How Does Mercedes-Benz's New Pickup Stack Up To The Chevy Silverado?

There are some things you never expect to hear about in your lifetime, and when they happen, you can't help taking notice – for example, that Mercedes would be making a pickup truck. They're not supposed to make pickups, are they? They're all about clean lines and precise engineering, as delicate as they are ingenious. Surely, a brand that has spent decades making itself synonymous with luxury wouldn't build a machine meant to do dirty work, would they?

It turns out they have. Maybe Mercedes just wants to prove to the world that they can build whatever vehicle they want and do it better than anyone else. Heck, maybe they're even right about that. But when it comes to pickups, nobody makes them like America. Wouldn't it be fun to see how German engineering can measure up to American power?

We've seen their boxy SUVs stalking mall parking lots, and now the Germans are making a pickup truck.

As if dominating the luxury market for decades wasn't enough, Mercedes has their eye on the pickup truck market, too. The venerable automaker sent shockwaves through the industry when they announced their intention to produce a mid-size pickup back in March 2015, and finally, we're getting a look at their vision of a pickup. 

Mercedes tried to make pickups back in the '70s, but they didn't exactly take the market by storm. 

Can you imagine picking up a load of drywall in this thing?

This time around, they're more serious. Mercedes unveiled their X-Class pickups in two forms: the "Powerful Explorer" and the "Stylish Adventurer."

They're just concepts for now, with the idea being that the best features of the two will combine when it goes into production to be the kind of truck that people will want to drive to the cabin or to the office. 

No surprise, the Powerful Explorer shows off what Mercedes can do for the mudder crowd.

If you can even say "Mercedes" and "mudder" in the same sentence without picturing insane repair bills.

The Stylish Adventurer, on the other hand, has more of a "cruising down the strip on Saturday night" vibe.

Sadly, at this point, it looks like American drivers won't get a chance to buy the Mercedes X-Class, so we have to wonder, are we really missing out? How does the German foray into the pickup market measure up to good old Detroit steel?

The Silverado needs no introduction to U.S. pickup drivers. 

It's an all-American workhorse that has been steadily refined over the years with a slew of features that bring it closer to Mercedes's level of luxury and sophistication than you might expect. 

When Mercedes calls the X-Class a one-ton pickup, they mean a one metric ton pickup.

That's a payload capacity of 2,205 pounds for those keeping score, a pretty impressive amount for a mid-size pickup, more than the Silverado's 2,130. However...

If you want to haul a boat or a trailer, the Silverado is the way to go.

The Chevy boasts a towing capacity of 10,800 pounds to the 7,700 Mercedes claims the X-Class will be able to haul. 

Which one would you want to take off-roading?

It might seem like an easy choice on the surface, but there are a few surprising features in the X-Class's favor... 

Mercedes hasn't officially announced what exactly will be under the X-Class's hood, so we don't have any solid horsepower figures to work with.

However, they have made vague statements about a diesel V6 with permanent all-wheel drive, and it's reasonable to think that buyers will have some options. On the other hand, it's hard to imagine the X-Class with an engine as mighty as the Silverado's best option, which tops out with a 6.2 liter V8, powering out 420 horsepower and 460 foot-pounds of torque. 

The X-Class's frame takes its inspiration from the Nissan Navara – in fact, Nissan and Renault factories will be building the X-Class in Europe and South America, and it's based on the Nissan's platform.

However, it still has a proper truck chassis with body-on-frame construction. Even though the X-Class might be marketed as a lifestyle truck, it's built on just as solid a foundation as the Silverado. 

Although it looks like the Mercedes would be more at home under bright city lights than churning up turf, the X-Class is more suited to leaving the streets than it seems.

With the all-wheel drive, a transfer case with reduction gear, and two differential locks, the X-Class will have no trouble finding traction in tough terrain. The Silverado does come in an off-road model, the Z71, which also features a locking rear differential, as well as unique 18-inch tires and front tow hooks. 

So, both trucks can handle themselves in the mud and the dirt. What about the daily grind?

If you're going to spend much time in your truck, why not spend it in a cozy interior? 

The dash-mounted fire extinguisher seems over-the-top, but the X-Class delivers all the fancy trimmings you'd expect in a Mercedes. But the Silverado boasts more refinement than you might think. With high-end navigation and connectivity electronics, it's outfitted more like a luxury sedan than a heavy-duty hauling machine. And it sounds like one, too, with sound dampening making it as quiet as a Lexus. 

So what's the bottom line?

It all comes down to what you want to use your truck for. 

If you're headed back and forth to the lake every weekend or on a job site every day, you're probably not missing out on much. From the looks of it, the Silverado has enough muscle to outperform the Mercedes in just about every task you can ask of a truck.

On the other hand, if you're the kind of person who wants to be seen in a Mercedes and also take a couple of jet skis to the beach, you're probably cursing Mercedes for not bringing the X-Class stateside. 

You have to admit, the X-Class looks like one stylish ride, inside and out.

So long as Mercedes avoids the U.S. market, it all makes for some interesting front porch conversation and little else.

Unless someone is willing to pony up the import tax, we'll never know how the X-Class measures up in real life. But it's hard to see how Mercedes can ignore the American marketplace forever. 

So which one would you rather park in your driveway? The Silverado or the Mercedes?