Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 316 MWB 2013 Review

Think big, white delivery vans are boring? So did we, until given the chance recently to power-slide one around a wet skidpan.

The occasion was the launch of the refreshed Mercedes-Benz Sprinter range. Taking place largely at Queensland’s Mount Cotton Training Centre, it was a chance for the big Sprinter’s enhanced safety package to strut its stuff under controlled (and often very slippery) conditions.

Mercedes-Benz’s heavy van has been available in pretty much the same form since 2006, albeit updated and restyled along the way including the latest refresh announced earlier this year.

Light commercial vehicles generally draw the short straw when it comes to safety upgrades (note the just-launched Tata Xenon ute minus stability control), but the Sprinter has been leading the charge in protecting courier and ambulance drivers for years.

Electronic stability control (ESP) was first introduced on the Sprinter in 2004, and standard safety fare now extends to cruise control with speed limiter and dual front airbags, with optional thorax and window airbags.

Claimed as a segment ‘first’, the latest Sprinter now comes with optional driving aids (similar to Merc’s passenger vehicles) including lane-keeping assist, adaptive high-beam assist, blind-spot assist, and collision prevention assist.

Also now available on most Sprinter variants is Crosswind Assist which relies on the stability control system to compensate for crosswind gusts at speeds of 80km/h or more.

On a short drive route that included freeways and some twisty, hilly roads, we only managed to test two of the new features – lane-keeping assist and blind-spot assist.

Both worked well, although they only elicit a warning beep if the driver strays into another lane or attempts to change lanes with a vehicle in its ‘blind spot’, so the driver still needs to take evasive action if required.

However, unlike passenger vehicles with their smaller wing mirrors, the Sprinter’s dual-mirror set-up means blind spots aren’t a major issue when driving in busy traffic.

At Mount Cotton, the Sprinter’s adaptive ESP (updated in 2012) proved extremely effective at bringing slides under control, as we discovered while trying to ‘drift’ a four-tonne van around a narrow circuit covered in water and diesel.

The stability control system detects the position and weight of the vehicle’s load in relation to its centre of gravity, intervening more accurately than otherwise.

It also improves braking performance in the wet by removing surface water from the rotors by periodically applying the brakes. During a series of simulated ‘emergency’ stops on wet bitumen the anti-skid braking system proved more than up to the job.

Out in traffic, the Sprinter impresses with decent on-road dynamics, hugging the corners in a manner more akin to a large SUV than a commercial van capable of carrying big loads.

Secure road-holding is aided by grippy Continental tyres and responsive steering, while a lowered chassis on the latest Sprinter also provides handling and fuel economy gains as well as making it easier to load and unload cargo.

We spent most time driving a medium-wheelbase (MWB) 316 Sprinter van, which proved surprisingly controlled in the bends and easily able to keep pace with a small sedan on twisty roads.

One of four turbo-diesel engines available, the 2.2-litre, four-cylinder in the ‘316’ delivers 120kW at 3800rpm and 360Nm between 1400-2400rpm. It’s not a huge output, particularly for a van with a 3.5 tonne GVM, but enough to keep the van (with two passengers and a one tonne load in the back) on the pace in most conditions.

Fitted with Mercedes’ seven-speed automatic transmission (the only conventional torque-converter transmission in this segment), it was impressively smooth and refined on the freeway.

The quick-witted seven speed ‘box kept the engine in its sweet spot, and even at higher revs the diesel engine remained subdued. The only time the Sprinter struggled was on steeper inclines, although still managing a steady pace.

Priced from $53,690, the 316 Sprinter was fitted with an optional fixed bulkhead ($590) which kept rear body ‘boom’ to a minimum. The one-tonne load also contributed to a comfortable, well-controlled ride.

Despite its size the six-metre-long Sprinter was easy to manoeuvre, with light steering, a tight turning circle and optional parking sensors and rear camera for reverse parking.

While offering a typically utilitarian feel, the Sprinter’s cabin is a pleasant place to spend time. The driving position, including seats with more padding and a thicker, multi-function steering wheel, accommodated my 190cm frame well (more so that the Fiat Ducato driven a week earlier).

Cabin storage and practicality is not quite as good as the Ducato’s, and there are some flimsy plastic items including the slide-out cup holders, but overall it’s a comfy, user-friendly ‘office’.

The Sprinter also comes with a colour touchscreen display featuring the latest Audio 15 entertainment system, including Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity and optional reverse camera. The latest Becker Map software worked well, swiftly updating route guidance whenever we missed a turn.

Otherwise, the Sprinter continues to be available in van, cab-chassis and mini-bus versions, with various engine, wheelbase, cab and payload choices, not to mention two- or four-wheel drive. There’s even a natural gas model.

It’s not the cheapest large van (pricing ranges from $44,290 to $69,480 plus on-road costs), and ticking a number of desirable options including the new safety equipment will add thousands to the cost.

But the fact the driving experience and safety spec are about as close to a passenger vehicle’s as any big work van on the market, make it hard to ignore.

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