Mercedes-Benz Japan has begun sales of the V-Class "V220 d Marco Polo Horizon," now equipped as standard with the interactive infotainment system "MBUX."

The "V220 d Marco Polo Horizon," added as a grade for outdoor enthusiasts, is based on the current V-Class, which debuted in 2019.

It features a pop-up roof that comfortably accommodates two adults, a bench seat with seat heaters and a full-flat function, allowing up to five people to rest horizontally. Furthermore, the front seats can swivel towards the rear, enabling face-to-face conversations and dining indoors, making it a model designed for camping scenarios.

The new feature added to the "V220 d Marco Polo Horizon" is "MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience)," equipped with a natural language voice recognition function.

Activated by the keyword "Hey, Mercedes," it supports destination input, phone calls, music selection, message input and reading, as well as a variety of convenient functions such as temperature control, various heaters, and lighting. The ability to adjust lighting and temperature using only voice commands is expected to be highly useful during camping trips.

The powertrain consists of a 2.2-liter inline four-cylinder diesel engine, producing a maximum output of 163 ps and a maximum torque of 380 Nm, driving the rear wheels via a 7-speed automatic transmission. Advanced driver-assistance systems are also standard.

The price is 9.57 million yen, with deliveries scheduled to begin in late January 2021.