2017 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

MY2017 is a carry-over year late in the second-generation (W906) Sprinter. The volume 2500 cargo van comes standard with the 161-hp 2.1L BlueTEC four-cylinder diesel, and the 188-hp 3.0L V6 diesel is optional. No gasoline engine was offered in the US, so the registry's gas class here means diesel.

The standard four-cylinder diesel makes 265 lb-ft low in the rev range, which is mid-band for a van. The optional V6 raises that to 325 lb-ft.

Mercedes publishes no 0–60 time and no instrumented US test of the four-cylinder Sprinter was found. It has 27 hp and 60 lb-ft less than the V6, which tests at 10.5–12 s, so about 13.5 s is a reasonable estimate. Either engine sits beyond the slow end of the van band.

The four-cylinder diesel pulls adequately at low speed thanks to its torque, but it is detuned well below the same engine in the GLK250 BlueTEC and feels strained at highway speeds or loaded. It also has commercial-diesel clatter, which leaves it well behind the Transit's gas V6s.

The volume four-cylinder uses the 7G-Tronic Plus seven-speed automatic. Its closer ratios suit the small diesel better than the V6's five-speed (2018 dropped the seven-speed), but it still has to shift often to keep a loaded van moving.

The best rating in the 2017 lineup is 7,500 lbs for a properly equipped V6 diesel 3500. The volume 2500 with the four-cylinder is rated at 5,000 lbs.

A part-time 4x4 with a low-range transfer case is offered on the 2017 Sprinter, but only with the optional V6 diesel and at a steep price. RWD is standard, and the volume four-cylinder can't get it. That was still rare among 2017 full-size vans, since the Transit and ProMaster offered no AWD.

The standard RWD van is a pavement vehicle with modest ground clearance. The V6-only 4x4 option adds low range and ride height for trails, but there are no lockers or skid plates, and the van's long, tall body limits where it can go.

The 2017 US Sprinter offers two powertrains, a 2.1L four-cylinder diesel with a seven-speed and a 3.0L V6 diesel with a five-speed. Both are diesel, with no gasoline or electrified option.

The Sprinter 2500 exceeds 8,500 lb GVWR, so it has no EPA rating. The detuned four-cylinder diesel with the seven-speed returns somewhat better economy than the V6 (~19 MPG real-world), so about 21 MPG is the mid estimate.

There is no official city figure. About 19 MPG is estimated from the combined figure and the European urban rating ratio.

There is no official highway figure. The small diesel cruises at about 23 MPG unladen, and does noticeably worse when loaded.

The 24.5-gallon diesel tank at the ~21 MPG estimate gives roughly 515 miles, well ahead of the gas Transit's ~400.

There is no EPA figure, so the cost is derived: 15,000 miles at about 21 MPG is roughly 715 gallons a year. At 2017's average diesel price of about $2.65/gal that is roughly $1,890, before diesel exhaust fluid.

Both engines require ultra-low-sulfur diesel, which costs more than regular gas in the US and is not sold at every station. The BlueTEC SCR system also needs regular DEF (AdBlue) top-ups.

NHTSA never crash-rated the second-generation (W906) Sprinter. For 2017 the SafetyRatings database lists 20 Mercedes-Benz models and the Sprinter is not among them.

IIHS never tested the W906 Sprinter, so it has no crashworthiness results and no award. By 2017 the body structure was 11 years old, which puts the score slightly below the segment norm, although no specific structural concerns are documented.

ESP with Crosswind Assist was standard on the facelifted W906. Collision Prevention Assist, Blind Spot Assist, Lane Keeping Assist and Highbeam Assist came only in an optional driving-assistance package, so the volume 2500 cargo van shipped without active driver assistance. Adaptive cruise was not offered.

Collision Prevention Assist pairs a radar proximity warning with adaptive Brake Assist, which amplifies the driver's braking rather than braking autonomously at full force. It was optional, and IIHS never evaluated it.

Blind Spot Assist was optional on the 2017 Sprinter and gives a warning only. There was no rear cross-traffic alert, which matters on a van with a blind rear quarter.

Lane Keeping Assist on the W906 uses a camera and warns the driver through steering-wheel vibration without steering, so it is effectively lane departure warning. It was optional, and no lane centering was available.

The 2017 W906 Sprinter had conventional cruise control only. DISTRONIC adaptive cruise did not reach the US van until the third generation launched for 2019.

The 2017 Sprinter offers no hands-free or steering-assist system of any kind.

