Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 519 4WD light truck: Review

The tradie market is dominated by 4WD utes that command much better resale value than 2WD utes, with the added bonus of being able to double as recreational camping vehicles on weekends and holidays.

However, ute payloads are very limited and there’s much more load capacity on offer from 4WD light trucks.

The 4WD light truck market is split into off-road capable machinery with deep-reduction low-range gearing and high ground clearance - Hino 817, Isuzu NPS and Iveco Daily – and ‘traction trucks’ with less gearing reduction and ground clearance – Isuzu NLS, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and VW Crafter 4Motion. These traction vehicles can be supplied as cab/chassis or vans.

Mercedes-Benz has a history of producing off-road capable light and heavy vehicles and has been the main supplier of medium 4WD and 6WD trucks to the Australian Army for years. It was also the successful tenderer to replace the aged Land Rover fleet in the ADF with 4×4 and 6×6 G-Wagons.

However, ‘Benz has been very cautious with the Sprinter 4WD variants that were available in Europe from the model’s introduction in 2006, but only made it Down Under in 2010.

The Sprinter 4WD isn’t marketed as a separate model series, but the 4WD driveline – front diff and half-shafts, prop shaft and transfer case – is specified as an ‘option’. Sprinter 4WD models leave the factory as 2WDs and are retro-fitted with off-road specific components engineered by Austrian company Oberaigner.

This company is a ‘qualified partner and system supplier’ to Mercedes-Benz; much like AMG before it was absorbed into the Daimler empire.

Although Oberaigner makes full-time 4WD and 6WD components for the Sprinter, with deep reduction transfer cases and multiple differential locks, the only version being imported by Mercedes-Benz Australia has a selectable-4WD driveline, without centre or rear-axle diff locks.

We know of attempts by Australian Sprinter owners to purchase some of the off-road-capable kit from Oberaigner in Austria, but the company refused to sell it to them.

Between 2012 and 2015 the Sprinter picked up hill descent control, adaptive ESP system, with ABS and ASR, electronic brake force distribution (EBD), hydraulic brake assist (BAS) and Start-off Assist.

Mercedes-Benz Australia sold the pre-2018 Sprinter in van, cab/chassis and crew-cab/chassis versions with a choice of mid (3665mm) and long (4325mm) wheelbases. The 4WD line-up consisted of all ‘3’ series models, apart from 310, 313 and EXL variants. No ‘4’ Series models came as 4WDs, but all ‘5’ Series cab/chassis did.

The ‘3’ in the model number denoted 3.55 tonnes GVM and the ‘5’ denotes 5.0 tonnes GVM, bit it could be optionally re-plated at 4.49 tonnes GVM, for car-licence drivers.

The ‘16’ denoted 163hp (120kW), from a sequentially twin-turbocharged, four cylinder, 2.1-litre diesel that had peak torque of 360Nm from 1400rpm to 2400rpm; and the ‘18’ denoted 180hp (134kW), from the same 440Nm, three-litre V6 aluminium diesel that powered the ML and GL wagons.

Transmission choices were a six-speed manual or five-speed tiptronic-style automatic, making the Sprinter the only light 4WD truck with an auto box. The transfer case had very modest low range gearing of 1.42:1 and split torque 33 per cent front and 67 per cent rear.

There was a seven-speed auto available in 2WD Sprinters, but it couldn’t be fitted to pre-2019 4WDs, because it was longer overall than the five-ratio box. The seven-speed finally made it into the Sprinter 4WD range, behind the now-190hp V6, in 2019.

The Sprinter van is semi-monocoque in design, with an inverted hat-section frame welded to the floor pan full length. Cab/chassis models have the same sub-frame, but with a similar hat-section bolted on top, forming a box-section chassis from the cab rear wall aft.

Up front, the drive axle components and suspension are mounted on a massive sub-frame. The transfer case bolts directly to the rear of the main transmission, leaving the belly area clear of obstructions.

Suspension up front is by struts and lower wishbones with an anti-sway bar, and, at the rear of the van, by long mono-leaf springs with dampers and anti-sway bar. Cab/chassis variants have two-leaf springs at the rear, with an additional ‘helper’ leaf.

Standard tyres on the pre-2019 3 series van were 235/65R16 Continental van rubber, on 6.5J steel rims, but the 5 van models had skinny 205R16s up front and ‘super single’ 285/65R16 rears, on 8.5J rims. Cab/chassis had the skinny 205s, with duals on the rear axle. Neither standard tyre/wheel package was suitable for serious off-roading.

