Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Review & Prices

The Mercedes Sprinter is among the most popular large vans on sale, and it’s one you’ll often see purchased by big fleets. Now in its third generation, the Sprinter is one of the best vans you can buy, with long-distance comfort, build quality and a premium badge that really gives other vans something to think about.

It does pull back some of that advantage by being rather pricier than most alternatives, but in a lot of respects you do get what you pay for. The Sprinter truly is the John Lewis of large vans - not only do you get a posher product in the first place, but aftercare is given much more thought.

While previous models of Sprinter shared their mechanical underpinnings with the Volkswagen Crafter, VW has moved away from this. That means if you want Mercedes engines and technology in your large van, you have to buy a Sprinter.

Alternatives are plentiful, though, and include the perennial Ford Transit, the similarly posh Volkswagen Crafter, and of course the ubiquitous and functionally identical offerings from the Stellantis group - that’s the Peugeot Boxer, Fiat Ducato, Citroen Relay, Vauxhall Movano and Toyota Proace Max.

The first place the Sprinter stands out is its interior. You can’t help but recognise the central infotainment screen from Mercedes’ passenger cars - it even runs the same MBUX operating system, which is really easy to use and packed with features. The basic 7.0-inch screen works well, but the optional 10.25-inch screen includes navigation and looks even better.

A steering wheel and column stalks that could have been lifted straight from a Mercedes A-Class help with the premium feel - as does a sense of unshakeable build quality, with materials that while hardwearing don’t feel anywhere near as workmanlike as some alternatives.

Heading further back to the load area, you can have the Sprinter in three body sizes with up to 4.8m of load length, and with gross vehicle weights of up to 5 tonnes - giving a payload of over 2 tonnes in the most heavy-duty models. However, 3.5-tonne vans don’t have quite as much payload as some alternatives, being bested by around 200kg like-for-like.

However, a highly customisable load area, easy-to-open rear doors and lots of LED lighting means loading it up is easy, and capacity is generous.

When it comes to driving the Sprinter, a range of powerful diesel engines and the option of a super-smooth nine-speed automatic gearbox make this one of the best vans for eating up the miles. The Sprinter handles bumps well even without a load on board, and it feels comfortable and natural to drive even around town. There’s also a beefy 4x4 model available, as well as the all-electric Mercedes e-Sprinter.

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The Sprinter starts at nearly £50,000 ex.VAT, which makes it significantly more expensive than many alternatives. Some of that can be put down to the generous level of standard equipment and aftercare that Mercedes provides - the former in particular, as you’d need to step up one or two trim levels in a Fiat Ducato or Ford Transit to come close to the Mercedes’ standard equipment roster.

Smooth and powerful 2.0-litre diesels, but it’s definitely worth paying the extra for the automatic gearbox

All versions of the Mercedes Sprinter use the same 2.0-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine - if you’re buying used you’ll also see 2.1-litre diesels, which were very rattly, and a 3.0-litre V6, which was incredibly powerful but quite thirsty.

The existing 2.0-litre units are inherited from Mercedes’ passenger car range and are lovely, with plenty of performance despite their relatively small size. They’re also smooth, remarkably refined and pretty economical. Power outputs available are 150, 170 and 190hp, indicated by x15, x17 or x19 on the model badge - x being the GVW designation.

The 150hp engine is plenty for most needs, and if you have a van under 3.5t in weight it’s likely all you’ll need even if fully laden. The extra performance of the 170 or 190hp units is very nice to have, though, with the latter really making short work of motorway cruising - and they’re an essential if you’re going for one of the much larger Sprinters available.

As standard, you get a six-speed manual transmission. The gear lever is positioned nice and close to the driver - though it still gets in the way of a centre passenger’s knees - but the gearshift action isn’t the nicest, as it feels a bit stiff and notchy.

Optionally available for a little over £2,000 is Mercedes’ nine-speed automatic transmission. This is well worth the money in our view, regardless of your use case. If you do lots of miles in town, it takes the sting out of city traffic by giving your hand and left leg a rest - though it can be a little jerky going from gears 1-2.