The volume cargo van has halogen headlamps, while bi-xenon lamps and Highbeam Assist (auto high beam) were optional. IIHS never rated the Sprinter's headlights.

The high seating position, tall windshield and large split mirrors give good forward and side sightlines. A windowless cargo body is blind at the rear, and on the W906 the rear camera and Parktronic were optional rather than standard, with no 360-degree camera available.

Passenger and Crew Sprinters have rear benches with child-seat anchors, and the wide sliding door and tall cabin make installing a seat easy. The volume 2500 cargo van has front seats only, so it has no LATCH positions.

The 2017 W906 lineup includes a factory Passenger Van seating 12, alongside Crew and Cargo configurations; the cargo van carries only the front row.

The tall, flat-roofed W906 cabin gives far more front headroom than any car-based vehicle; the figure is published for the High Roof body, which carries over unchanged from 2014 to 2018.

The upright commercial cab puts the pedals close to the seat base, so front legroom falls below the van band floor, as it does for the Transit and ProMaster.

Mercedes and the major spec aggregators publish no per-row headroom for the W906 Passenger Van. The flat high roof continues back over every row, so second-row headroom sits only slightly below the 56.7-in front figure.

No published second-row legroom exists for the W906 Passenger Van. Its four-row, 12-seat layout on the 144-in wheelbase packs the benches about as tightly as the Transit's multi-row wagon does.

In the 12-passenger van, the third and fourth rows offer stand-up headroom on High Roof builds and a walk-in aisle through the wide sliding door. Bench spacing is tight for adults on long trips, which keeps it level with the Transit wagon rather than above it.

With nothing behind the front seats, the whole box of the cargo van is load space; the high-roof 170-in build commonly ordered by fleets sits at the top of the van band.

The extended high-roof Sprinter is the largest factory van box of 2017, ahead of the Transit (487 cu ft) and the ProMaster (463 cu ft).

The cab has a large overhead shelf, deep door pockets and a dash-top tray, and the cargo box has standard tie-down rings and a 660-lb roof rating. There is no walk-through console, no onboard power beyond 12V and no clever under-seat systems.

Standard cloth seats are firm, upright and supportive for a work van. Better-cushioned comfort seats come only with the optional Driver Comfort Package, and the rear passenger benches are flat.

The Sprinter rides firmly and can turn busy when empty, but body control is better than the ProMaster's and it settles well under load. It falls just short of the independent-front Transit.

Diesel clatter at idle and the echo of the uninsulated cargo box make the cabin loud at highway speed. The Passenger Van's headliner and trim help only modestly.

Passenger Vans get a standard fuel-fired auxiliary heater with rear vents, plus an optional 34K BTU heater with remote start-up. A heated windshield, heated mirrors and heated seats are optional and rear A/C is available, but there is no automatic climate or ventilated seating.

The cheapest 2017 Sprinter is the de-contented Worker 2500 cargo van, launched for 2017 on the 144-inch wheelbase with the 2.1L four-cylinder diesel and seven-speed automatic. The regular 2500 cargo van starts at about $36.5K before destination.

The high-roof 170-inch 2500 cargo van is the usual fleet and upfit spec, with a $44,783 original MSRP. Typical options (partition, driver-assist and convenience packages, or the V6 upgrade) bring it to about $47K, roughly $10K more than a comparably specced Transit 250.

CarEdge projects about $6,200 over five years for the Sprinter 2500 at the model level. Both W906 BlueTEC diesels need DEF/SCR service and are prone to NOx-sensor, EGR and glow-plug repairs at Mercedes dealer labor rates, so the estimate is set somewhat higher. That is well above the gas-V6 Transit (~$3,700).

KBB shows this van at $16,950 after losing $13,630 (44%) over the last three years, which implies about $30.6K in 2023 and more at the 5-year point (2022). That figure is inflated by the 2021–23 used-van shortage, so it was moderated to ~60% of the $44.8K sticker. That is still far better retention than a 2017 Transit.

The standard Mercedes-Benz Vans basic limited warranty sits at the bottom of the band, level with the Transit and ProMaster.

Mercedes-Benz Vans covered the turbo-diesel powertrain for 5 years / 100,000 miles, which matches the Transit and ProMaster and sits at the bottom of the band.

No scheduled maintenance is included; prepaid maintenance and extended plans cost extra. The only perk is roadside assistance for the basic-warranty term, and there is no connected-service trial (Mercedes PRO connect arrived with the 2019 VS30).

$47,000 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (60% retained, or about $28,200) leaves about $18,800 in depreciation. Add the projected $6,500 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $25,300 in total.

