2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

An elite car company making workhorse vans may seem like a stretch… but Mercedes has been doing it for a long time. And the new, third generation 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is bridging that gap a little more.

Hauling cargo around Europe since 1995, it arrived in the U.S. in 2001 where its tall stature changed the van market forever. Now familiar and also widely copied, it was specifically designed to be easy to maneuver in congested European cities. The new edition is even more so thanks to first-time electric power steering on rear-drive models. 

Rear and all-wheel drive vans will be served by a new 3.0-liter V6 Turbo Diesel… good for 190-horsepower, matched with a new 7G-Tronic Automatic Transmission. There’s also a new 2.0-liter I-4 gas engine with 9-Speed automatic but in rear-drive only.

Both engines feel strong. And the Sprinter drives smaller than it is, as new suspension bits and tuning provide a far more comfortable and quiet ride. Overall it now feels more like a well-built SUV. 

Inside it’s still clearly a work van, but along with a more car-like dash, and now numerous cupholder options, the new Sprinter is only the brand’s second vehicle to get the Mercedes-Benz User Experience. With 7.0 or 10.3-inch screens, it’s intuitive voice activated personal assistant has added features to manage fleets. 

The 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter goes on sale soon starting at under $34,000.