The post-2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 4×4 models enjoyed the safety initiatives that 2WD models received in 2013. Five new systems included three world premieres for this category of vehicle: Crosswind Assist, Collision Prevention Assist and Blind Spot Assist. The systems are designed to prevent accidents from happening, rather than mitigating the consequences afterwards.

Crosswind Assist keeps a van safely on course when the wind is gusting strongly. Collision Prevention Assist alerts the driver if the vehicle gets too close to other moving vehicles on the road ahead or to the end of a queue of traffic, while Blind Spot Assist warns a driver that vehicles in the next lane are dangerously close. Also new were Lane Keeping Assist and High-beam Assist.

Even with its open – non-lockable – centre and rear diffs the Sprinter 4WD can almost match 4WD utes for off-road ability (except in soft sand), while greatly exceeding them in cargo and passenger capacity.

When compared with Japanese 4WD light trucks the Sprinter has car-like dynamic safety features, traction control, ergonomics, comfort and vastly better ride and road manners. Payload capacity for 4WD Sprinters ranges from around 1.4 tonnes to 2.3 tonnes.

The 4WD components add 140-200kg to empty weight, reducing payload by the same amount.

In 2014 the Sprinter 4WD models were an eye-watering $21,000 ask above 2WD models, so that gave a 316 manual 4WD mid-wheelbase cab/chassis an RRP of $66,490.

In February 2018 Mercedes-Benz released a new Sprinter range that marked a major design change in the 3 series models. For the first time, front-wheel drive was standard or optional on 311 and 314 van models and 4WD was not available on these FWD variants.

In contrast, the VW Crafter FWD models were available with VW’s 4Motion system, so those who wanted a single-tyred 4WD panel van were best served by the VW Crafter range.

All post-2018 Sprinter rear wheel drive vans, cab/chassis, dual cab/chassis and minibuses could be ordered with the 4WD option. Top-shelf 519 models, powered by the three-litre V6 turbo-diesel came with a 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission.

This new range arrived Down Under in the fourth quarter of 2018, but the 4WD versions were delayed for some reason that Mercedes-Benz won’t disclose. Rumours suggested some engine issues, but we finally scored a test vehicle in early 2020.

MBA cut the ridiculously high price of the 4WD option by a cool seven grand, but it’s still nearly $14,000 more than a 2WD Sprinter. VW does the 4Motion addition to the Crafter for only $4500 more than a 2WD. Some justification for the M-B 4WD pricing is that it does include slightly raised front and rear suspension – up 16mm from 176mm ground clearance – and a larger-capacity fuel tank – 93 litres instead of 71.

Although the latest Sprinter 4WDs incorporate mechanical and electronic improvements, the basic layout, suspension, wheels and tyres and dynamics haven’t changed since we began testing them back in 2014.

For this test, our first 4WD Sprinter test vehicle was a 318 medium wheelbase van model that we loaded with a half-tonne of freight, stowed four people and a heap of gear inside and ran the vehicle for two days over different road conditions.

In rear-wheel drive mode, on highway, the Sprinter 4WD was undetectable from a two wheel drive model; it rode, handled and steered well.

Car-like ergonomics, cruise control, climate control, stubby transmission lever and excellent forward vision made driving it on bitumen surfaces a breeze and it was the same story on gravel.

The selectable full-time 4WD driveline engaged all-wheel drive with the vehicle running in neutral and the speed below 10km/h. A push on the dashboard button and all was done.

In this mode, the steering loaded up slightly, but because the Sprinter was fitted with a centre differential it could be driven on firm surfaces and at all speeds in 4WD mode.

Disconnecting 4WD mode was done in the reverse order, by slowing to under 10km/h and slipping the auto lever into ‘N’ before hitting the button once again.

In 4WD mode, the Sprinter had much more grip than its tall stance suggested and we embarrassed a couple of 4WD utes on loose gravel. The Sprinter sat flat through twisty bits and it took a great deal of provocation in tight corners to activate the dynamic stability control system.

On rough, corrugated and potholed surfaces the combination of coil struts up front and long mono-leaves at the rear gave an excellent, pitch-free ride. We could maintain high cruising speeds without effort.

Anyone who’s driven Japanese 4WD light trucks knows that they have poor ride quality on good surfaces and are quite uncomfortable on rough surfaces.
The Sprinter rode as well on rough surfaces as many 4WD wagons and better than most 4WD utes.

Vision from the high-set driving perch over the sloping bonnet was excellent and checking the rear was made easy by powered, folding truck-sized mirrors, supplemented by wide-view spotters.