Neither Consumer Reports nor J.D. Power publishes a model-level prediction for the 2017 Sprinter, so this score rests on indirect signals. MY2017 is a mature carry-over year of the 2014-refreshed W906, but RepairPal rates the line only average and owner-report aggregators log several critical issues. That puts it just below the average band.

Mercedes-Benz has landed below the industry average in recent J.D. Power U.S. Vehicle Dependability Studies, and Consumer Reports ranks it in the lower half of brands. Mercedes vans do better in European fleet surveys, which keeps the brand mid-pack rather than at the bottom.

The feed lists nine campaigns covering MY2017, and two of them are severe and broad: Takata-type driver and passenger frontal airbag inflators that can rupture. Those inflator recalls do not reach the 2018 model. MY2017 also shares the power-steering return-hose and 3500 camper ESC campaigns with 2018, and adds a missing-A-pillar-spot-weld recall. Together these push the year below the typical band.

The gas Sprinter 2500 used the 3.5L M276 V6 with the 7G-TRONIC PLUS seven-speed automatic, a pairing shared with Mercedes passenger cars. It avoids the injector-seal, DPF and SCR/DEF faults that dominate complaints about the diesel Sprinter. It sold in small numbers, though, so it lacks the diesel's high-mileage fleet record, and the 7G-TRONIC has a known history of conductor-plate and valve-body faults.

The 2014-refreshed W906 cab has a thicker steering wheel, new upholstery and Mercedes switchgear, which feel sturdy and a little more premium than the ProMaster. It is plainly a work-van interior of hard plastics, dated next to the 2015-on Transit's cab.

The 2017 vans were reassembled from kits in Ladson, SC. One assembly-error recall reached the structure (missing A-pillar spot welds, 153 vans), and the generation is known for body corrosion in salted regions (wheel arches, door bottoms, sliding-door tracks). That is solid but unremarkable assembly with a real rust weakness.

Service runs through a dedicated Mercedes-Benz Vans network of a few hundred US locations, plus Freightliner Sprinter dealers while that badge was sold. That covers metro areas adequately but is far thinner than the thousands of Ford and Ram dealers servicing the Transit and ProMaster.

Parts come largely from dealers at premium prices. The W906's long production run gives it a decent aftermarket, helped by camper upfitters, but it is still smaller than the Transit's or ProMaster's, and repair costs run above average.

The 2017 W906 Sprinter predates the 7-in and 10.25-in MBUX touchscreens that arrived with the 2019 VS30. The factory head unit is the button-and-dial Audio 15.

The Audio 15 is a basic radio with a small dot-matrix display, so Bluetooth pairing and media browsing go through dated menus. That trails the Transit's optional SYNC 3.

No Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, wired or wireless, was offered on the 2017 US Sprinter; phone projection arrived only with the 2019 MBUX generation and aftermarket units.

Navigation comes only through the optional Becker Map Pilot, a removable glovebox module driven through the radio's small display. Voice control is limited to Bluetooth hands-free calling.

The standard commercial-grade 4-speaker audio is weak in the big echoing cabin, and no factory premium or branded system was offered.

The gauges are analog with a small monochrome readout; a 4.2-in pixel-matrix multifunction display is an option, not a configurable digital cluster.

The 2017 Sprinter has no embedded modem, so there are no over-the-air updates; Map Pilot maps are updated by PC download.

There is no factory smartphone app for remote lock, locate or status on the 2017 US Sprinter. The only remote function is the optional remote-controlled auxiliary heater.

Device power is a USB/iPod connection on the radio plus 12V sockets. There is no USB-C, no wireless charging and no factory household outlet.

Every trim keeps a traditional key ignition with a remote-lock fob; there is no proximity entry, push-button start or phone-as-key.

A rear-view camera is optional (Driver Efficiency Package) rather than standard as on the 2017 Transit, and Parktronic sensors come only in the Active Safety Plus package. There is no surround view.

No head-up display was offered on any 2017 Sprinter.

The 12-seat Passenger Van gives walk-in access through a wide sliding door and plenty of seats, but the high step-in, bench-only rows and commercial fittings make daily car-seat logistics clumsier than in a minivan. The volume cargo van has no rear seating at all.

Neither NHTSA nor IIHS has crash-tested the Sprinter, and collision prevention, blind-spot and lane-keeping assists are optional packages. Crosswind Assist and stability control are standard.

There is huge luggage and standing room, and the Passenger Van gets standard rear heating, but the cabin is loud, the benches are firm and the rear rows lack amenities and entertainment.

