2019 Mercedes Vito Gains OM 654 Diesel From Passenger Car Range, 9G-Tronic Transmission

Mercedes-Benz Vans is giving a comprehensive update to the Vito commercial vehicle, headlined by the adoption of the OM 654 four-cylinder turbo diesel engine.

The commercial vehicle thus becomes the first to feature Mercedes’ latest generation of 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel engines that replace the previously available OM 651 units. The Vito Tourer people carrier and Marco Polo Activity camper will get the new powertrain in three states of tune.

The entry-level version offers 136 PS (134 hp) and 330 Nm (243 lb-ft) of torque, the middle option comes with 163 PS (161 hp) and 380 Nm (280 lb-ft) of torque, while the range-topping version offers 190 PS (187 hp) and 420 Nm (310 lb-ft) of torque.

All these engines will be mated as standard to the 9G-Tronic automatic transmission that replaces the 7G-Tronic, making the Vito Tourer the first Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicle to offer the nine-speed gearbox. From autumn 2019, a manual transmission will also be available. The new diesel-powered models come as standard with rear-wheel drive, with 4Matic permanent all-wheel drive available as an option.

Besides this significant mechanical upgrade, the 2019MY Vito lineup, including the Vito Tourer, Vito Panel Van, and Vito Mixto, becomes more digitalized. From summer 2019, many of the fleet-oriented services of the Mercedes PRO connect ecosystem that debuted in the Sprinter will become available in Vito variants with combustion engines.

Styling-wise, customers will have the choice of four additional exterior colors and new 17-, 18-, and 19-inch alloy wheels. Inside, the design of the instrument cluster has been refreshed and new comfort functions have been added, such as new roller sliding bases for affixing the seats, Highbeam Assist Plus, and the Mercedes-Benz emergency call system and Breakdown Management function.

Speaking of safety, the 2019MY Vito family brings Attention Assist and Crosswind Assist as standard, with the Vito Tourer adding tire pressure monitoring to the standard equipment as well.