Mercedes T-Class Overview: Generations, Engines, and Which Version to Buy
A guide to the Mercedes T-Class compact van (2022–present): the single generation, its 95–131 hp engine range, and four notable versions compared by real numbers.
The Mercedes T-Class is a compact van produced from 2022 to the present, with outputs ranging from 95 to 131 hp. It is a front-wheel-drive family and small-business hauler that suits buyers who want van practicality in a city-friendly footprint, with modest diesel running figures rather than outright pace.
Mercedes T-Class generations
1 generation (2022–present)
The first and so far only generation of the Mercedes T-Class has been built since 2022 in a single compact van body. All six modifications drive the front wheels, power spans 95 to 131 hp, and the gearbox choice is between a manual and an automated manual. The diesel line is built around a 1461 cc engine: the Mercedes T160d 1.5 MT (1 generation) opens the range with 95 hp, while the Mercedes T180d 1.5 comes with 116 hp and either a manual or an automated manual (DCT) transmission. The top of the range is the Mercedes T180 1.3 MT (1 generation) with a 1332 cc engine and 131 hp. Even the strongest version is unhurried — the T180 1.3 MT needs 13.0 seconds to 100 km/h — which fits the model's role as a practical van rather than a fast one.
Which Mercedes T-Class to buy
- T180d 1.5 MT (1 generation): the mass-market pick — 116 hp with 5.8 l/100 km and the quickest acceleration in the data at 11.7 seconds.
- T180 1.3 MT (1 generation): the most powerful version at 131 hp, though it accelerates in 13.0 seconds and consumes 7.1 l/100 km.
- T160d 1.5 MT (1 generation): the economy choice — 5.6 l/100 km, the lowest consumption in the range, at the cost of 95 hp and 15.5 seconds to 100 km/h.
- T180d 1.5 DCT (1 generation): the same 116 hp diesel with an automated manual gearbox and an identical 5.8 l/100 km, for those who do not want to shift themselves.
Buying used is straightforward with this model: every T-Class on the market is from 2022 or later, so the fleet is young, and with only one generation and six modifications there are no cross-generation pitfalls — the main choice is simply between the diesel outputs and the two gearbox types.
Which Mercedes T-Class to avoid
The numbers point at the Mercedes T180 1.3 MT (1 generation) as the weakest value in the line: its 131 hp advantage over the T180d 1.5 MT does not translate into pace — 13.0 seconds to 100 km/h against 11.7 — while fuel consumption is higher at 7.1 l/100 km versus 5.8. The T180d 1.5 MT beats it on both measured counts.