Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2.1 314

If you want to buy a large van, the Mercedes Sprinter is a go-to model for sale in the sector. The third generation Sprinter launched in 2018, but as you might expect, the new model wasn't radically different from the last model. The main change is the addition of a host of advanced connectivity technology, which is taken from the Mercedes passenger car range.

In terms of design, the Sprinter Mk3 is an evolution of what's come before it, but slender new headlights - featuring LED bulbs on higher spec vans - a more upright windscreen and blistered wheelarches distinguish the latest model.

It's under the skin where the most significant changes have been made. While the engine range is the same, with a 2.1-litre four-cylinder unit in three power outputs and a 3.0-litre V6 diesel (the Sprinter is the only large van on sale to offer a V6), front-wheel drive is now offered for the first time. This helps to lower the Sprinter's load floor by 80mm to help loading, while 3.5-tonne versions of the FWD model are able to carry an additional 50kg of payload over the rear-drive variants.

As standard, all Sprinters feature a six-speed manual gearbox, while the rear-drive model has the option of a 7G-tronic auto, and the FWD model features a new nine-speed 9G-tronic torque converter auto for improved efficiency and performance.

If you're a buyer looking to reduce emissions, especially for last-mile deliveries in urban areas, the all-electric Mercedes eSprinter is available.

The Sprinter is available in a bewildering variety of layouts. Go for the conventional panel van, and as well as front or rear-wheel drive, there are four body lengths and three roof heights to choose from, while crew cab, tipper, dropside and Luton versions are offered, and a chassis cab allows a variety of conversions to be added, too.

The panel van has a load area that features a large, flat, plastic-trimmed floor, plus a plywood lining is standard across the range. The box wheelarches have been strengthened and are able to carry as much weight as the load floor itself.

In terms of electronics, the Sprinter now comes with electric power steering, so it's able to make use of Mercedes's latest safety systems from its car range. Distronic adaptive cruise control is available, which is now capable of bringing the Sprinter to a complete stop before driving off again, and it can cope with driving in stop-start traffic without driver input. Lane keep assist is available too, while the active system can automatically brake the vehicle if it senses the Sprinter is drifting across lines.

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Also included in the Sprinter is the company's new Mercedes PRO fleet management software. All Sprinters come with this software, but if you subscribe to one of the eight fleet management packages that Mercedes is offering, then you can manage your vans and drivers in minute detail to keep an eye on running costs.

Top-spec cars can be had with Mercedes' MBUX infotainment system first seen on the A-Class hatchback. The Sprinter was the second Mercedes model to be launched with MBUX, and it features voice control, high-resolution graphics and search functionality, and takes van tech to another level.