2024 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 Cargo

Offered as a cargo van, crew van, passenger van, and customizable chassis cab, the 2024 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter comes in one of two wheelbase lengths and can fill a wide variety of needs. This versatility translates into the Sprinter’s growing popularity despite what is now a 13-year lifecycle. Its rivals are few with only the Ford Transit and Ram ProMaster offering any real competition. The General Motors offerings (GMC Savana and Chevy Express) are truck-based work vans that are roughly 20 years into their lifecycle. In other words, they aren’t serious rivals for the Sprinter. Whether for light work, general people hauling, or even recreation, there is probably a Sprinter for you.

Mercedes kicked last year’s base 4-cylinder gas-fueled engine to the curb, leaving two versions of its 4-cylinder turbodiesel to do the heavy lifting. This also means that it eliminated the lighter-duty 1500 edition. A couple of interior tweaks include upgrading the instrument cluster to a color display, and the driver’s seat is now heated. Mercedes is also introducing an all-new fully electric model.

Before buying the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really pay. The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has an average track record for retaining its value.

Mercedes streamlined the Sprinter’s engine choices to two; both are 4-cylinder turbodiesels. The entry-level turbodiesel has a single turbocharger. It delivers 170 horsepower to the rear wheels via a 9-speed automatic transmission. Its payload capacity in the Sprinter 2500 is 4,211 pounds. Upgrading the engine gets you a high-output twin-turbo 4-cylinder engine generating 211 horsepower, which is also bolted to the 9-speed automatic transmission. With the twin-turbo diesel, you can add all-wheel drive for $6,700. The Ford Transit and Ram ProMaster post bigger horsepower numbers than the Sprinter. However, when comparing torque that measures real power, the Sprinter’s 295 lb-ft outshines these rivals. For a van engineered for hauling loads — be it cargo or people — the Sprinter is comfortable and quiet. We find the steering responsive and the suspension more like a car than a truck.

Fuel Economy

The government doesn’t estimate vehicles of the Sprinter’s size; however, don’t expect average fuel economy much above the midteens.

A 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. Defining the Crew Van is a 3-passenger second-row seat with second-row windows. 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 (the combined weight of the people and cargo that can be carried) range from 3,020 pounds in the Passenger Van to 6,812 in the Cargo Van. These are higher payload numbers than the Ford Transit posts.

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 available MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) infotainment system. An onboard digital assistant is summoned by saying the words “Hey Mercedes” or “Hey Sprinter,” and 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 standard.

The three vans (Sprinter, Transit, and ProMaster) making up the bulk of this segment are all rooted in Europe; consequently, they are tall and narrow rather than short and squat. This trait is helpful in negotiating crowded streets and narrow alleys.

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 was 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.

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 greater refinement.

Available Swivel seats
A swivel seat package includes swivel bases for the front bucket seats, easing entry and exit.

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.

To power the 2024 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, you may choose one of two 4-cylinder turbodiesels. The base engine comes with a single turbocharger, while the engine upgrade comes with two turbos. Maximum towing is based on the tonnage classification. For example, the 2500 Cargo Van with rear-wheel drive can tow up to 5,000 pounds, while the 3500 Cargo Van can tug up to 7,500 pounds. This compares to the Ford Transit Cargo Van’s bracket of 5,300 to 6,500 pounds. A 9-speed automatic transmission transfers engine output to the wheels. All-wheel drive is only offered in conjunction with the more powerful twin-turbo diesel.

3-Year/36,000-Mile Warranty

Mercedes covers the 2024 Sprinter with a bumper-to-bumper limited warranty for three years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. This is the same as Ford or Ram. However, the Sprinter’s limited powertrain warranty is for five years or 100,000 miles. Ford and Ram only issue a 5-year/60,000-mile warranty for the Transit and ProMaster.

Safety Ratings

Neither National Highway Traffic Safety Administration nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has performed its battery of crash tests on the Sprinter. About the only advanced safety technology that’s standard is slow-speed automatic emergency braking. Several other technologies like lane-keeping assist and blind-spot monitoring are available as options.