If you do lots of motorway miles, meanwhile, the extra gear ratios mean that the engine can turn over slower at high speeds, improving refinement and fuel economy. In ninth gear, it’s barely ticking over at the legal limit.

The air of sophistication and refinement continues with how the Sprinter handles poor road surfaces and corners. It rides over bumps extremely well, even when unladen - there’s a little bounce at the rear but much less than you’d experience in a Fiat Ducato. And while the steering doesn’t feel as communicative as a Ford Transit’s, it is nice and accurate and has a reassuring weight to it. RWD versions of the Sprinter also have an excellent turning circle.

The Sprinter’s load area ranges from capacious to enormous, but payloads at the lower end lag behind the best

The Sprinter’s cargo area is finished with the same care and attention as the cab area. The rear barn doors have ‘self-arresting’ hinges, which have little bump stops at 90 degrees, after which they can be pushed almost all the way to 270 degrees. In most alternatives, you need to unlatch an internal hinge to do this.

The load floor is wood-panelled as standard, but can be fitted out with lightweight plastic or a hardwearing composite depending on your needs. The rear wheel arches can also be boxed in. There are myriad load lashing options and plentiful LED strip lighting so you should always be able to see what you’re doing, too.

The sole issue is that RWD vans - the only ones currently available - do have a significantly higher load floor than the FWD opposition. This could be a problem if you’re perhaps a short-drop courier having to hoick yourself up and down from the van multiple times a day.

Mercedes Sprinter internal and external measurements

Exterior dimensions (L2/L3/L4)
Exterior length: 5,932mm/6,967mm/7,367mm
Exterior width with mirrors: 2,345mm
Exterior height (H2): 2,620mm/2,646mm/2,643mm

Interior load length (L2/L3/L4)
To bulkhead: 3,375mm/4,410mm/4,810mm

Interior loading width
Max: 1,787mm
Between wheel arches: 1,350mm

Interior loading height
Max height: 2,009mm

Rear door aperture height/width
All versions: 1,846mm/1,555mm

Side door aperture height/width
All versions: 1,818mm/1,260mm

Towing capacity

The Sprinter can tow up to 750kg unbraked or 2,000kg braked as standard. An upgrade to 2,800kg or 3,500kg, matching the best tow vehicles on sale, is optionally available and doesn’t cost very much.

Payload

Mercedes Sprinter payload varies drastically depending on the body size, optional extras and gross vehicle weight of the van you specify. The regular 3.5-tonne Sprinter is just the beginning of the range - it goes all the way up to 5.5 tonnes in gross vehicle weight, with payloads as high as 2.8 tonnes.

However, unless you have specific needs (and the appropriate licence) you’ll probably be looking at the 3.5t Sprinter - these are marked out by model badging that begins with a 3. In this department, the Sprinter doesn’t perform quite as well as the best large vans for payload, having to sacrifice quite a lot of its overall weight for safety and comfort equipment as well as the general solidity of its build.

The best 3.5t Sprinter can therefore manage a payload of 1,199kg, a couple of hundred kilos lower than the very best Renault Master or Fiat Ducato. That figure applies to L2, H1 vehicles, with additional equipment taking a few kilos off that number.

A lovely cab in which to spend time with high-quality components - though it doesn’t feel as hardwearing as some alternatives

The Mercedes Sprinter’s cab is very recognisably Merc, especially if you’ve spent time in one of the company’s passenger cars. From the touch-sensitive steering wheel, to the infotainment and even the posh-feeling air vents, there’s a real air of refinement on board that you don’t really get from any other large vans bar the Volkswagen Crafter.

Controlling the Sprinter can be a mixed bag. First, the bad - the steering wheel features a large number of touch-sensitive switches, and they’re not much fun to use. The two multi-directional pads are the worst offenders here, requiring fairly precise swipes that are difficult if you have thick fingers.

