of about 2205 pounds, which is one of the best in this class as far as we know. Also, the 5,000-pound towing limit is nothing less than impressive.

 Being the only van with a turbocharged engine, the Mercedes Metris cargo van does come with an inherent advantage of its peak torque kicking in as low as 1,250 rpm. This does make a real-world difference when hauling and towing, making the Mercedes Metris cargo van feel significantly more potent than its competition when driven back to back. The commercial derivative of the 9-speed G-Tronic works as good as any other Mercedes and even comes with an option for steering-mounted paddle shifters.

*2021 model data taken for reference

The 2022 Mercedes Metris cargo van with its turbocharged powertrain, boasts the most output in the segment and performs the best despite weighing considerably more than the competition. It also has a class-leading payload of 2205 pounds. The RAM Promaster city comes in a close second in performance and boasts a maximum payload of around 1900 pounds. 

The Nissan and the Ford meanwhile, are both a whole second soler to hit 60 and also limit the payload to around 1500 pounds. It is important to note that the Nissan NV200 is the only one with a CVT here and this does affect its performance when fully loaded, putting it to the back of the pack when it comes to real-world usability.

How well does the 2022 Mercedes Benz Metris Cargo Van handle?

We expect the 2022 Mercedes Metris cargo van to handle well as it always has been the case with the previous generations. You sit high and upright with excellent visibility forward. The steering feels good to use and the light action makes it a breeze when trying to maneuver in loading bays or inside warehouses. Backing up is a tough job but the standard backup camera gives a pretty decent view of the rear.

With a rated horsepower of over 200, the Mercedes Metris cargo van can get close to triple-digit speeds quite effortlessly. Even when doing that, the Mercedes Metris cargo van feels perfectly stable. A lot of wind noise starts creeping in as speeds increase but there is no sense of losing control thanks to the cross-wind assist and load adaptive stability systems. The body roll is perfectly contained for a 75-inch tall frame and the ride is quite flat on work paces.

 2022 Mercedes Benz Metris Cargo Van-Braking performance

The 2022 Mercedes Metris cargo van will come with one of the best braking hardware in its segment. It offers ventilated discs at both ends, measuring at 11.8-inches at the front and 11-inches at the back. We don’t have any official figures on the stopping distances but it should stop under 120 feet. The brakes themselves feel solid and do offer a solid bite to bring the van to a controlled halt rather quickly. The problem that we had with the older models was that it felt too aggressive at times and that is not something you want when hauling around fragile goods.

*2021 model data taken for reference

The 2022 Mercedes Metris cargo van is the only van in this comparison that offers a rear disc brake and it does help it perform better than the competition despite the considerable weight disadvantage. The Nissan NV200 with its big 12-inch front rotors and low curb weight has got the specs to land in as the best performer here. The Promaster does pack in some decent hardware and is also the second lightest here.

Fuel economy is one of the primary facets when getting a cargo van and the 2022 Mercedes Metris cargo van is fairly decent in that regard, we would say. Squeezing all that power and torques from a tiny two-liter mill does come with its downsides and the middling fuel economy figures are one of them. 21 mpg is what you are looking for on a regular day of usage and can go up to 23 if you are on highways. Mercedes have thought of it and gave the Metris a class-biggest 18.49-gallon fuel tank which evens out things, enabling the van to push out a real-world range of around 390 miles. If you are on the highways, that figure can go up to near 425 miles given that you were conservative with the throttle.

*2021 model data taken for reference

The Ford Transit connect comes out to be the most efficient van in this comparison. This combined with a decent-sized fuel tank gives it the best real-world combined fuel range of about 395 miles. The Nissan does come close in individual economy figures but loses out owing to the low fuel tank capacity. The RAM Promaster City finds middle ground and also returns the best highway efficiency of 28mpg. The Mercedes, even though it falls back when it comes to individual figures, it strikes back with its humongous 18.49-gallon fuel tank.

The 2022 Mercedes Metris is a basic cargo van and there is pretty much nothing that would surprise you on the inside. A 7-inch infotainment system will be the most period-specific update you will see in this cabin. The instrumentation is basic and a TFT screen shows rudimentary information. That said, Mercedes has covered most of the basics with the insides with air-conditioning, power locks, power windows, and fabric seating surfaces coming as standard or no-cost options.

The front seats offer decent support and the optional power lumbar adjustment is a must-have for long-distance drives. The shoulder room feels more than enough and the seats also offer around 36-inches of legroom making it easy to fit even the biggest. The 2022 Mercedes Metris cargo van does offer a lot of interior packages and features like heated seats, power lumbar support, leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, and auxiliary battery. The cargo area also gets a lot of options such as full height plastic paneling, LED light strips, and anchor points.

