Review: 2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

After six days and 3700 kilometres, it was clear why the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter dominates Australia's large van market

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 316 CDI (standard roof/medium wheelbase)

Road test

Melbourne to Brisbane return

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter rules Australia's large van market. Available in a range of wheelbases and heights and powered by either a 2.1-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel or a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel, the rear-drive Sprinter comes with payload capacities ranging from 1147kg to 2500kg, a braked towing capacity of 2000kg, and cargo volumes of 7.5 to 17 cubic metres. The standard six-speed manual transmission is backed up by an optional seven-speed automatic, and the range is priced from $44,290 to $72,470, plus on-roads.

When sister site bikesales.com.au first suggested entering an endurance scooter race in Queensland, here at trucksales.com.au we thought the hair-brained scheme was little more than a passing whim. Then, six months later, we were barrelling north from Melbourne up the Hume Highway bound for Pimpama, south of Brisbane, a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter loaded up with an Aprilia SR50 and equipment for a race team of four.

While the 13th annual 'Le Minz' scooter race involved a fair degree of mayhem (think 60 scooters bashing bodywork over 24 hours on a 1.6-kilometre road circuit – read all about it here), in contrast our progress in the Sprinter was the epitome of calm.

While Toyota's HiAce dominates the medium van market in Australia, in the large van segment it's the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter that rules the roost. In 2014 a total of 2449 Sprinters were sold to the end of November (FCAI data), the figure putting the 'Benz some 1426 units clear of its nearest rival, Renault's Master. That's a stranglehold by any measure…

For our Le Minz assault – which involved colleagues from bikesales, trucksales and carsales – we called on the assistance of a Sprinter 316 CDI in a medium-wheelbase format and with a standard roof height.

This rear-drive van is powered by Mercedes-Benz's proven OM 651 engine – a 2.1-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel – and in 316 trim it offers 120kW and 360Nm. That's second only to the V6-powered 319 (140kW/440Nm) and ahead of the four-cylinder 310 (70kW/250Nm) and 313 (95kW/305Nm) in the 3550 kilogram GVM Sprinter range, while the Sprinter 416, 419, 513, 516 and 519 offer the same basic spread of engine choices in heavier GVM formats.

On the road the Sprinter immediately impresses with its zesty around-town acceleration and refined road manners. Our test vehicle was fitted with the optional 7G-TRONIC seven-speed auto ($2790), which was smooth in operation and offered a spread of sensible ratios. The standard transmission is a six-speed manual.

Vans are built to haul a load and as a result their ride is usually harsh when unladen. Not so here: the Sprinter's ride when empty is thoroughly acceptable, and it only gets better with some weight in the back.

While highway miles account for the vast majority of this trip, when rural roads and bends present themselves body roll is nicely controlled and the suspension does a good job of soaking up bumps, dips and potholes. The power steering is nicely weighted and the Sprinter always feels planted and secure, while the 13.4-metre turning circle seems reasonable given the van's dimensions.

With the scooter strapped down along with all our gear we estimate the load to be around 750kg – roughly half of the van's 1470 kilogram maximum payload.

That load poses no issues over the few days we spend trundling around Melbourne before our departure; planting a right foot sees the Sprinter surge forward from a standing start and acceleration at any point below 80km/h is good. The urge at highway speeds is less impressive but still entirely adequate – if your work involves lengthy highway running you might consider the V6, albeit at the expense of fuel economy.

Speaking of which, over the course of our travels our Sprinter achieved 9.2L/100km, which seems like great going given the load on board. With the 75-litre fuel tank that's a safe (and healthy) range of around 750 kilometres.

There's useable grunt from around 1500rpm and when the torque starts to sign off the power takes over – the engine is responsive from just off idle to just below 4000rpm, which is not far from its 4200rpm indicated redline. On the highway it ticks over at 2200rpm at 110km/h.

While there's no requirement for commercials to have an ANCAP safety rating, the Sprinter doesn't miss out in terms of safety features – as a quick look at the, ahem, distinctive graphics adorning each side of our test vehicle will attest.

While all the basics are covered – stability control, traction control, anti-lock brakes, driver and passenger front airbags – there's plenty more on offer as standard, and too many to go into here.

The crosswind assist offered reassurance on a particularly gusty day on the open road, while the blind spot assist and especially the lane keeping assist (both options) proved valuable companions over long days on the open road.

Standard niceties include climate control, cruise control (with speed limiter), electric heated split mirrors, remote central locking, power windows, and an audio/communications system. The latter has a 14.7cm colour display, Bluetooth connectivity and USB/MP3/SD card input (but no CD player).

Our test vehicle also had a few optional extras, such as the integrated bulkhead, rain and light sensor, bi-xenon headlights with cornering lights, and a front passenger bench seat (with fold-out table/cup holders).

The cab has a heap of storage options – we love the compartments under the passenger seats, the overhead storage, the large door side pockets and the dash-top bays, while the load bay measure a voluminous 3265mm x 1780mm x 1650mm for a capacity of approximately nine cubic metres.

With 1350mm between the wheel arches it will accept a standard Aussie pallet with ease, and the load can be secured via the eight sturdy tie-down anchor points.

The floor loading height is low at 616mm and there's also a handy rear step, along with side and rear grab handles. Our test vehicle's load bay was a bare steel affair but a wooden floor is available as an option.

The 50/50 barn-style rear doors with windows are standard. These are a help when reversing (an optional camera and parking sensor are available) but they don't come with wipers.

Our Sprinter excels for comfort. It's a bit of a step up to climb in but access is aided by door-mounted grab handles (although A-pillar-mounted handles would be more secure) and, once ensconced, there's a commanding view ahead and to the sides, and to the rear via the excellent side mirrors. The cloth-upholstered seating appears durable and offers plenty of support and adjustment, while the steering column is adjustable for tilt and reach.

There's a heap of space in the cab and it's a comfy place to be – we certainly appreciated this on the two 1300-kilometre days covered between Melbourne and Port Macquarie, on NSW's Mid North Coast. The factory bulkhead helps minimise cab noise levels and improves the efficiency of the heating and cooling systems.

We missed the sat-nav on a couple of occasions (it's an option) and the entertainment/comms set-up and trip computer display aren't the most intuitive we've come across, but all the info is there and it's easy enough to operate once a certain level of familiarity is achieved.

An auxiliary power outlet in the concealed dash-top tray would be good but there are two sockets towards the bottom of the centre stack and USB and 3.5mm sockets on the driver's side dash-top tray.

The Sprinter comes with a three-year/200,000km warranty. Service intervals are pegged at annual or 30,000km intervals, whichever comes first.

Six days after setting out – and fitting in a 24-hour scooter race in the middle of it – we'd racked up 3708 kilometres over 42 hours and 51 minutes of driving, at an average speed of 87km/h.

The Sprinter proved to be the perfect partner over that distance, carrying us and our gear in comfort, with safety, and with very reasonable fuel economy.

There may be plenty of cheaper alternatives to the Sprinter when it comes to purchase price, but the sales stats speak for themselves: the premium you pay is well worth it for the quality, performance and practicality on offer.

2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 316 CDI pricing and specifications:

Price: $61,350 (plus on-roads, as tested)

Engine: 2.1-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel

Output: 120kW/360Nm

Transmission: Seven-speed automatic

Fuel: 9.2L/100km (as tested)

CO2: N/A

Safety Rating: N/A

What we liked:

>> Cabin comfort and refinement

>> Safety features

>> Payload and all-round performance

Not so much:

>> No parking sensors as standard

>> Fiddly infotainment/trip computer menu set-up

>> Not the cheapest van around…

Review: 2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

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