T he Sprinter has a reputation for high build quality with
Page 36
Page 37
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
a price to match; in the UK its popularity is second only to the ubiquitous Ford Transit (travel to Germany and you'll find this situation reversed).
Recently given a mid-life revamp, the Sprinter range features a wide choice of roof heights and wheelbases at weights from 2.6-6.0 tonnes, all of them with rear-wheel drive. The latest common-rail (CR engines start with a four-cylinder model rated at B2hp and end at the dizzyingly power ful five-cylinder unit rated at 156hp...and yes you can have 156hp in a 2.8-tonner if you think you're up to it.
The medium-wheelbase/high-roof 313 has a loadspace which is 3.2m long and 1.8m high for a claimed load volume of 10.4m6 and a respectable payload of 1,480kg. Its four-pot CDI engine produces similar power and torque figures to the Ivaco/Citroen unit despite a much smaller cubic capacity of just 2,151cc.
Storage has never been a strong point in the Sprinter and has not been greatly improved by the revamp. The door pockets are slender, and although a bottle holder is available it is mounted behind the driver's seat and becomes pretty redundant if a bulkhead is fitted.
There's a DIN radio slot over the ashtray, a small glove box beneath another small hole and slim panels in each door which open to reveal a little more space. One particularly popular feature was the dash-mounted document clip.
Surprisingly, perhaps, Mercedes no longer sets the pace when it comes to perceived build quality: the Citroen Relay uses notably better materials and feels nicer to the touch, while the Ford Transit seems a much better integrated design.
Gross-cab access is pretty good thanks to the revised, dash-mounted gearstick which has a nice short throw and a swift change. The Sprinter's seats are comfortable and supportive with three-point belts all round. The ventilation system was criticised by one tester for its coverage but no-one else seemed to have a problem with this, although another member of the CM team had trouble deciphering some of the symbols on the system. All of the other controls are well sited and are pretty easy to operate. The Sprinter handles well and the brakes, though they still have the long-travel characteristics that many drivers don't like. feature ABS as standard. The loadspace works pretty well, and we were pleased to find a plywood-covered, non-slip floor, flat topped wheelarches and 270 rear load doors as standard.
As expected, the Sprinter's performance lived up to its name. only being beaten by the Relay and the Master, and its 28.8mpg round our test route was second only to the Transit.