Used 2017 Mercedes-Benz Metris Cargo Minivan Review

Small vans are ideal for contractors and shuttle fleets that have substantial cargo or transportation requirements but don't need large, expensive full-size vans.  They are far easier to navigate crowded city centers than their larger counterparts, and their modest capabilities allow for more fuel-efficient engines. But for some uses, they just aren't big enough. Enter the 2017 Mercedes-Benz Metris. It splits the size difference between small and full-size vans, becoming the only midsize cargo and passenger van on the market.

Despite the premium nameplate, the Metris doesn't cost much more than its smaller competitors. You pay a little more than rivals for the larger cargo area, as well as the option for three-row passenger seating (not all vans in this segment offer additional seating behind the front row). With 208 horsepower on tap, the Metris is also considerably more powerful than the others yet returns similar fuel economy. Prospective buyers shouldn't be discouraged by the fancy badge and slightly higher price.

The 2017 Mercedes-Benz Metris can be outfitted for work duty (with a completely open space behind the front bucket seats) or seven- or eight-seat passenger hauling. It's available in four versions. The Metris Cargo is the one with an expansive cargo area, while the Passenger fills that space with two rows of seating. There are also Worker Cargo and Worker Passenger versions that cost less than their non-Worker counterparts in exchange for a shorter list of available features.

Powering the Metris is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (208 horsepower, 258 pound-feet of torque) that drives the rear wheels through a seven-speed automatic transmission. Standard features include 17-inch steel wheels, automatic headlights, remote locking and unlocking, air-conditioning, wheel-mounted shift paddles, Bluetooth and a five-speaker audio system with a USB port.

Some additional standard features depend on which Metris you buy. A 5.8-inch color screen is included on standard models and optional on Worker models (which otherwise come with a simple monochrome display). Passenger and Worker Passenger models also get a rearview mirror, rear air-conditioning and a nine-speaker audio system. All Metris vans have sliding rear doors. Further back, you'll find 270-degree swing-out rear cargo doors standard on the Metris Cargo while all others get 180-degree rear cargo doors.

The list of available option packages for the Worker Cargo is relatively short. You can get the Convenience package (automatic wipers, heated mirrors, a rearview camera, cruise control, the color display and LED cargo area lighting) and the Utility package (Convenience package plus roof rails, a rearview mirror, a leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, a driver information display, a heated rear window, blind-spot monitoring, rails on the cargo floor and sides and tie-downs).

On the Worker Passenger, there's also the Appearance package (Convenience plus alloy wheels, body-colored bumpers, roof rails, a rear liftgate instead of the swing-out cargo doors, a heated rear window and simulated leather upholstery) and the Comfort package (all contents of the Utility and Appearance packages plus power-sliding rear doors).

Options are broken apart into more cost-effective packages in the Cargo and Passenger models, allowing buyers to mix and match the features they want. Notable combinations include the Cold Weather package (heated front seats, a heated windshield washer system and an upgraded heater); the Premium Safety package (Utility plus lane departure warning, forward collision warning and automated parallel parking); and the Driver Comfort package (a comfort-tuned suspension and upgraded seats with lumbar support).

Many of the options listed above are offered as stand-alone choices, as are a trailer hitch, rear privacy glass, chrome interior trim and a backup alarm. Mercedes' MasterUpfitter program allows buyers to further customize Metris Cargo vans to their business needs.