Used 2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 1500 Passenger

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a top choice in full-size vans because of its customizability and appealing powertrain options. Whether you’re looking for a trusty cargo van, a spacious passenger van, or even a customizable chassis cab, there’s a Sprinter for everyone who needs a large van. Two available diesel engines and optional all-wheel drive (AWD) set the Sprinter apart from much of its competition.

The Sprinter differs from more traditional, truck-like work vans like the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana. Instead, it’s more like the Ford Transit, which has vast interior space, available AWD, and a more car-like ride. Another player in this class is the front-wheel-drive Ram ProMaster, but you can’t get a ProMaster with more than six seats.

Mercedes-Benz has worked on making the Sprinter easy to drive. That’s an important consideration when someone has to operate it every day (and maybe over the weekend).

The steering doesn’t require too much effort. The suspension reacts as a cohesive whole. And a swiveling driver’s seat is on the options list, which can be great for drivers making frequent deliveries.

If there are heavy loads in a new Sprinter’s future, one of the diesel engines would be a better choice than the base gasoline unit. However, the passenger van can tow up to 5,000 pounds, and the cargo van is capable of pulling up to 7,500 pounds when properly equipped.

The Cargo van is the proverbial blank slate for buyers, to be filled with Amazon packages, artisan furniture, arc welding gear, or whatever else. The doors open wide enough for a forklift to load or unload a pallet.

The central quandary for Passenger van buyers is whether to go for the 12-seater or the 15-seater. And they will probably want the higher roof, which allows a 6-footer to stand up inside.

Maximum payloads range from 3,060 pounds in the Passenger van to 6,812 in the Cargo.

Cabin materials are generally good. Not up to the lavish standards of Mercedes-Benz cars, but simultaneously hard-wearing and easy on the eye. One option that’s made it into the Sprinter is the MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) infotainment system. An onboard digital assistant is summoned by saying the words “Hey Mercedes” or “Hey Sprinter,” then it’s ready to obey voice commands such as “find the nearest gas station.” Smartphone connectivity features like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are optional.

A passenger-side sliding door and two rear doors that open out to 180 degrees are standard with the 2023 Sprinter. Mercedes-Benz offers a high roof where the maximum height is 111 inches with the Cargo and Crew models or 114 inches with the Passenger version.

The standard wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear axles) is 144 inches, with the option of a 170-inch wheelbase in the Cargo, Crew, and Passenger models.

In common with other vans that have migrated from Europe, like the Transit and ProMaster, the Sprinter is more tall and narrow than squat and wide, making it useful for getting around city streets. And that 3-pointed star in the grille gives the van a certain prestige the others can’t match.

Diesel engines
The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is the only van in its class available with a turbodiesel engine. The Standard Output diesel produces 295 lb-ft of torque, and the High Output variant makes 332 lb-ft.

All-wheel drive
All-wheel drive is available on both cargo and passenger variants of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. The optional AWD system is revised for 2023 and can send up to 50% of the engine’s output to the front wheels.

15-passenger option
If you have a big crew to haul, the Sprinter passenger van is available in 12-passenger and 15-passenger configurations.

New 9-speed transmission
A new 9G-Tronic 9-speed automatic transmission is linked to every engine available in the Sprinter. It replaces the old 7-speed gearbox with a higher overall gear ratio, quicker shifts, and a quieter, more comfortable ride.

20,000-mile service interval
The Sprinter has a class-leading recommended service interval of 20,000 miles. This gives the driver peace of mind, especially if you intend to put a lot of miles on your work van.

The standard engine in the Sprinter is a turbocharged 4-cylinder gas engine. This is a good choice if you don’t require a lot of towing or payload muscle because of its affordable pricing. Every Sprinter 1500 uses this gas engine and has rear-wheel drive.

2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine
188 horsepower @ 5,000 rpm
258 lb-ft of torque @ 2,500-3,500 rpm

Standard Output turbodiesel

The entry-level diesel engine in the Sprinter is a 4-cylinder unit with one turbocharger. It has a nice torque upgrade compared to the base gas engine. This diesel is available in 2500, 3500, and 4500 classes so that you can choose your level of capability. However, AWD is unavailable with the Standard Output diesel.

2.0-liter turbodiesel 4-cylinder engine
168 horsepower
295 lb-ft of torque

High Output turbodiesel

The High Output turbodiesel 4-cylinder has two turbochargers, greatly improving performance. It has 40 more horsepower and 37 more lb-ft of torque than the Standard Output diesel. It’s worth noting that this is the only engine in the Sprinter available with AWD.

In 2500, 3500, and 4500 variants of the Sprinter, the Standard Output and High Output diesel engines have the same respective payload ratings.

2.0-liter turbodiesel 4-cylinder engine
208 horsepower
332 lb-ft of torque

3-Year/36,000-Mile Warranty

The Sprinter is backed by a 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. This is typical coverage for a full-size van.