2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

MY2023 is the major mid-cycle update for the third-generation (VS30) Sprinter. The 2.0L turbocharged gas four-cylinder carries over unchanged at 188 hp, while the V6 diesel gives way to a 2.0L OM654 four-cylinder diesel in 168 hp and 208 hp outputs. The scored gas configuration sits near the bottom of the van band.

The gas engine makes 258 lb-ft, which is less than either diesel (295/332 lb-ft) and modest for a loaded full-size van.

Mercedes publishes no 0–60 time, and I found no US instrumented test of the gas van. With 188 hp moving roughly 5,800–6,000 lb, about 11 seconds unladen fits results for similar vans and is past the slow end of the van band.

The turbo gas four is smoother and quieter at idle than the diesels, but it has to rev hard to move a heavy van and loses breath with cargo aboard. Turbo response is reasonable, but the engine feels underpowered next to the Transit's V6.

From 2023 every Sprinter, gas included, uses the 9G-TRONIC nine-speed automatic. It shifts smoothly and quickly, and its close ratios help the small gas engine.

The gas engine was offered only on the 2500 RWD, which is rated for 5,000 lbs. The 7,500-lb rating belongs to diesel 3500 models, which the scored configuration can't be ordered as.

New for 2023, full-time AWD that can send up to 50% of torque to the front axle replaces the old part-time 4x4, but it is offered only with the High Output diesel. The gas van is RWD-only.

The RWD gas van is built for pavement. It has no factory skid plates, lockers, low range or crawl control, and its long wheelbase and low clearance limit it further. Its traction control handles light gravel at best.

The 2023 US lineup has three combustion choices: a 188-hp gas I4, a 168-hp diesel and a 208-hp High Output diesel, with AWD on the latter. The second-generation eSprinter didn't reach the US until MY2024, so there is no electrified option this year.

The Sprinter 2500 is above 8,500 lb GVWR, so the EPA doesn't rate it, and dealer listings show N/A for both city and highway. Owners of turbo-gas vans typically report mid-teens, about 3–4 MPG below the 2.0L diesel, so 16 MPG combined is the middle estimate.

There is no official city figure. Stop-and-go driving with a 188-hp turbo four pulling a heavy van brings it to about 15 MPG.

The new-for-2023 nine-speed's tall top gear helps on the highway, but the tall body's drag holds the gas van to about 18 MPG.

The gas Sprinter's 22.0-gallon tank at about 16 MPG gives roughly 350 miles. That is similar to the gas Transit and well short of the 24.5-gallon diesel's ~490 miles.

With no EPA figure, the cost is estimated. 15,000 miles at about 16 MPG is roughly 940 gallons a year, which comes to about $3,700 at 2023 average prices (premium ~$4.10, regular ~$3.50, blended to reflect the uncertain fuel grade).

Sources disagree on the grade: one spec site lists premium unleaded for the 2023 gas 2500, and a Canadian spec sheet lists regular. The Mercedes M274-family engine is typically tuned for premium, so I assume premium is recommended. Even so, gasoline avoids the diesel's DEF top-ups and is sold everywhere.

NHTSA has not published an overall NCAP star rating for the 2023 Sprinter. Full-size commercial vans sit outside its routine test pool, so the value is the segment-norm estimate used across the full-size-van peers (Transit, ProMaster), not a measured result.

IIHS has never tested the third-generation (VS30) Sprinter for crashworthiness, so there is no award to credit. The score is held at the segment norm because the full airbag suite and stability systems are standard and no structural concerns have been reported.

Active Brake Assist (AEB), Crosswind Assist, stability control and a rear camera are standard on the facelifted 2023 Sprinter. On the volume 2500 cargo van, Blind Spot Assist, Attention Assist, DISTRONIC adaptive cruise and Active Lane Keeping Assist are separately priced options, so the core is covered but much of the suite costs extra.

The standard radar-and-camera Active Brake Assist is designed to detect both vehicles and pedestrians. IIHS has published no front crash prevention results for the Sprinter, so its day, night and pedestrian performance is unverified.

Blind Spot Assist is optional on most US trims and unavailable on a few. Sideguard Assist, which watches for cyclists and pedestrians beside the van in right turns, is an option that is rare in the class. None of this coverage is standard.

Active Lane Keeping Assist is an option. It corrects the van away from lane edges rather than centering it continuously, which is adequate but behind the centering systems in newer passenger vehicles.

Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC is Mercedes' mature radar adaptive cruise, and from 2023 every Sprinter, gas included, pairs it with the 9G-TRONIC automatic. In the US it is an option rather than standard, and there is no integrated steering-assist highway mode.

The 2023 Sprinter offers no hands-free highway driving system, and DISTRONIC requires hands on the wheel. Mercedes' DRIVE PILOT is limited to the S-Class and EQS passenger cars.

Many volume cargo builds have halogen headlamps, with LED high-performance headlamps and Headlight Assist (auto high beam) available as options. IIHS has never rated the Sprinter's headlights.

