2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Passenger Van

The powertrain under the hood of the new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Passenger Van is a 2.0L 4-cylinder turbocharged Gasoline engine mated to a 9G-Tronic 9-Speed automatic transmission. Pricing starts at around $43,120 for the 2021 Sprinter Passenger models and is offered in two main trims that are the Sprinter 1500 and Sprinter 2500. The Sprinter competes with the Ford Transit Passenger Van, Chevrolet Express Passenger Van, and the GMC Savana Passenger Van.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Passenger Van is available in two versions namely the lower end 1500 and the larger 2500. Sprinter 1500 is available only with a 2.0L turbocharged inline 4 cylinder gasoline engine while the Sprinter 2500 gets three engine options. These include the 2.0L turbocharged Inline-4 gasoline engine that we are covering in this review, a 2.0L turbocharged Inline-4 diesel engine, and a 3.0L turbocharged diesel V6 engine. The 2500 model could also opt with an RWD or a 4WD drivetrain configuration.

There are also two wheelbase options available which are the standard 144” wheelbase option that could seat 12 people and a 170” wheelbase option that is exclusive with the diesel engines and comes with seating for 15 people. You could also opt for a high-roof variant if you prefer that. There are multiple packages on offer with the Sprinter including a Comfort Package, Premium Package, and a Premium Plus Package. The following table shows the detailed list of features and prices of the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Passenger Van-

We Recommend

We recommend you opt for the Sprinter 2500 with a short wheelbase and standard roof. Unless you have a special purpose or need to carry more passengers you could opt for the Long wheelbase version that is exclusively available with the diesel powertrains. 

The 2021 Mercedes Sprinter Passenger Van is powered by a relatively smaller-sized 2.0L turbocharged inline-4 gasoline engine that puts out 188 hp and 258 lb. ft. of maximum power and torque. The engine doesn’t perform impressively in terms of performance, and acceleration is not at all exciting. There are two more engine options on offer – a 2.0L Inline-4 turbo-diesel and a 3.0L V6 turbo diesel. The 2.0L turbo-diesel makes 161 hp while the 3.0L V6 turbo diesel makes 188 hp and 325 lb. ft. of torque which is a major upgrade compared to the gasoline engine. 

The gasoline engine is mated to a 9G-Tronic automatic gearbox, while the diesel engines come mated to a 7G-Tronic automatic transmission. Even though the engine is a lesser one in the segment, the 9-speed gearbox is very smooth and delivers the available power efficiently, enabling quicker response. The Sprinter passenger van takes around 10.9 seconds to reach a speed of 60mph and crosses the quarter-mile mark in 18.0 seconds. These figures are not very exciting and I suggest you opt for the available diesel powertrains for better performance.

The Ford Transit comes with a strong 3.5L V6 naturally aspirated engine under the hood producing a much higher 275 HP which is much more than that of the Sprinter Van. It accelerates the fastest to 60, in just 7.7 seconds. The Sprinter van takes almost 11 seconds to reach 60, while the Chevy and GMC are also much faster compared to the Sprinter. The Ford also covers the quarter-mile fastest in just 16 seconds while the GMC and Chevy also sprint through the quarter-mile in under 17 seconds whereas the Sprinter is not the actual sprinter here. 

How well does the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Passenger Van Drive and Handle?

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter passenger van, despite its lackluster power outputs and performance, handles pretty well. It is stable in straight lines, but as expected from a van body roll is there but the Sprinter only has a minimum amount of that. The van is stable and grippy planted on the road even at triple-digit speeds, although it takes quite some time to achieve those speeds. It is actually better to drive around compared to some of the more powerful vans in the segment. 

The Sprinter is with a Crosswind assist that helps them to keep the vehicle much more stable at high speeds and boosts safety in strong, gusting crosswinds. This standard feature helps ensure that your vehicle remains in its lane at highway speeds. The suspension setup consists of McPherson Struts at the front and leaf springs at the rear and they provide a comfortable and smooth traveling experience. Overall on the handling front, the Mercedes Sprinter passenger van excels. 

How efficient is the braking performance of the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Passenger Van? 