*2021 model data taken for reference/ ** long wheelbase

The Mercedes Metris cargo van is not most abundant when it comes to cabin space but the wheelbase advantage did enable it to extract 183 cu-ft of cargo room in the back which can be further increased to 199 cu-ft with the extended wheelbase variant. No van comes close to this and the second biggest van hire, the RAM Promaster City’s cargo hold measures just 131.7 cu-ft. The Nissan has a smaller 122.7 cu-ft cargo area but offers the best headroom and legroom for its occupants. The Transit Connect comes with the smallest cargo as standard but offers over 127 cu-ft of it in its long wheelbase variant. Some interior features expected of the 2022 Mercedes Metris cargo van are;

• 7-inch infotainment system
• Fabric seating surfaces
• Power windows
• Seat-mounted armrest
• Heated front seats (o)
• 4.2-inch pixel matrix display (o)
• Leather-wrapped multi-function steering with paddle shifters (o)

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The infotainment system on the 2022 Mercedes Metris cargo van is rather basic and comprises a 7-inch touchscreen unit. It has support for Bluetooth handsfree, memory card, and SiriusXM trial subscription. A 4-speaker audio system comes in as a standard option. Steering mounted controls are also on offer but only come as an optional package. Some infotainment features expected of the 2022 Mercedes Metris cargo van are;

• 7-inch touchscreen
• Bluetooth handsfree
• Memory card/USB support
• 4-speaker audio system
• Steering mounted controls (o)

The 2022 Mercedes Metris cargo van looks like a trimmed-down version of the Mercedes Sprinter, as it always did. As far as cargo van designs go, the Mercedes Metris cargo van looks pretty decent in our eyes. The front end looks sleeks and the tri-pointed start does bring in a premium appeal than the competition in certain colors and specifications. 16-inch steel wheels come in standard but the optional 17” alloy wheels raise the premium quotient yet again.

The 2022 Mercedes Metris cargo van checks everything on the practicality side as it gets both passenger side cargo-access sliding doors and 180-degree rear doors as standard. A driver-side sliding door and the rear liftgate is an option as well. The optional $414 roof rails do boost the overall design and do add functionality as well.

*2021 model data taken for reference/ ** long wheelbase

The 2022 Mercedes Metris cargo van is easily the biggest van in its class and offers class-leading cargo room even in its short wheelbase trim. This also makes it the heaviest of the bunch. The RAM Promaster City follows with a decently sized silhouette managing the best compromise between exterior dimension and usable interior space. The Nissan is the lightest van here despite not being the smallest in dimensions. The Ford is the smallest van here when it comes to standard size while the long-wheelbase model adds in about 13-inches more of it. Some exterior features expected of the 2022 Mercedes Metris cargo van are;

• 16-inch standard steel wheels
• Dual-beam halogen headlamps
• 180-degree rear cargo door
• Sliding side cargo-access door
• Fog lamps (o)
• Rain sensing wipers (o)
• Heated windshield washer (o)

The 2022Mercedes-Benz Metris cargo van has not undergone any sort of crash test so far so there are no official statements on its structural integrity. But Mercedes has made sure that the 2022 Mercedes Metris cargo van would stand atop the competition when it comes to safety equipment and tech, loading it with most of the advanced driver assistance systems. Some safety features expected of the 2022 Mercedes Metris cargo van are;

• Crosswind assist
• Load adaptive electronic stability program
• Attention assist
• Hill-start assist
• Collision prevention assist
• Rearview camera
• Lane-keeping assist (o)
• Blind-spot assist (o)

2022 Mercedes Benz Metris Cargo Van vs 2021 RAM Promaster City Cargo Van

Pricing, fuel economy, and cabin space are places where the Ram Promaster city trumps the 2022 Mercedes Benz Metris Cargo Van. With a decent 131 cu-ft cargo area, it should suffice the requirements of the majority of the buyers as well. It is also slightly better equipped than the Mercedes as far as features from the factory go. For the price of the 2022 Mercedes Benz Metris Cargo Van, you could get your hands on the full-size Promaster which makes the Mercedes a hard pill to swallow.

2022 Mercedes Benz Metris Cargo Van vs 2021 Nissan NV200 Cargo Van

The Nissan NV200 is a limited capability cargo van compared to the 2022 Mercedes Benz Metris Cargo Van. Occupant space and fuel economy are the only two places that seem to better the Mercedes convincingly. It might start at a lower price but you are losing out on a whole lot of power and cargo area while being stuck with a CVT transmission. Although there seems to be a 10 grand void between these two in pricing, you are most definitely getting a van worth that extra money with the 2022 Mercedes Benz Metris Cargo Van and should be the one to put your money on.

2022 Mercedes Benz Metris Cargo Van vs 2021 Ford Transit Connect Cargo Van

If it is a super compact van that you are after, the Ford Transit Connect cargo van would make the most sense. It starts at a lower price and is also the fuel-efficient one in this comparison. It is also offered in two wheelbase formats and is also one of the most tried and tested platforms out there. So if you are looking at limited capacity and functionality, the Ford is the way to go. If a step up is what you need, then there is no other option than the 2022 Mercedes Benz Metris Cargo Van.

Even though the new Mercedes-Benz Metris Cargo Van starts at a higher price than its competition, it makes its statement by being the most powerful and largest in the class even in standard trim. The low fuel economy tag it has is more than made up for with its class-largest 18.4-gallon fuel tank and the clever 9-speed G-Tronic transmission. It is also one of the better handling vans out there and offers a full suite of driver assistance tech as well. The 2022 Mercedes Benz Metris Cargo Van comes across to be a premium option in this segment and with the possibility of a plethora of factory upgrades, should live up to be a convincing pick.