2014 Sprinter van review

By Dan Tye

WE’VE driven the latest addition to the Mercedes-Benz van range; the 2014 Sprinter panel van and, despite a slightly higher purchase price than some of its rivals, it’s a hugely impressive package which will reward with excellent residuals, fuel-efficiency, handling and carrying capacity.

It’s the first van in the world to meet Euro VI emission regulations and it does this by having an AdBlue unit on board.  You can still buy a Euro V+B Sprinter but the more modern-engined version is well worth the extra £1,120.

The benefit of going for the Euro VI with Adblue is that it removes some of the hydrocarbons and nitrous oxides from the exhaust gases. That’s good when it comes to promoting a business as green but it also adds an element of future-proofing against any forthcoming legislation (such as Low Emission Zones).

Mercedes claims that the new Sprinter would offer class leading fuel efficiency and hasn’t disappointed. If you compare the new 38mpg to the old 313CDI’s 32.1mpg, it means a 13-plate Sprinter gives an extra 6.1 miles per gallon of diesel.

We drove a Euro VI-compliant medium length 313CDI BlueEFFICIENCY model (with a high roof) on a two hour route and managed 38mpg – a figure that’s bang on the quoted 38.2mpg in the brochure. Not only because it’s rare to see a vehicle actually attain its published mpg under real-world circumstances but also because it’s an impressive figure for such a large panel van which are usually reasonably thirsty.

Mercedes is a premium brand and that it costs more initially to buy one but this shouldn’t be a barrier to ownership. This extra outlay brings higher quality and better residual values, which makes the higher initial purchase price more palatable.

The medium 313CDI BlueEFFICIENCY model we drove had several options. The high roof was extra, as was the heat-insulated windscreen and sunstrip filter across the top of it, a light and rain sensor and the air conditioning with an automatic heater control (which warms the van up for you at a pre-programmed time). Metallic paint is an option, as is a rear step. Finally, the Driver Assistance Package is, too and that’s made up of Collision Prevension Assist, Blind Spot Monitoring, High Beam Assist and Lane Keeping Assist. It means you’re getting a very large workhorse with a lot of the best options for reasonable initial outlay.

As well as Panel Van versions we can buy a Chassis Cab, a Chassis Crewcab and a Lowframe Chassis Cab version. You can get these with 4x4 as well, but not for the Lowframe.

You can upgrade the headlights to Bi-Xenon bulbs with additional fog lights and a cornering function – a worthwhile addition if you’re planning to drive the van in all seasons, day and night in all weather.

As well as good looks, we need this new Sprinter to have the speed and the ruggedness of its forbears that we’ve come to love over the years. Sure, these characteristics remain but the quality, well the quality in this new 13-plate model has been moved up to another level. From the shape and look of the front bonnet and headlights to the more comfortable interior with improved layouts of buttons, storage space and fabrics, this is a high end vehicle.

The new Sprinter has plenty of poke and the clutch is easy to modulate – enabling it to accelerate into gaps in traffic with ease. This means there are no concerns about holding up faster traffic too much as it gets up to speed quickly.

From behind the wheel, the Sprinter impressed with its quiet, smooth and comfortable ride. It doesn’t feel anywhere near as long as it is and we put this down to the strong power steering system and the suspension setup. Heavy loads really aren’t felt at the wheel at all. The van rides 30mm lower its predecessor, which doesn’t sound like a lot but it makes a huge difference to the handling.

There are further improvements inside. The radio is a lot better and there’s Bluetooth as standard so you can link up your smartphone. There’s also a Becker Map Pilot sat-nav included as standard. Even better is that you can control all of these things from the buttons of the steering wheel without having to take your hands off the wheel. It’s so much more comfortable and easy to use.

While some vans, even brand new vans, have rattles and squeaks, there was absolutely no sign of any kind of vibration anywhere, whatsoever; a sure sign of quality manufacturing. The seats are all new; they have a harder wearing fabric so even after years of hard use, they won’t be threadbare. Rust is unlikely to be an issue, either, as this new model has extra corrosion resistance. Service intervals have also increased and now you'll be able to cover 37,000 miles before the Sprinter needs attention.

Aside from all of these visual and handling improvements, there’s been a lot of talk about the extra safety systems. Now, you might be the best van driver in the world, but we’ve all had moments when find ourselves fighting to keep our eyes open. The lane departure system is simply brilliant. It uses a camera in the windscreen which sees the white line in the road. It only works above 37mph but as soon as that camera senses one of the front wheels passing on to the white line, there’s a buzzing alert and an orange skidding car logo flashes in the dash. It’s loud enough and happens quickly enough to catch your attention and prompt you to make a correction with the steering wheel.

The Crosswind Assist – a world first on a van –is also superb.  If there’s a sudden cross wind, it uses the ESP to brake the relevant wheels to keep the van steady. Another useful safety feature is the Blind Spot Monitoring system which warns the driver when a car overtakes. These orange triangle-shaped symbols are positioned in each door mirror and illuminate when a car is in the blind spot and turns red if the overtaking vehicle is really close.  

Other subtle things like a wide-angle mirror under each wing mirror will help you to keep an eye on cyclists and pedestrians make the Sprinter so polished. This smaller mirror can even be fitted with heating for the first time. The turn indicators are integrated in the wing mirrors too - but you can ask for them to be on the front wings if you prefer things old school.  
Thankfully, nothing has changed, loadspace-wise. There’s still a vast acreage of space in the back of the Sprinter and, if anything, the slightly lower ride-height has made it a little easier to get heavy loads in and out.

VERDICT
"Mercedes-Benz now has a full range of vans right from the Citan to the Vito to Sprinter. It’s fair to say that its van range is now the strongest it’s ever been; it’s well in tune with the times and gives customers exactly what they want from commercial vehicles. Mercedes says the Sprinter’s success isn’t just down to the van, but it’s down the 21 franchised dealers throughout the UK that give it the 24 hours a day support. But service and support aside, the Sprinter is just so good to drive and it looks better than ever thanks to some subtle restyling of the front."