Mercedes-Benz Marco Polo review

The end result is a living space that is significantly more glamorous than most university halls' of residence, and that offers endless opportunities for #lifestyle advertisements that feature handsome windswept blonde couples with guitars and surfboards.

All this will be familiar to anyone with the pre-facelift Marco Polo, though, so what’s actually new? Well, not a great deal. There’s some new upholsteries, a new front-end design, some new paint colours and alloy wheels, but, these days, the dashboard design feels a step behind the flashy widescreen interiors you'll find in Mercedes' new Mercedes-Benz A-Class and GLE. There’s not even the option of a fully digital driver's display. On top of that, the fiddly panel that controls such features as the roof and auxiliary heating feels jarringly ‘retro’, complete with its Nokia 6610-style pixelated screen.

Then there’s the price, but the V-Class has never been a bargain. It’ll hold its value well, but the initial outlay is still pretty eye watering. A PCP finance deal might still be cheaper than property rent in London – but not by much. 

If you want to spend a little less, the Marco Polo Horizon is an option; it comes with the two beds but not the kitchen. The Volkswagen California, meanwhile, is the obvious, cheaper campervan competitor and offers the same lifestyle getaway opportunities for less money. But if you’re willing to pay extra for a posh badge on the nose and a slight lift in perceived quality inside, the Marco Polo still appeals.