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Passenger van comes with Active Brake Assist features that sense a likely collision ahead and sends both a visual and audible warning followed by initiating autonomous braking thus eliminating the chance for a collision. The size of the brake rotors in the Sprinter has not been revealed by Mercedes yet, but they are pretty strong. The Sprinter comes to a stop from 60mph at a distance of 138ft which is impressive. 

The Sprinter stops at the shortest distance is the superior performer here. The GMC cousins take 145 ft to come to a halt from 60mph. The stopping distance of the Merc is impressive at 138 feet and it is more stable while braking with Active brake assist onboard. The Ford Transit being the heaviest one is expected to take more time and distance to stop from 60mph. Overall the Mercedes is the best performer in the braking department.

The 2021 Mercedes Benz Sprinter Passenger van might have the least powerful engine under the hood, but it compensates for that with impressive fuel economy numbers. Although we don't have official EPA ratings, the Sprinter van equipped with the gasoline engine is expected to return 20 MPG in the city and 24 MPG on the highway, and a combined efficiency of 22 MPG. It comes with a decent 24.5-gallon fuel tank and this enables it to travel around 540 miles in the combined road and driving conditions without refueling. 

Being high-capacity passenger-carrying vehicles, EPA doesn’t rate the fuel economy of these vehicles. But we expect the Sprinter to perform better than the V6-powered competition. However, the GMC and Chevy offer larger fuel tanks and this is expected considering their large engines. The Ford Transit also offers a higher capacity fuel tank compared to the Mercedes which has the lowest fuel capacity here.

The 2022 Mercedes Sprinter Van gets a simple, practical, and updated interior design. The dashboard looks advanced with the touchscreen infotainment system placed on the center console. It has a futuristic look compared to what the rest of the competition offers. The steering wheel looks premium and like it is from a Mercedes car and comes with audio controls. The circular air conditioning vents in a piano black finish look stylish and sporty. The seats get cloth upholstery as standard and by Passenger van standards they are plush and comfortable and offer good under-thigh support. 

The front driver and passenger seats are 4-way power-adjustable and come with lumbar support and heating for the front seats. The standard interior trim is in Maturin Black Fabric which could be upgraded to Caluma Black fabric or Black Leatherette as they are offered as options. As standard, the Sprinter Passenger van offers four rows of seating with 12 passenger capacity. With the diesel powertrain, you could also get a 15 seater configuration with the Long wheelbase variant. Headroom is very much increased when you opt for the high roof variant and there is also an ample amount of cargo capacity measuring 78.6 cu-ft which is impressive.

The Ford Transit offers the most cargo capacity due to its longer 148-inch wheelbase. The GM twins however offer better cargo space when you opt for the long-wheelbase variants of these vans. In terms of interior space and comfort, the Mercedes is the winner and it feels the most luxurious and comfortable as Mercedes is well-known for its expertise in packing luxury into vehicles. The other rivals are much a lot simpler and they just seem like people carriers whereas the Mercedes is an actual luxury van. The Sprinter is also offered with a lot more optional features that make it even more luxurious. The following are the standout interior features in the 2022 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter -

• The front-to-rear outlet in the instrument panel 
• Rear window defroster 
• Air conditioning rear, roof-mounted 
• Available THERMOTRONIC automatic climate control
• Heat insulation, rear compartment 
• Coat hooks in the passenger compartment 
• Hinged lid for storage compartment 
• Weight-optimized plastic floor 
• Cupholders, Front 
• Illuminated front exits 

How intuitive is the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Passenger Van’s infotainment unit?

The 2021 Mercedes Sprinter Passenger Van features a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment unit inside the 1500 variant which is upgradable to a 10.25-inch touchscreen display unit that comes as standard in the 2500 variant. Both systems run on the MBUX multimedia system but the latter one is more responsive and comes with better graphics. The infotainment system comes with support for wireless phone connectivity as well as voice commands. The vehicle also gets a SiriusXM satellite radio subscription for 6 months. It also comes with in-built satellite navigation. 

