Mercedes-Benz X-Class X350d 4Matic 2018 first drive

This is the range-topping version of the Mercedes-Benz X-Class, and the latest evidence that demand for luxury pick-up trucks in the UK is rapidly gaining ground on the appetite for SUVs.

The thought of a high-riding twin cab with the comfort and interior quality of a passenger car goes far beyond commercial customers and tradesmen, and the Mercedes-Benz X-Class goes further than its rivals to deliver on the latter. It’s part of the reason we’re running one on our long-term test fleet.

Up until now, though, the X-Class was only available with a choice of slightly agricultural four-cylinder diesel engines. It could hardly be called a surprise that, according to Mercedes, more than half of X-Class buyers have waited for the X350d and its 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel.

Naturally that means you get more power: the X350d produces 255bhp and 406lb ft, which is enough to propel the near 2.3-tonne truck from 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 127mph.

However, it’s the addition of more driver-focused elements that should make it a more engaging drive than the more commercial-friendly versions found further down the price list.

There are wheel-mounted paddle shifters for the seven-speed automatic gearbox. The permanent four-wheel-drive system has a 40:60 rear bias to add some dynamism to the ladder frame chassis. There’s even a choice of drive modes - a first for the range and a rarity in the wider segment. One is dedicated for off-road driving, working with the low-range gearbox and optional locking differential to increase the 350d’s all-terrain potential.

A lot more potent than the four-cylinder X-Class, as you’d expect. Power comes in much sooner and with an abundance of torque that makes for effortless progress, even in the default Comfort mode.

The ride when the pick-up is unladen was never going to be as refined as an SUV, but the suspension does a reasonable job of coping with potholes and road bumps.

Eco mode is best reserved for city driving, as it noticeably blunts throttle response. That in turn encourages a heavier foot at traffic lights, so it takes restraint if you want to see any fuel economy gains beyond the engine stop/start that comes as standard.

Switching to Sport does little to tighten up the slow steering rack, which means you have to work hard on twisty roads, but dramatically sharpens up the throttle responses and opens more of the rev range for upshifts. We still wouldn’t call the engine note sonorous in this mode, but it is at least meatier than the four-cylinder.