2023 Mercedes-Benz T-Class small family van to join Australian range

A new small van-based people-mover appears to be on the way to Australia from Mercedes-Benz.

The van-based 2023 Mercedes-Benz T-Class appears poised to make its Australian debut, with government filings seen by Drive pointing to first showroom arrivals due this year.

Mercedes-Benz Australia has submitted documents to the Department of Infrastructure to pave the way for the T-Class – a city van turned into a five-seat wagon – to be sold locally.

Although it is not a popular category in Australia, the Mercedes-Benz T-Class would compete with the passenger version of the Volkswagen Caddy.

As with the Caddy – which is available as a commercial panel van or a family hauler – the T-Class is the more comfortable people-mover version of the Mercedes-Benz Citan commercial van, which was previously revealed by Drive in December 2022 to be coming to Australia.

MORE: 2023 Mercedes-Benz Citan city van to launch in Australia

The T-Class (and its Citan twin) are based on the new Renault Kangoo, which is set to launch in Australia in the first half of this year after delays – though only as a commercial van, with no people-mover version.

The purely-electric Renault Kangoo E-Tech – Europe’s best-selling electric light commercial vehicle – is also due in local showrooms soon, offering up to 285 kilometres of range from its 45kWh battery.

The electric Kangoo could pave the way for the Mercedes-Benz EQT or the eCitan – electric versions of the T-Class and Citan respectively – to be sold in Australia, potentially joining the eVito, EQV people-mover, and eSprinter in the company’s electric van range.

MORE: Mercedes-Benz Concept EQT: Electric people mover concept previews future production model

While yet to be confirmed, the T-Class is likely to be powered by the same 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder engine found in the Citan, sending 96kW and 240Nm to the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

By comparison, the Volkswagen Caddy also uses a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, but instead is available with a choice of 1.5-litre turbo-petrol or 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engines.

The T-Class comes with a 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with Mercedes-Benz’s MBUX operating system, a 5.5-inch multi-function display, keyless start, and ambient lighting.

MORE: 2023 Volkswagen Caddy price and specs

As standard, the T-Class comes with seven airbags, hill-start assist, crosswind assist, fatigue warning, autonomous emergency braking, cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, blind-spot assist, speed limit assist, and tyre-pressure warning system.

The T-Class is 4488mm long, 1859mm wide, 1860mm high, and has a wheelbase of 2716mm, with a long-wheelbase seven-seater version promised in the future by Mercedes-Benz in Europe – though no word on whether it will be offered locally.

Mercedes-Benz Australia declined to comment on local plans for the 2023 Mercedes-Benz T-Class, but Drive understands an announcement on it – and the Citan commercial vehicle – is expected in the coming months.

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