Mercedes-Benz X-Class (2018-2021) Buyer’s Guide

The Mercedes-Benz X-Class took the brand into unchartered waters – and promptly sunk. But with a few redeeming qualities and its depreciation curve starting to level off, is now the time to buy a used version of this premium-badged bakkie?

In the months leading up to its highly anticipated reveal, the Mercedes-Benz X-Class double-cab bakkie was one of the most talked-about vehicles in the industry, culminating in website-crashing levels of hype on the day the wraps were finally peeled back. But much of that chatter was anything but positive. Ultimately, sales proved exceedingly slow, which led the W470-series bakkie to an early grave.

Hopes were high in March 2015 when the Three-pointed Star announced plans to launch what it billed as the world’s “first pick-up from a premium manufacturer”. The company promised a “high level of utility” plus everything buyers had come to expect from a Mercedes-Benz passenger car, an approach it described as a “recipe for success”.

The Sindelfingen-based brand attempted to draw parallels with the original M-Class, saying it expected its bakkie to “completely redefine” its segment just as its premium SUV sibling did. But, unlike that SUV, the later-revealed production version of the X-Class wasn’t a Mercedes-Benz through and through.

Despite having a dedicated commercial-vehicle division (responsible for the likes of the Vito), as well as deep off-road heritage (think Geländenwagen and Unimog), Mercedes-Benz chose not to develop a new ladder-frame-based bakkie from the ground up. Instead of embarking on what would likely have been a prohibitively costly and time-consuming exercise, it opted to leverage an existing platform from Nissan.

So, the X-Class – offered exclusively in the double-cab body style – was based squarely on the D23-gen Nissan Navara, saving Mercedes-Benz considerable research-and-development costs, and allowing it to be relatively fast to market. With its eye on the premium end of the growing 1-tonne bakkie market, Benz pitched the newcomer at markets such as Australia, Latin America, parts of Europe and indeed Mzansi.

For the record, though production was also initially planned for Nissan’s Cordoba factory in Argentina, the X-Class was ultimately built only at the Japanese brand’s Barcelona plant in Spain. Incidentally, the latter facility closed towards the end of 2021, although it has since been bought by Chinese firm, Chery.

How many examples of the X-Class were sold globally? Well, Mercedes-Benz said only around 16 700 units were registered in 2018 (the bakkie’s 1st full year on the market in some markets), a worldwide figure that fell to about 15 300 units in 2019. Production officially ceased at the end of May 2020.

So, by global standards, the Mercedes-Benz X-Class wasn’t a popular vehicle.

Mercedes-Benz X-Class model line-up in South Africa

In October 2016, Mercedes-Benz unwrapped a pair of Concept X-Class models, promising the final product would be “positioned in the segment at an attractive price”. That production version of the model was unveiled in July 2017 and it famously made its global premiere in Cape Town (with the brand describing South Africa as one of the newcomer’s “core markets”).

Production commenced in November 2017, before the X-Class officially touched down in Mzansi in May 2018. At launch, the local line-up comprised 6 derivatives, each powered by Nissan’s 2.3-litre, 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine (offered in single- and twin-turbo guise). Both 4×2 and 4×4 configurations along with a pair of trim levels and transmissions were available:

• X220d Progressive 4×2 6MT (120 kW/403 Nm)
• X220d Progressive 4×2 7AT (120 kW/403 Nm)
• X250d Progressive 4×4 6MT (140 kW/450 Nm)
• X250d Progressive 4×4 7AT (140 kW/450 Nm)
• X250d Power 4×4 6MT (140 kW/450 Nm)
• X250d Power 4×4 7AT (140 kW/450 Nm)

With a price tag of R818 105 (before options), the X250d Power 4×4 7AT debuted as South Africa’s most expensive double cab, eclipsing the Volkswagen Amarok 3.0 V6 TDI 4Motion Extreme of the era. Still, Mercedes-Benz SA insisted that the X-Class was “well positioned to elevate the (local) bakkie segment to the next level”, soon thereafter declaring that the newcomer had “disrupted the bakkie scene”.

For the record, the base “Pure” grade – which rode on steel wheels and featured an unpainted front apron and a polyurethane steering wheel – wasn’t offered in South Africa.

By the end of November 2018, the X350d – which employed a burly 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel engine, a 7-speed automatic transmission and permanent all-wheel drive (with centre and rear differentials, plus a low-range transfer case), all from the Mercedes-Benz parts bin – finally arrived in South Africa, billed as a “next-to-none offering”. The X350d was available in the Progressive and Power trim grades, with the latter derivative priced at a heady R973 188 (again, before extras).

• X350d Progressive 4×4 7AT (190 kW/550 Nm)
• X350d Power 4×4 7AT (190 kW/550 Nm)

Despite the launch of this top-spec powertrain derivative, sales remained sluggish in all markets and rumours of the bakkie’s early demise soon started to swirl. In February 2020, Mercedes-Benz finally confirmed one of its worst-kept secrets: production of “this relatively young model” would cease in May 2020. As an aside, the X-Class was technically discontinued locally only about a year later, in the 2nd quarter of 2021, when the stock finally ran dry.

