Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2016 review

Richard Berry takes a look at why the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is the best-selling heavy duty van on the Australian market.

Australia’s van-landscape (vanscape?) looked very different when the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter arrived here in 1998.

There were plenty of light commercial van offerings such as Toyota’s HiAce, but the segment above that - the heavy commercial truck under 8000kg - was populated almost entirely by traditional cab-chassis trucks with only Iveco offering a proper van rival in the form of the Daily.

The segment has since grown with van and cab-chassis versions of the Sprinter, heavy duty Ford Transit, Renault Master, Volkswagen Crafter, and Fiat Ducato alongside the Daily.

Three million Sprinters have been sold across 130 countries.

The Sprinter is currently outselling all of them, with its extensive range and multitude of body shapes.

The Sprinter van line-up starts at $44,990 for the 310 short wheelbase and tops out at $72,205 for the 519 long wheelbase.

The Sprinter cab-chassis ranges from the 316 medium wheelbase for $49,815 (single cab) and $54,325 (dual cab) to the 519 long wheelbase $62,545 (single cab) and $67,060 (dual cab).

Then there’s the mini bus, a 316 with a medium wheel base for $79,990.

The Sprinter is the largest of sibling in Mercedes-Benz’s van line-up, sitting above the Vito and Valente.

The Sprinter was first introduced to the world in 1995 and since then three million have been sold across 130 countries.

In this owner-driver video review we caught up with the managing director of Sydney refrigerated logistics company Chill, Andrew Wade who has a fleet of Sprinters to find out what it is about the Mercedes workhorse that’s made it his van of choice.

How do you find the Sprinter as a heavy duty commercial? Tell us what you think in the comments below.