The infotainment is much easier to praise. The basic 7.0-inch screen is easy enough to use, though it does feel lost in a big slab of dashboard. The 10.25-inch version looks even better and is just as responsive.

Both screens come loaded with features. Wireless smartphone connectivity is a given, as is DAB radio, Bluetooth and a voice assistant. Simply say ‘Hey Mercedes’ and you can control the van’s features or ask questions. The larger screen comes with sat-nav, too.

For fleet managers, all Sprinters come with Mercedes Pro Connect telematics, which helps keep track of your vans - down to the simple stuff like checking tyre pressure, fuel and oil levels and whether it’s locked through a computer or smartphone app.

Comfort levels are high. Even the base Pro model has a supportive driver’s seat with a fold-down armrest, but the Select model comes with additional adjustment including an extendable seat squab to give long-legged drivers additional support under the thigh. A handle on the windscreen pillar helps with ingress and egress, too.

The double front passenger seat isn’t quite as comfortable and legroom for the middle passenger is a little limited by the gearshift on manual models, but it’s wide enough for two burly people.

Cab storage, meanwhile, is decent - there are three trays atop the dash, the centre one being covered and hosting a couple of USB ports. Cupholders are situated either end and in a pod in the middle, with useful smaller ones available for slim energy drink cans. There’s also a big area under the double passenger seat, but you do miss an easy-access phone tray - one would be useful for couriers who need constant access.

Official fuel consumption ranges from a high of 32.1mpg to a low of 22.2mpg, based on engine power, body size and GVW. A week with a 319 model - the most powerful 190hp engine paired to an L2/H2 body - saw us easily beat the official figure though, with around 35mpg easily achievable. That was with light loads, though.

Load up more heavily and across mixed mileage you can expect figures in the mid-to-high 20s.

The standard fuel tank is a massive 93 litres, giving plenty of range even if you’re not driving very aggressively. This can be downgraded to 71 litres if needed. AdBlue capacity is 25.5 litres.

Safety is a buzzword for this generation of Mercedes Sprinter, and all vans get a full suite of features including speed limit warnings, autonomous emergency braking and lane-keeping assistance. Crosswind assist is also standard, helping keep you on a straight course - particularly useful for the larger vans in the range, whose slab sides can catch the breeze quite easily.

There are plenty of small touches, too. It’s easy to turn off the distracting speed warnings with just one button on the steering wheel. Mercedes has also fitted its so-called ‘Wet Wipers’ which spray washer fluid from jets within the wiper arm, rather than soaking the whole windscreen first.

Driver and passenger airbags are standard, while thorax/pelvis and side airbags can be optioned. Euro NCAP doesn’t crash test vans, but way back in 2020 it awarded the Sprinter’s active safety equipment a Silver - indicating good performance.

An alarm and immobiliser are fitted as standard to the Sprinter, and all models come with keyless entry and start too. The Mercedes Pro Connect app features a tracking function to allow you to easily find the van if it’s been stolen, and can even lock and unlock the doors remotely.

The Sprinter is among the more reliable large vans out there, scoring highly in reliability surveys. It has, however, been subjected to several safety recalls, mostly affecting only a small number of vans, but it’s definitely worth checking that any potential used purchase has had all of these rectified.

Mercedes’ faith in the van extends to a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty, as well as up to 30 years of free roadside assistance provided you service the van at an official service centre.

Mercedes servicing isn’t the cheapest, but for this generation of Sprinter Mercedes has made it easier to replace individual components rather than whole assemblies - and there’s also a line of officially reconditioned parts available. Vans fitted with the nine-speed auto reduce the opportunity for drivers to be too aggressive on clutches, which could be worth considering.

The RWD Sprinter needs servicing every two years or 37,000 miles, and the Mercedes Pro Connect system can usefully alert fleet managers or owner-operators of upcoming service and maintenance issues well ahead of schedule, allowing them to be rectified while minimising downtime.