We didn’t expect too much from this open-diff machine on steep, loose sandstone climbs, but the traction control system proved to be very powerful and enduring, controlling spin constantly as the street-pattern tyres lost grip.

Our second test vehicle was a 516 crew-cab/chassis, powered by the twin-turbo four-cylinder diesel, driving through a five-speed auto to lower-speed final drive ratios.

Cab equipment was similar to that in the Sprinter van, but behind the twin front bucket seats in the crew cab was a four-seat bench, with all positions having lap-sash seat belts. The crew-cab had space galore, with ample rear-seat legroom and easy walk-through to the front seats. The space between the front seats could easily accommodate a 40-litre fridge.

Our third test Sprinter 4WD was a 516 short-cab with a two-seat passenger bench, making a three-seat front row that was comfortable for shorter journeys.

Off road, the tray-back 516 models were far less capable than the 318 van, because their 205-section tyres were way too skinny to get much grip on loose surfaces. They also had a propensity to sink into soft ground, even with pressures dropped to 25psi. The 516 tray-backs were definitely traction-trucks, not nimble off-road performers.

Our fourth Sprinter 4WD test vehicle was a 519 cab/tray that had been given the full-option treatment. As such, with leather steering wheel rim, digital radio, MBUX multimedia system with 255mm touchscreen, Active Distance Assist, climate control air-con, traffic sign camera, active lane-keeping, reverse warning, jet-black paint and a factory-fitted steel tray with aluminium dropsides and compressed-wood floor, it had an RRP of $87,879.

The 4WD kit and the tray body reduced bare cab/chassis payload by 500kg, compared with that of a 2WD model.

The 519 model’s dynamics were similar to our previous 5 series test vehicles, but the latest version of the aluminium three-litre V6 was even quieter and drove through the seven-speed auto. Shifts were absolutely imperceptible, other than for a change in the tacho needle position and could be overruled by use of steering-column paddle shifts.

We drove it unladen and found ride quality excellent. With a 1.6-tonnes load that took its gross mass right up to the 4490kg limit the ride quality was even better, marred only by too-soft front dampers that didn’t fully control ups and downs over Aussie ruts and corrugations.

We took it onto bush construction sites and it had adequate ground clearance, traction control and gearing for that type of work. But a bush-basher it ain’t.

Our top-shelf test vehicle was a tad over the top for fleet purchase, we reckon, and not just because of ‘frills’, such as climate-control air conditioning and the flash display screen. The biggest issue for fleet use, we felt, was the control wand for the seven-speed auto box.

The ratio selector looked exactly like the right-hand direction-indicator wand fitted to most Australian-market vehicles. As such it was very easy to forget its real purpose and flick the wand when signalling turns, sending the transmission into neutral. Personally, I didn’t like it one bit.

According to a ‘Benz driver trainer, the wand design and position was chosen because of arm injuries in frontal accidents, caused by drivers leaving their hands on left-side-mounted gear knobs. How about a knurled dashboard dial instead of the steering column wand?

Also, as we found with previous test vehicles, the 4WD engagement and low-range selection switches were sometimes slow in action.

Those issues apart, the 2020 Sprinter 4WD 519 model did its traction-truck job perfectly. Ride quality and handling were as we’ve recorded for its predecessors and performance was outstanding. Using the paddle shifts for downshifting produced reasonable engine braking at full GVM.

Depending on road and traffic conditions fuel consumption averaged 12-14 litres/100km when unladen and 16-17 litres/100km at GVM.

We can see a successful tradie having one of these, with short or crew cabin, using a body-swap system: one module for work and the other, a slide-on camper, for recreation. Of course, with a less-potent four-cylinder diesel and six-speed manual box, Sprinter 4WD pricing starts around 60 grand, which is ute money.

In summary, the new Sprinter 4WD range is stronger at 4.5-5.0 tonnes GVM van and cab/chassis end of the light-4WD-truck market, now that VW’s Crafter 4Motion represents much better value for money in the 3.5-4.0 tonnes GVM segment.

Specifications:
Body Style: 519 LWB
Engine: OM642
Capacity: 2987cc
Max. Power: 140kW
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Axle Ratio: 3.923
Fuel Capacity: 71 litres
Length: 6864mm
Width: 2020mm
Height: 2351mm
Ground Clearance [unladen]: 176mm
Wheelbase: 4325mm
Maximum Towing [kg]: 3500 (2WD), 2000 (4WD)
GCM: 6490kg
GVM: 4490kg
Payload: 2337kg
Tare Mass: 2102kg