Prominent infotainment features include-

• 10.25-inch MBUX infotainment system (Optional In 1500)
• Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) infotainment system
• Premium audio system
• Navigation system
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio

The 2021 Sprinter Passenger van is available in two roof options and two wheelbase options and features a sleek and stylish exterior design language. This is not something that could be said about every van in this segment as they usually look dull and very much generic. The front-end of the Sprinter features a bold and wide front grille with chrome inserts LED Projector headlights along with the LED DRLs that enhance the elegant nature of the van. The side profile features tinted rear windows that go all the way to the back. 

The color choices for the Sprinter Passenger Van include seven free standard colors, ten premium, and five premium metallic ones. The wheels are 16-inch steel wheels as standard while they could be upgraded to light-alloy wheels of the same size. There are also plenty of exterior options that Mercedes offer with the Sprinter including an opening limiter, electrically operated sliding door, painted metallic front & rear bumpers, etc. The Sprinter also offers a ground clearance of 8-inches which is practical and could tackle speed bumps efficiently.

The Sprinter is the best-looking one here while others don’t have any standout beauty characteristics. The Sprinter is also the lightest one here while the Ford is the heaviest and has the longest wheelbase. The GMC Savana offers the highest ground clearance while the Sprinter also has enough clearance. Overall based on exterior dimensions, the Ford is the most value for money option here while the Mercedes looks the most premium. The following are the main exterior features of the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Passenger Van-

• Second Row, fixed window, passenger side
• Available High roof 
• 6.5 J x 16 steel wheels 
• Laminated glass rear 
• Black tinting (90%) for rear windows 
• Rear doors 180° opening 
• Windows in rear doors

Generally, commercial and large passenger vehicles are not crash-tested for safety by any of the agencies. The Sprinter gets a host of safety features like an active brake assist system for emergency braking, a 360-degree surround camera for all-around safety, and blind-spot monitoring. The Active distance assist (Distronic) system that keeps a safe distance between your vehicle and other vehicles is also present in the Sprinter along with lane keep assist, traffic-sign assist, and attention assist. 

Even though NHTSA or IIHS have not tested the 2021 Mercedes Sprinter Van, it is sure to be a super-safe machine as Mercedes doesn’t compromise in terms of build quality and it also comes with an advanced set of safety and driver assistance features incorporated into it. Standout safety features in the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Passenger Van are:

• Longitudinal member reinforcement
• 360° camera (rearview mirror display)
• Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC
• Parking Package 
• Backup alarm 
• First-aid kit 
• Parking Package with 360° camera
• Blind Spot Assist 

2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Passenger Van vs 2021 Ford Transit Passenger Van 350XL

The Ford Transit is more powerful and larger than the Mercedes Sprinter. It is better in terms of performance and offers much more space while the Sprinter is more comfortable and fuel-efficient. The Mercedes returns the best-in-class fuel efficiency while having a less-powerful engine. So the Ford Transit becomes the better choice as it offers much more capable performance for a lower price. 

2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Passenger Van vs 2021 Chevrolet Express Passenger Van LS

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is the more premium choice here as it is much more comfortable than the Express. The Chevrolet is much more powerful and capable than the Merc, but the Mercedes offers better fuel economy as well as a more luxurious and updated cabin. The infotainment unit inside the Mercedes is also much better than the Chevy. But the Chevy is very much less expensive compared to the Mercedes making it the overall better choice. 

2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Passenger Van vs 2021 GMC Savana Passenger Van LS

The GMC Savana is more powerful and faster than the Sprinter while the Sprinter is much more luxurious and comfortable. The GMC however, has a high fuel capacity and hence would offer a higher range. The Sprinter does offer more luxury inside, but the GMC is the overall better choice considering the major price difference. 

The new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Passenger Van is a superb vehicle, but only when opted with a diesel powertrain. The base inline-4 gas engine is very much weaker than the competition and the higher efficiency doesn’t justify the weaker engine. The interior and other aspects of the Sprinter are impressive and the Sprinter is one of the best-looking and most comfortable options in the segment. Overall, if chosen with a diesel powertrain, the Sprinter is an amazing vehicle offering impressive capabilities and comfort.