2024 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

Overview

Mercedes-Benz continues to trim back the Sprinter’s available build combinations, but the 29-year-old full-size van continues to satisfy a remarkable range of use cases. That is, provided buyers accept MSRPs noticeably higher than those of competitors, and don’t mind being limited to diesel engines with merely adequate outputs. The last remaining gas engine from 2023 was cut, leaving a 170-hp diesel and a high-output 211-hp diesel. Shoppers who look beyond those details will find more comfort, tech, and refinement in the Sprinter than the competition offers. The hauler can be had in cargo, crew, and passenger body styles and in varying roof heights, and with a dual-rear-wheel axle. The vast interior space means there’s plenty of room for upfitting, and the aftermarket is enormous. Tech offerings include a 10.3-inch touchscreen and various driver-assist features. The nine-speed automatic transmission used on every trim and the van’s optional 4Matic all-wheel-drive system are similar to those found in Mercedes-Benz passenger cars like the E-class and S550. The amenities, easy driving, range of customization, and off-road capability have made the Sprinter as popular among metropolitan delivery fleets as it is with the overlanding and #VanLife crowds.

What’s New for 2024?

For 2024, the engine menu is pruned from three to two: a standard-output 170-hp diesel and a high-output 211-hp diesel. In the cab, the 2024 Sprinter gains a color display in the instrument cluster and a heated driver’s seat as standard equipment. There are also two new packages, one that improves access through the rear doors and another that adds full hardboard side-wall paneling in the cargo bay, a wood cargo floor, floor-level lashing rails with anchors, waist-high lashing rails, cargo lashing points on the upper rails, and six D-rings. The battery-electric E-Sprinter, which we review separately, is a new trim for 2024.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

Sprinters are made to serve the greatest number of van uses, so the best Sprinter we can suggest is the one that fits your specific needs. However, we do recommend adding a few convenience and safety options that can now be purchased individually. We’d take the blind-spot monitor, rear-view camera, adaptive cruise control, and the Premium Package, which gets the 7.0-inch touchscreen.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

The new standard motor is a turbodiesel four-cylinder with 170 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. upgrade to the high-output twin-turbo diesel and you get 211-horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque to work with. Every engine is bolted to a nine-speed automatic transmission. Buyers can also get the high-output diesel with all-wheel drive, the only configuration that powers both axles. These aren’t heady output figures for vans rated to carry more than three tons of payload—depending on configuration, of course. The engines are up to the task, though, and they’re even with or ahead of the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 found throughout Ram’s ProMaster lineup. Buyers who want more power might look at the Ford Transit’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 with 310 horses and 400 pound-feet, or the 6.6-liter V-8 in the GMC Savana making 401 ponies and 464 pound-feet.

Towing and Payload Capacity

Stick with the stock diesel and the Sprinter’s maximum towing capacity is 5000 pounds and its max payload capacity is 4699 pounds. The high-output diesel raises maximum towing capacity to stout 7500 pounds, and the cargo van can haul up to 6812 pounds of payload.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

Fuel economy is not estimated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on commercial vehicles with a gross-vehicle-weight rating (GVWR) of more than 8500 pounds. The last Benz van we tested was a 2019 Sprinter 3500XD with a discontinued 188-hp turbodiesel V-6 and seven-speed automatic. During our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test, it managed 15 mpg.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

What Sprinter engines lack in output, Sprinter interiors make up for by offering more refinement than full-size van rivals. Features like the available leather-covered steering wheel and large 10.3-inch infotainment touchscreen put it a cut above the Ram ProMaster, Chevrolet Express, and GMC Savana. The Mercedes of vans blesses drivers with a more serene cabin than rivals as well. The Sprinter’s seats are well-shaped so they don’t break your back after hours behind the wheel; a Swivel Seat package is available, which makes getting in and out easier. The Sprinter offers more interior space than some New York City apartments—as much as 533 cubic feet in Cargo versions. That’s more than you get in the largest version of the Ford Transit. Passenger versions of the Sprinter, with the 144-inch wheelbase, seat 12 comfortably while the 170-inch wheelbase versions can fit 15.

Infotainment and Connectivity

In-cabin entertainment is rarely a high priority in this class, which is why Mercedes keeps the fanciest of its interior hardware as extra-cost options. The standard audio system is a basic AM/FM radio with a small LCD screen, Bluetooth, and a single USB-C port. Included in the Premium package is an updated system with a 7.0-inch touchscreen, while the Premium Plus package includes a 10.3-inch screen, navigation, a wireless phone-charging tray, Traffic Sign Assist, and the additional air vents for the storage area on the instrument panel. Both option packages also include Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and an onboard Wi-Fi hotspot.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

Mercedes provides the Sprinter with a list of driver-assistance technology, but the majority of systems offered are optional. For more information about the Sprinter’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:

• Standard automated emergency braking
• Available blind-spot monitor
• Available lane-keeping assist

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Mercedes-Benz’s limited warranty on the Sprinter is typical for this class. However, its powertrain coverage is longer than most. Mercedes also doesn’t pay for any scheduled maintenance.

• Limited warranty covers three years or 36,000 miles
• Powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles
• No complimentary scheduled maintenance

More Features and Specs