Mercedes-Benz Unimog U5000 Review | the Ultimate Off-Roading Vehicle

• Car Reviews,
• Feb 07, 2020

Today, we will yet again be dissecting another of the German car manufacturing companies known to all and one of their vehicles that almost enjoys a cult following among the masses. Calling the Mercedes-Benz Unimog a regular car would be far from the truth; in fact, it is a beast of a vehicle and more so in the category of trucks. To me, the name Unimog sounds to be the name of some long-forgotten Greek God of thunder or something, but that could just be me. The name is no doubt quite ominous and it’s time to find out the history behind the vehicle and what it means to the hearts of the Aussies.

 

The Mercedes-Benz Unimog was first designed and manufactured by the famous Albert Friedrich, meant to be an agricultural vehicle after the second World War. Friedrich wanted to come up with a better version of the trucks that were available at the time and is famously quoted to have said that he wanted to create a truck which could work in the fields in the day, and you could take your girlfriend to the movies in the same truck in the evening. For this reason, he designed the first Unimog to have all four of the vehicle’s wheels of the same size, unlike the traditional trucks and tractors.

 

Today, the Unimog series serves several roles as an industry-grade vehicle and you will see Unimog trucks as military vehicles, ambulances, equipment and troop carrier, for expeditions and much more. Following the initial design of four equal wheels, with a rear-wheel-drive that is switchable to the front wheel and great ground clearance, combine that with the technology and robustness that is associated with any Mercedes vehicle, you get a beast which can serve almost every need. We will be looking at the Mercedes Unimog U5000 model and the benefits it can offer if you are looking to buy one. You can find many of the Unimog models for sale in Australia, at varying prices.

 

Unimog U5000:

If you would ask a car enthusiast to describe the Unimog U5000 in two words, you will surely get this: they are compact and robust. In addition to that, they have a whopping ground clearance and a flexible frame which gives them a suspension like no other. Even though they are not designed to carry as much weight as your traditional truck, the Unimog U5000 would still not let you down. You will find the Unimog trucks in the most remote areas that you can imagine, in jungles and deserts, climbing mountains and fighting fires and even in jeep rallies and competitions.

 

As the U5000 belongs to a family of off-roading vehicles, you can completely trust it if you are looking to take it on an expedition in the wild. For over ten years now, the Unimog U5000 has been a reliable choice for people and industries as a professional-grade vehicle suitable for varying tasks. People use it for opencast mining, laying of pipes and cables and in varying stages of construction. The U5000 is also used for carrying equipment and transporting the crew members to difficult locations over different terrains.

 

If you are looking for a Unimog camper, there is some good news in that regard as well. The EarthCruiser Australia can fit your truck with a camper body, which comes equipped with beds, a small stove, restroom with a shower, and even a fridge! It would not be a problem therefore if you are looking for a dual-cab Unimog for sale in Australia.

 

Unimog U5000 specs:

The Unimog U5000 comes loaded with a direct injection V-compliant diesel engine which can produce up to 160 kW of power. The transmission of the vehicle is interesting, with a mixture of forwarding and reverse gears that can provide with the right traction on every kind of train, and you can always feel like you are in control of the vehicle. Unlike other vehicles that are used for similar purposes, the U5000 can reach a top speed of more than 100 km/h, which is quite staggering for a vehicle of such size and weight. But this is where the four equal wheels come in handy. We have mentioned some of the basic specifications that you might be interested to know:

 

 ✓ Engine: A 4.8 l, 4-cylinder diesel with direct injection, intercooler, turbocharger; cold start down to -18°C which is bound to provide you with the power you need from the vehicle for any task.

 ✓ Transmission: With 8 forward gears and 6 reverse gears; the vehicle comes loaded with automated manual transmission or you have the choice for fully automatic; all-wheel drive.

 ✓ Output: 160 kW / 810 Nm

 ✓ Ground clearance: ± 470 mm (depending on wheels)

 ✓ Fording depth: 0.8 m or 1.2 m (with optional additional equipment)

 ✓ Maximum speed: 90 km/h with engine speed limiter

 ✓ Tank: 145 l

 

Reasons to buy a Unimog U5000:

Being part of the Unimog brand of trucks, the U5000 enjoys a legendary status here in Australia when you are talking about off-roading vehicles. It has a perfect ground clearance and is almost 3 meters high which makes it ideal for you if you are looking for a vehicle that you can go into the wild in.

 

Listed below are some additional perks you can enjoy with the U5000:

 ✓ Off-roading with the U5000 has been made very safe and as risk-free as possible, with disk brakes for all four wheels, a flexible frame, engageable differential locks and much more, ensuring that you are the one always in control of your truck. The eight forward and six reverse gears further assist in improving your off-road experience.

 ✓ The seating of the vehicle is made in such a way so as to feel the minimum amount of vibration allowing the driver to work for longer periods of time, and its safety features including the disc brakes on all of the fur wheels make it really safe as well.

 ✓ As mentioned above, the Unimog can be attached with a crew-cab on which further work parties can be transported, as much as seven personnel can be loaded, which can be accounted for due to the high roof and wide openings for loading additional equipment.

 ✓ Maintaining U5000 is not as expensive as you might think. Due to its robustness, long intervals are required for maintenance. Moreover, the Unimog U5000 fuel economy is surprisingly frugal for such a beast and you will find that it is lighter in your pocket.