What are the advantages of an X-Class?

That V6 engine: There’s little doubt that the derivative in the X-Class line-up most closely aligned with the brand’s initial intention of creating a premium-bakkie experience was the one endowed with the 6-cylinder Benz powertrain. Yes, the X350d’s 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel unit (OM642) generated lofty peak outputs of 190 kW and 550 Nm, facilitating a claimed 7.9-second 0-100 kph time. In short, it had plenty of shove.

It’s this engine – which offered its maximum twisting force from 1 400 rpm all the way through to 3 200 rpm – that helped to elevate the appeal of the otherwise underwhelming X-Class, even if its prohibitively pricey price tag did it no favours.

The short-lived X350d was not only Mzansi’s priciest pick-up but also its most powerful, outpunching the 165 kW/550 Nm Amarok V6 of the time (the Volkswagen did, of course, have its outputs hiked to 190 kW and 580 Nm in December 2020, but by then production of the X-Class had fizzled out).

Ride and refinement: Like the Navara on which it was based, the Mercedes-Benz X-Class employed a 5-link rear axle with coil springs, as opposed to the more common leaf-spring aft arrangement. This configuration – together with bespoke settings for the springs and dampers, plus a reinforced chassis and wider tracks – meant Benz’s bakkie served up one of the more forgiving rides in its class (though it perhaps still wasn’t quite as polished as the Amarok in that department).

Interestingly, models sold in South Africa were fitted with the so-called “raised” suspension set-up; Euro-spec derivatives on the standard suspension were said to offer ride comfort closer to that of a premium SUV. The X-Class was also praised for high levels of rolling refinement (for a bakkie, anyway), achieved largely via the liberal application of extra insulation material. The latter, of course, added plenty of unwanted weight.

Impressive crash-test score: In November 2017, Euro NCAP released the results of its X-Class crash test. The X250d Power derivative subjected to the punishing safety evaluation scored a full 5 stars (beating its 4-star Navara cousin), achieving bakkie bests of 87% for child-occupant safety and 77% for its safety-assistance features.

In South Africa, all derivatives in the X-Class range came fitted with a full complement of 7 airbags (unlike the original Amarok, which lacked rear airbags throughout its lengthy life-cycle), along with Isofix child-seat anchors and disc brakes front and rear.

However, some of the driver-assistance features were unfortunately relegated to Mercedes-Benz’s typically lengthy list of options…

What are the disadvantages of an X-Class?

It was (mostly) a Navara underneath: While the “Navara with Mascara” jibe that did the rounds at the time of the X-Class launch was perhaps a little unkind, it wasn’t entirely inaccurate.

The production version of the X-Class lost much of the concept’s aggressive styling, instead inheriting a somewhat toned-down design applied over the Navara’s general proportions. To Mercedes-Benz’s credit, however, at least most of the bodywork was unique.

The key fob, however, certainly wasn’t, as it shared its insubstantial shell with the keys of the Navara as well as Nissan’s budget cars of the time. The cabin featured yet more hints of the bakkie’s roots, with the X-Class making do with various carried-over items (such as the window switches and the gear lever). Ultimately, there was no hiding the Navara relation.

Still, the Navara was an accomplished performer, so the X-Class at least scored reasonable load-lugging credentials, with the claimed payload varying from 861 to 1001 kg, depending on the derivative. Ground clearance came in at 220 mm and wading depth at 600 mm, while approach, departure and ramp-over angles were listed as 30, 25 and 22 degrees, respectively.

Ergonomically compromised cabin: Despite material quality being a bit of a mixed bag (and the odd Nissan part hiding in plain sight), the X-Class cabin at least looked relatively special. However, it was unquestionably flawed in practical terms. For example, the lack of reach adjustment on the steering column led to a compromised driving position for most.

Other ergonomic annoyances included a starter button inconveniently sited at knee level (to the right of steering column) and heating-and-ventilation controls positioned so low down (just ahead of the gear lever) that they were exceedingly tricky to operate on the move.

Furthermore, the bakkie’s cabin suffered from a bizarre lack of oddments storage space, while also making do with undersized cupholders and an earlier-generation infotainment system.

Price: What was the main reason the X-Class failed to attract enough sales to keep the whole project afloat? Well, there’s certainly an argument to be made that buyers might have been able to overlook the Navara underpinnings had the X-Class been more competitively priced.

Instead, Mercedes-Benz positioned it at a considerable premium over not just the Navara but also every single established rival, even though the X-badged bakkie didn’t offer all that much more. In addition, specification levels weren’t exactly generous, with the already steep pricing inflated even further once various options and accessories boxes had been ticked.

An upshot of the bakkie’s early demise, of course, is the seemingly accelerated rate of depreciation, which means the X-Class tends to offer better value on the used market today.

