The Mercedes-Benz Vito has been voted "Van of the Year 2005" by a jury of trade journalists from Europe. They particularly praised the van's design appeal as well as its handling and ride comfort which they said came close to passenger-car levels.
The jury also noted that the Vito uncompromisingly met all the requirements of a van including variety of models, choice of three different body lengths, two roof heights and engines with outputs ranging from 65 kW to 218 kW.
?The Vito?s versatility allows virtually any customer to find the vehicle which exactly matches their specific user profile?, said Peter Wiemann, chairman of the "International Van of the Year jury", at the award ceremony during the International Commercial Vehicle Show (IAA) in Hanover.
The first-generation Mercedes-Benz Vito also won the coveted "Van of the Year" annual prize when it was launched in 1996. The second generation of this successful van was presented last year and enjoys great popularity, not least due to its variety of different models.
Mercedes-Benz vans also went on to win three further prizes at the International Commercial Vehicle Show 2004. The Vito won the "German Commercial Vehicle Prize 2004/2005" in the van category up to three tonnes GVW awarded by the German Master Tradesmen's Association. Secondly, the same target group voted the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter into first place in the category up to 3.5 tonnes GVW. And finally, also in the category up to 3.5 tonnes, readers of the German baking trade's "Back Journal" voted the Sprinter "Baker's Van of the Year?.