Mercedes-Benz X-Class Element Edition Doesn’t Look Special At All

In defense of the three-pointed star, the Element Edition adds the Comfort Pack, and Style Pack as standard. Standard features include the electrically adjustable front seats, Artico leather upholstery, range-topping filtering system for the climate control, LED lighting, privacy glass, running boards, anodized roof rails, and 19-inch alloy wheels.

Three metallic paint options are offered, and pricing starts at £459 per month on a 36-month contract that implies a £2,754 deposit. There’s only one engine available, and that’s the 2.3 Blue dCi with 188 horsepower (190 PS) and 332 pound-feet (450 Nm) of torque from 1,500 to 2,500 rpm. The seven-speed automatic comes standard too, complemented by a four-wheel-drive system developed by Nissan instead of Mercedes-Benz.

The X 250d is much obliged to tow 3.5 tonnes while zero to 62 mph comes in 11.8 seconds. Being based on the X-Class Progressive trim level, the Element Edition also features a lot of driver-assist and safety systems. The highlights include autonomous braking assist, lane keeping assist, hill start assist, a rearview camera, and plenty of airbags.

Mercedes-Benz sold a few more than 14,000 examples of the breed in 2018 on a worldwide scale, and that pales in comparison to the Nissan Navara (a.k.a. Frontier in the United States of America). Renault isn’t doing all that great either with the Alaskan, which goes to show that badge-engineering is not the path to increased profitability.

Only the range-topping model with the V6 comes with a Mercedes-Benz engine. The OM 642 displaces 3.0 liters and develops 255 horsepower (258 PS) plus 406 pound-feet (550 Nm) of torque at 1,600 rpm. On the flip side, the OM 642 dates back to 2005 and Mercedes-Benz has already introduced a successor in the guise of the OM 656 straight-six engine in 2017.