How much is a used Mercedes-Benz X-Class in SA?

In Mzansi, all derivatives of the X-Class shipped standard with Mercedes-Benz’s 6-year/100 000 km PremiumDrive maintenance plan, parameters that buyers had the option of extending to 8 years/180 000 km. The company offered a wide range of (rather pricey) accessories, from velour mats, load-bed liners and underbody protection to styling bars, aluminium roll-covers and canopies.

Just how steep a depreciation curve has the X-Class endured? Well, to form a broad idea, we examined the average retail estimate (using the AA’s vehicle-value report, which relies on Lightstone Auto data) of selected 2018 derivatives, expressed as a percentage of the vehicle’s price new in its year of registration.

Based on these figures, we calculated that over the past 6 years (at the time of writing), an X250d Power 4×4 7AT in average condition would have lost about 36% of its value, while an X350d Power 4×4 7AT in a similar state would have shed around 26% of its original value.

Interestingly, a 2018 Amarok 3.0 V6 TDI Extreme 4Motion would have found itself somewhere between the pair, losing approximately 28%. For further context, consider that a 2018 Hilux 4.0 V6 Raider 6AT 4×4 would have, on average, relinquished just 14% of its value over the same period.

That’s the theory, anyway. In practice, however, it seems the typical X-Class unit bears an even more modest residual value, based on listed asking prices on Cars.co.za. Still, our window-shopping experience backs up the notion that the X350d tends to hold more of its value than its X250d sibling.

So, of the Mercedes-Benz X-Class units listed on our platform at the time of writing, the cheapest was a manual-equipped 2020 X250d Progressive 4×4 going for just R349 900. In fact, nearly half of all listings came in below the R500 000 mark!

The most common model year was 2019, while almost 70% of listed models showed under 100 000 km on their respective odometers. Interestingly, 33% were equipped with manual gearboxes, while just 10% were specified in 4×2 guise. The mid-tier X250d was easily the most popular engine derivative at 74%, followed by the flagship X350d (24%) and seldom-spotted base X220d (2%).

• Below R400 000: While all listings we found below this point were X250d 4×4 derivatives, they were interestingly spread evenly across the opening 3 model years. However, most units here showed mileage on the far side of 100 000 km.

• From R400 000 to R500 000: Almost 40% of all X-Class listings were grouped in this fairly narrow pricing bracket, where the X250d again dominated. Intriguingly, the split between manual and automatic transmissions was almost even here.

• From R500 000 to R600 000: Though there was marginally less choice in this space, it was here we found the least-expensive examples of the V6-powered X350d, including a 2020 unit priced at R569 900. Several models here were additionally equipped with canopies.

• R600 000 and up: The X350d accounted for most stock priced above R600 000, though we were a little surprised to find numerous examples fitted with aftermarket Panamericana-style grilles. The most expensive X-Class we discovered was a 2019 X350d Power 4×4 with 35 000 km on the clock, priced at R899 900. It was, however, fitted with several options and accessories.

Which Mercedes-Benz X-Class variant should I buy?

So, which X-Class should you buy? Well, though the X250d is comfortably the most prevalent on the used market – and its 2.3-litre bi-turbodiesel motor perfectly sufficient in terms of output – we have no hesitation in stating that the most accomplished version of this premium-badged bakkie is the X350d.

Equipped with this 6-cylinder powertrain rather than a Nissan-sourced 4-pot, the flagship X-Class feels a touch more like a genuine Mercedes-Benz. Of course, purchasing a V6 over a 4-banger requires a more substantial budget, though settling for the Progressive grade would mitigate that to some degree.

For the record, the top-of-the-range Power trim level added items such as 18-inch alloy wheels (up from 17-inch items), LED headlights, leather upholstery, electrically adjustable front seats and an uprated audio system with integrated satellite navigation.

Does the Mercedes X-Class make sense as a used buy?

During its brief, ill-fated stay on the local market, the X-Class had to contend with several established – not to mention far more palatably priced – bakkie nameplates, including top-spec double-cab versions of the locally built Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger and Isuzu D-Max. Of course, it also competed with its Navara cousin, which at that stage was imported rather than produced at Rosslyn.

However, the X-Class bakkie’s chief rival was the 1st-generation Volkswagen Amarok, which at the time was the only other double-cab contender available with 6-cylinder turbodiesel power and the closest thing to a truly premium pick-up. Though the Amarok 3.0 V6 TDI was by no means cheap, it looked like a veritable bargain next to the excessively expensive X-Class.

Still, while Benz’s potent V6 engine wasn’t enough to justify the X350d’s eyewatering asking price when new, this derivative makes for a far more attractive proposition on the used market today – even if it’s the X-Class engine that seemingly depreciates the slowest. Though we’d pick the Amarok 3.0 V6 TDI over the Mercedes-Benz X350d on merit, a neat example of the latter at the right price would be a tempting alternative…

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