The 7-speed automatic is smooth, but the 161-hp 2.1L diesel feels slow when merging, and the van's size, height and crosswind sensitivity make daily traffic tiring.

About 21 MPG from the diesel beats gas V6 rivals, but diesel fuel, DEF and Mercedes service pricing add up, so per-mile cost is about average for a full-size van.

The 233-in-long, 107-in-tall van turns in 44.6 ft on the short wheelbase, but the rear camera and parking sensors are optional, so tight urban parking takes care.

It offers about 3,100 lbs of payload, up to 532 cu ft of cargo, stand-up height and a 5,000–7,500-lb tow rating, plus an optional 4x4 with low range. The weak 2.1L is the limit under heavy load.

The W906 chassis is a fleet staple with a long service life, but BlueTEC emissions hardware, body rust and costly dealer repairs undercut its reputation under hard use.

The upfit ecosystem is deep: Mercedes Master Upfitter partners, chassis-cab and cutaway variants, standard tie-downs and a 660-lb roof rating. Onboard power is limited to 12V.

Range is excellent, at about 515 miles per 24.5-gal tank, but the loud cabin, firm seats and lack of adaptive cruise make long days fatiguing.

An optional 4x4 with low range, the 7.8-in clearance and its status as the default camper-van base make it a genuine overlanding platform. Most units are 2WD, and the size limits trail access.

A stand-up, 488–532 cu ft box with a 137–170-in floor swallows bikes, boards and camper fit-outs whole, and roof rails and a hitch are available.

The Sprinter feels secure and predictable for its size, with standard Crosswind Assist, but it has more body roll and less agility than the T6 Transit.

The hydraulic-assist steering is accurate and well weighted for a van but numb and slow on center.

Four-wheel discs with ABS, ESP and Brake Assist give stable, fade-resistant stops for the class, but there are no published instrumented stopping distances.

The 7G-Tronic shifts smoothly, but the 161-hp 2.1L four-cylinder diesel needs revs and has noticeable lag when loaded. The optional V6 is stronger but makes do with a 5-speed.

The four-cylinder diesel clatters at idle and drones under load, and the sound carries through an uninsulated cargo box.

Even the short-wheelbase van turns wider than the van band's 42-ft limit; long-wheelbase builds need 7–10 ft more.

A high, upright seat, huge mirrors and big glass give a commanding view, but the steering wheel only tilts, legroom is short at 38.9 in, and the climb-in is tall.

The Sprinter is a competent but slow work tool. The base 2.1L takes about 13 s to reach 60 mph, and the van has little character beyond its go-anywhere camper image.

Standard equipment on the 2017 Sprinter covers the 161-hp 2.1L diesel with a seven-speed automatic, stability control with Crosswind Assist, and a basic radio. Collision Prevention Assist, blind-spot and lane-keeping aids, a backup camera, navigation and most comfort features are extra-cost options, and the new Worker trim strips content further. The cheaper Transit and ProMaster match or beat that base content.

At about $44.8K for the 170-inch high-roof 2500, it costs roughly $8–10K more than a comparable Transit or ProMaster. For that money the volume van gets only 161 hp, an aging cabin and option-dependent safety tech. The $33.5K Worker, diesel torque, cargo height, available 4x4 and strong resale recover part of the gap.

The lineup is very broad. It spans the new low-cost Worker, 2500, 3500 and 3500XD weight classes; cargo, crew, passenger and cab-chassis bodies; standard and high roofs; 144-inch, 170-inch and extended wheelbases; and two diesel engines with a V6-only 4x4 option that no rival offered.

Sales held steady through 2017 on fleet, delivery and camper-conversion demand. The Sprinter still ran well behind the Transit, the segment's runaway volume leader.

The three-pointed star and the Sprinter's status as the default base for camper and luxury-shuttle conversions give it an image no other van matches, which supports its strong resale. A commercial-grade cargo version trades less on the badge than the conversion builds do.

Mercedes-Benz Vans ran commercial lease and finance programs, and the new Worker trim was effectively a price cut aimed at fleet buyers. Deeper run-out discounting came only with the 2018 final year.

MY2017 is the second-to-last year of a W906 generation that launched in 2006 and was last facelifted for MY2014. The all-new VS30 replaced it for 2019, so the platform was dated with a replacement on the horizon.

Reviewers praised the W906 for its cavernous high-roof cargo space, diesel efficiency and car-like handling. By 2017 they also flagged it as dated, slow with the base four-cylinder, expensive and below average on reliability, and the Transit was more often the pick of the class.