Sleeping under the stars sounds romantic until you have to deal with the practicalities of staying inside a tent in bad weather. As much as I love camping, a camper van holds much greater appeal these days, not least for the solid roof above my head. And the heating.
While the VW California is the model most people think of when it comes to campers, Mercedes has had its own solution since 1976. The first model was a partnership with German camping conversion specialists, Westfalia and was a version of the Mercedes Sprinter called the James Cook.
Converted to camping
On the outside, the V-Class Marco Polo looks much like any other V-Class, only given away by the pop-up roof tent on top and the side awning, which runs down the side of the van, resembling a large metal bar when closed. The model I was testing was finished in a steel blue that was rather understated when not set up in camping mode.
Inside is where the Marco Polo really shines. In the back, the single row of beige lugano leather seats slides forward and back through the cabin as needed, while a countertop along the side houses a fridge, dual burner stove and sink, with storage for cooking utensils, food and accessories. A fold-out table can be adjusted to position in the middle of the cabin, and the front seats rotate to make a full four-seater living room, complete with what it calls ‘land yacht’ wooden flooring.
For sleeping, the pop-up roof tent is raised electrically from the main control screen, revealing a cosy sleeping area above for two people. Meanwhile, down below, the seating bench slides forward and reclines electrically to form a flat bed with the back parcel shelf. Both spots could hold two people, meaning in theory the van could sleep four, though two adults plus kids is probably as much as you’d want. I took my partner and dog, and it was pretty snug, though comfy.
The tinted rear windows all feature pull-down blinds to darken the cabin, while attachable thermal blinds attach using suckers to the front windows for both privacy and darkness. There are also thermal attachments that stick up in the roof tent, in case of colder weather. These really do help insulate, even in a strong wind.
Ambient lighting and spotlights light the rear when needed, and a dedicated hot-air heater keeps the cabin at the right temperature, powered by the auxiliary battery or through plug in power. There’s also a plug in for water to serve the sink and an external shower.
The side awning extends out manually, using a crank handle and secures with two legs that can be pegged to the ground – it held up well, even in almost gale-force winds. This is an optional add-on but gives you extra space and protection from the rain. As are the table and chairs, which fold down into the compartment in the boot.
Tech control
The MBUX system on the 12.3-inch central touchscreen runs much the same as on the rest of the V-Class range, and indeed most modern Mercedes-Benz cars. However, it does include a special Marco Polo menu which gives an overview of all the camping functions, as well as separate tabs for controlling the lighting, living and power settings.
From here, you can extend the roof tent, turn on the refrigerator and heating, and switch between different lighting and sound setups. Perhaps the coolest feature, though, is the auto levelling function. When engaged, this uses the air suspension to level the vehicle, to help you get a better night's sleep.
There’s even a dedicated MBAC (Mercedes-Benz Advanced Control) app to allow you to control all of the camper functionality from your phone via Bluetooth. I was slightly surprised that there wasn’t a second screen in the back for this, though. There’s also no digital version of the separate Marco Polo instructions, which would have come in handy either on the main screen or the MBAC app.
Of course, there’s both CarPlay and Android Auto wireless connectivity here, plus plenty of USB ports and even a phone wireless charging tray. You also get Mercedes’ adaptive cruise control (Active Distance Assist) as standard on the Marco Polo, which is great for those long journeys, though this doesn’t include the lane centring – only the lane assist warnings.
Get up and go
The Marco Polo is the V300d model, which is powered by a 1.95-litre 4-cylinder diesel engine. This delivers up to 237bhp, a 0-62mph of 8.8 seconds and a top speed of 133mph. Not bad for a van that weighs over 2.6 tonnes. With the added weight of all your food and luggage, I wouldn’t have wanted a less powerful model than this, and the nearly 600-mile range of that diesel engine does mean you can drive for miles without stopping.
The result is a van that’s a pleasure to drive, though you do feel all of that weight when you brake or go into a corner. With the all-electric EQV now available, I do wonder how long it will be before we see an electric version of the Marco Polo. Especially with the upcoming VLE electric due to offer a modular design for future V-class models from 2026.
Until then, though, if you want a luxury camper van without the bulk of a big RV, the Marco Polo is the connoisseur's choice.
Prices start from £89,330 ($118,600 / A$180,017). Model tested, £94,040. In Europe, prices start from €67,000 for the V220d version.
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