If you've been paying attention to the full-size van market, you know a battle is brewing. Ram's ProMaster is coming soon, as is the Ford Transit. Yet the Sprinter, the van that made the look and attitude of the segment more Eurocentric when it first went on sale, seemed to plug along for the last few years without many changes. The most notable change for the new van is the addition of a second engine. This is the first time the Sprinter will be available with a choice of turbodiesels. In the small sport/utility, the engine output is 200 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque; in the van, the engine has been tuned to put out 161 hp and 265 lb-ft at 1400 rpm. The little vehicle gets the more powerful version of the engine? While it does seem odd that the four has been detuned that much, Mercedes did it for a couple of reasons.

If you've been paying attention to the full-size van market, you know a battle is brewing. Ram's ProMaster is coming soon, as is the Ford Transit. Yet the Sprinter, the van that made the look and attitude of the segment more Eurocentric when it first went on sale, seemed to plug along for the last few years without many changes. The most notable change for the new van is the addition of a second engine. This is the first time the Sprinter will be available with a choice of turbodiesels. In the small sport/utility, the engine output is 200 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque; in the van, the engine has been tuned to put out 161 hp and 265 lb-ft at 1400 rpm. The little vehicle gets the more powerful version of the engine? While it does seem odd that the four has been detuned that much, Mercedes did it for a couple of reasons.

First, to ensure the durability and reliability of the van, the engineers opted to reduce power output. We figure another reason is that offering a four-cylinder with more torque than the optional V-6鈥攚ith 188 hp and 325 lb-ft鈥攚ould've been a little awkward to explain at the dealership. After all, pricing of the four-cylinder diesel is said to be lower than with the V-6鈥攚hy would someone spend more on a less-powerful engine? As in the GLK, the new Sprinter engine is backed by a seven-speed automatic transmission, but unlike the GLK, the van uses an actual shifter on the center stack, not a stalk on the steering column. The V-6 continues to be backed by a five-speed automatic, even though we hear the V-6 is also backed by the seven-speed in Europe. Despite our initial skepticism when looking at the small displacement and relatively low horsepower of the four-cylinder engine, we found that, for most people, the 2.1-liter will suffice.

On our drive, Mercedes had all the vans already set up with payload in the back. The model we drove was a Crew Van, with pallets of sinks tied down in back. Considering the majority of Sprinters are upfitted for fleet use (according to Mercedes, about 75 percent of them) and often for delivery service, the four will be plenty of engine for delivery companies. This engine is quick enough around town, and we only really felt its limitations on grades and during hard acceleration. We doubt anyone who gets a Sprinter-based RV will have the option of one with the four; we also expect that those who will often drive the passenger van filled with people will opt for the V-6. There was more engine noise in this application than in the GLK, and we're sure more sound-deadening material was used in the GLK than in a cargo van.

The ride is comfortable, there were no noticeable squeaks or rattles, and the steering is accurate. Braking feels firm and confident. While the van's new styling isn't as dramatic a change as going from the Ford E-Series to the upcoming Transit, there are definite differences in appearance, more noticeable in the cabin than on the body. The front end has been redesigned, but keeps trademark features such as the oversize three-pointed star in the grille and the step in the front bumper that allows you to reach the windshield and the engine bay. The redesigned grille is now more vertical, and was redesigned to allow more airflow. The headlights also were redesigned, and now use daytime running lights. A subtle change is that the badge font is different. Inside are plenty of new features, such as navigation, backup camera, new seat fabric, new center stack design, and a new steering wheel. The cabin still looks like that of a van, but it more resembles a Mercedes interior than before. A telling part of our drive in the Sprinter was a test of its many available safety features. Mercedes-Benz may not have made the van look dramatically different for 2014, but the van is ready for the upcoming competition. We'll have a better idea of how the Sprinter fares after we drive the ProMaster and Transit. The 2014 Sprinter goes on sale this September. Cost hasn't been announced, but for Sprinters powered by the four, pricing will be lower than it was last year.