Thoughts on 2019 gasoline Sprinter van?

Carolina4x4

Member
Considering the 4 cyl turbocharged gasoline powered Sprinter, now available in the US. Diesel is not an option for me, since we plan extensive travel south of the border, where low-sulphur diesel is not consistently available. Any initial thoughts on this gas-powered version? Seems like a solid option to me....
 

Kmrtnsn

Explorer
I've been dying to see a review of the van with this engine but have seen nothing at all out there.
 

jadmt

ignore button user
Probably ok if you build it on the lighter side. I think in a heavy rig it would be less enjoyabl.
 

luthj

Engineer In Residence
Most reviews of the 7speed and gasoline engine have been good. It makes excellent power throughout the RPM range, and the 7 speed is very well programmed. Personally I think 200hp is plenty, even for a vehicle that weighs 9,000lb.
 

jadmt

ignore button user
Most reviews of the 7speed and gasoline engine have been good. It makes excellent power throughout the RPM range, and the 7 speed is very well programmed. Personally I think 200hp is plenty, even for a vehicle that weighs 9,000lb.
Maybe if it has a ton of torque but the 2.0 is not all that torquey. Also I guess depends on the type of driving a person does and what they are used to driving.
 

luthj

Engineer In Residence
Torque is a spurious measurement with any well designed transmission. All that matters is that the HP curve is consistent, and average HP in is good. Combined with a transmission with enough range, that means you have power available at any speed. The sprinter in this case makes somewhere north of 100HP between 2,200 and 5,000rpm. With 7 well spaced gears that means you always have 100+ HP available when needed. The turbo eliminates the issue with naturally inducted engines, where HP is linear with RPM. With the turbo you get 50% of the HP before 25% of the peak RPM. This really improves the driving experience. I would say the gasoline engine is on par with the V6 diesel, and is a good replacement for it.

I suggest taking one for a test drive, you may be pleasantly surprised. Now, note that MB ( and most euro MFGs) have wisely decided to avoid the crazy HP wars the big 4 have gotten into with their pickup trucks. No one need 400HP in a light duty pickup truck. This is part of the reason that a big MB van will get similar or better fuel economy.
 

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