Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 313 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY panel van (2012 - ) expert review

£26,130 

Verdict 4.5 out of 5

"The plain and simple fact is, that with this badge on the grille, the Sprinter has a lot going for it before it has even turned a wheel. It has a much envied and well deserved reputation because it's very, very good. Over the years the Sprinter has unwittingly contributed to the myth of white van man due to its oft perceived presence in a car driver’s wing mirrors – especially in motorway fast lanes."

Pros

Tall cargo area, taller than rivals

Roomy cab

Refined and economical

Cons

Firm seat cushions

Steering wheel angle non-adjustable

Loading/Step-up height

1. Exterior

The look is unmistakably Mercedes-Benz. The shape of this van is elegantly practical. But it's also very tall too, much taller than the rivals which means you can stand up inside the back of it. That helps when you're unloading and loading and prevents your back from being bent over. The front and rear plastic bumpers look much nicer than some of its rivals’ attempts although some protective moulding along the side panels would be welcome. 

Our rating: 5

2. Interior

When it comes to cabs, this is one of the best in the business. Roomy, light and airy, with plenty of leg and shoulder room even for those going to a fancy dress party dressed as the Hulk. Behind the high windscreen is a flat-topped dash with a cup holder at either end and one in the slide out tray in the centre. Mercedes-Benz claim five cup-holders in total, but the other two are recessed into the tray in the centre seat fold-down desk-top (which is ideal for a laptop or clipboard to rest on too). The glovebox is lockable and the dash-top trays can store items plus there are two deep and sculpted bottle holding door pockets and a very handy over-windscreen shelf which is deep.

Our rating: 4

3. Practicality

The back doors open wide and it’s quite a step up. A rear step (£109 extra) is essential for the shorter-legged or those with dodgy-knees to haul themselves up. Thank goodness for the grab handles on the cab doors too. On the sliding side door there is a step which has been cut into the floor and there's a grab handle. Prior to the introduction of the new engine range (see below), the towing limit on the 3.5t Sprinter van was 2 tonnes, but this has now been increased to 3.5 tonnes. For those in the plant and construction business, that is especially significant as RWD is often the driveline of choice for those who need to tow trailers.

Our rating: 5

4. Ride and handling

This is a rear wheel drive vehicle so it sits on a solid rear axle with parabolic springs and is matched to independent front suspension with a transverse-leaf parabolic spring. It means the ride is firm, but it is surprisingly pliant. It also means it rides very well when loaded and is pretty good when empty. The only real drawback with RWD is on frosty or snowy mornings when traction can be a problem, but a set of winter tyres make a huge difference. The Sprinter might look too tall for it's base, but trust me, it drives like a dream and never feels top heavy.

Our rating: 4

5. Performance

A new Euro-5 engine range was introduced in 2009 giving us a choice of three 2.15 litre turbo diesels with 95hp, 129hp or 163hp and a lone 3.0-litre V6 with 190 hp. The test van here is the 129 hp BlueEfficiency version with Cruise Control and speedtronic speed limiter.  Even though this engine is optimised for fuel efficiency, it still generates a healthy 305 Nm of torque. At no time did it feel underpowered or wanting more when travelling across country with the occasional truck or tractor to get past. It also cruises quite majestically at 70mph (and more) on the motorway. Even more impressive is the smoothness and silence from under the bonnet, no doubt due to the two counter-rotating balancer shafts which add multi-cylinder refinement to this long stroke four pot.

Our rating: 5

6. Running costs

Mercedes-Benz claims a combined fuel consumption figure of 32.1 mpg, but this test vehicle also had the Mercedes Stop/Start system. In practice the van was easily returning 34 mpg and with a little more effort was achieving 37 mpg. I also reckon that with a bit more practice and an even lighter foot, I could have managed 40 mpg. That is seriously good for a high roof van. It’s also worth mentioning that the engines have been designed to operate efficiently with B7 biodiesel and will tolerate a proportion of ten per cent (B10) bio in the mix. Long service intervals also help to keep costs down with oil changes recommended at 40,000 kms (25,000 mls) and 80,000 km (50,000 ml) intervals for servicing.

Our rating: 4

7. Cargo area

Floor length is a generous 3265 mm on the medium wheelbase van with a maximum width of 1780 mm and 1350 mm between the rear wheelarches, which will easily allow Euro pallets to be slid in to place. There are eight floor-level lashing rings to ensure that the goods stay where they are intended. Interior height is 1940 mm on this high roof version and payload is 1236 kg. If you think the payload is a bit modest compared to its rivals, that’s mostly down to the rear wheel drive configuration as the solid axle and propshaft add to the kerb weight of the vehicle. Also, the RWD configuration means that the loading height is 666 mm (26 inches) from ground level when empty – hence the need for a rear step.

Our rating: 4

8. Safety

When it comes to safety aids, the Sprinter has more acronyms than a civil servant’s CV. The all-round disc brake set up has an adaptive ESP system with ABS, ASR, BAS and EBD. A recent addition to the system is an adaptive brake light. The rear brake lights operate normally under regular use but if stamped upon hard, they start flashing so even the half-asleep numpty on your tailgate will notice. When the van comes to a halt after such an emergency stop the hazard lights come on automatically – and then switch off when the van moves on again. And if someone orders the towing pack with their Sprinter, it comes with the ESP Trailer Stabilisation system as standard.

Our rating: 5

9. Equipment

The Sprinter comes with a multi-function steering wheel as standard and on-board computer, so life for the driver is made easy, while the radio/CD player can cope with smartphones, MP3 players and navigation systems. The standard two-piece door mirrors had the £156 heating element and electrical control option, and reversing sensors at an additional £158, but the power windows are standard. Also priced as an extra was the air conditioning system with automatic heater control at £593.00. The high roof option added a further £1,139 and the creation of a shelf above the cab inside the roof added another £135, all of which added more than £2,500 to the basic price. Total price for van as driven - £28,659. 

Our rating: 4

10. Why buy?

"If you buy a Merc, you’re buying a status symbol. More than that, you are buying a vehicle which has a reputation for reliability and longevity. It also has some serious street cred. The neighbours will think the business is going well and the customers will be impressed before you’ve even lifted a toolbox out of the back."

Our rating: 5

By John Fife