A tall seating position, deep windshield and large split mirrors give strong forward and side sightlines. Windowless cargo bodies leave the rear quarters blind and rely on the rear camera, with a 360-degree camera optional on many trims.

Passenger and Crew configurations have bench seats with child-seat anchors, and the wide sliding door and tall cabin make installation easy. The volume 2500 cargo van has only front seats, and anchors are unavailable on several cargo trims.

For 2023 the gas engine was offered only on the 2500 Cargo and Crew vans, so the scored gas volume trim is the 3-seat cargo van, the same basis the ProMaster cargo van is scored on. The 12- and 15-passenger Passenger Vans were diesel-only.

The upright full-size-van cab gives headroom far above the top of the van band. The VS30 body is unchanged across the third generation, and the 2023 mid-cycle update changed the powertrains, not the body.

The upright cab is limited by the bulkhead, so front legroom is shorter than in car-based vans. The figure is the same on every body.

The scored cargo van has no rear seat. The figure is for the second-row bench of the gas-available Crew van, estimated from the 47.3 in front headroom because the flat roof keeps the same height toward the rear. It matches the method on the 2024–2026 scorecards.

Mercedes publishes no figure. The Crew van's second-row bench is adult-usable but not generous. Estimated the same way as the 2024–2026 scorecards.

No gas Sprinter offers a third row. The cargo van seats up to 3 and the Crew van 5, and the multi-bench Passenger Vans were diesel-only for 2023.

Graded on the cargo box of the volume cargo van, like the peer vans. A standard-roof 144" box sits mid-pack against high-roof ProMaster builds.

The extended high-roof Sprinter has one of the largest cargo boxes in the class. This is the nameplate maximum, and the gas 2500 is offered in fewer body lengths.

There's a dash-top tray, overhead and door bins, and an inexpensive smartphone tray with wireless charging as an option. Upfitter prep is well supported, but the cargo trim has no rear-cabin storage solutions to speak of.

The front seats are well bolstered and widely judged the best in a full-size van. On the cargo trim they're basic cloth with manual adjustment, and power and heated seats are optional.

The ride is more composed than the ProMaster's and on par with the Transit's. An empty cargo van on commercial springs is still firm and busy over broken pavement.

The gas four is smoother and quieter at idle than the diesels, but it revs hard under load, and an unlined cargo box echoes road and body noise into the cab.

The volume cargo trim keeps manual climate control. Heated seats, a heated wheel and a heated windshield are options, and rear auxiliary climate is offered only on Passenger trims, which weren't available with gas.

The cheapest 2023 Sprinter is the gas 2500 standard-roof 144-inch cargo van. MY2023 was the last year a gas engine was offered before the US lineup went diesel/electric-only, so this entry price is about $5,400 below the 2024 diesel-only base.

Within the scored gas powertrain, the high-roof 170-inch 2500 cargo van is the most common spec for upfits and conversions. It starts at $53,085 including destination, and common option packages bring typical stickers to about $55K.

CarEdge projects $6,211 over five years for the Sprinter 2500, but that is a model-level figure dominated by diesel vans. The gas I4 avoids DEF and diesel fuel-filter service, so it is estimated somewhat lower, while Mercedes dealer labor rates keep it above a gas Transit.

CarEdge's model-level projection (~64% retained) is contradicted by real 2023 market data: KBB shows a 2023 Sprinter 2500 has lost about 52% in three years. Gas vans are also a one-year-only orphan configuration, so they are less desirable than diesels on the used market; about 45% at five years is projected.

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

The 5-year term sits at the low end of the band. Mercedes Vans quotes a 100,000-mile cap, though some secondary listings show 60,000 miles; the score depends only on the 5-year term either way.

No scheduled maintenance is included; prepaid maintenance and Extended Limited Warranty plans cost extra. The perks are 24/7 roadside assistance for the basic-warranty term and a Mercedes PRO connect trial, which is the basic-roadside level.

$55,000 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (45% retained, or about $24,750) leaves about $30,250 in depreciation. Add the projected $5,800 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $36,050 in total.

Neither Consumer Reports nor J.D. Power publishes a public model-level prediction for the 2023 Sprinter, so this rests on indirect signals. MY2023 was the big mid-cycle update, with a new 9G-TRONIC across the range, new diesels, new AWD and a revised electrical architecture, and first-year-of-change vans drew a heavy run of assembly and wiring recalls. Owner reports are mixed rather than poor.

In recent J.D. Power U.S. Vehicle Dependability Studies Mercedes-Benz has landed below the industry average, and Consumer Reports ranks it in the lower half of brands. That is mid-pack-to-weak, well behind Lexus, Toyota and the domestic truck brands but not at the very bottom.

MY2023 carries the heaviest recall load of the recent Sprinter years. Several campaigns are serious: loss of drive power from a fuel-pump shutdown and from wiring-harness chafe or an unsecured 12-V ground, rear-axle U-bolts, a front strut bolt and frame-member reinforcement. Most campaigns are low-volume, but the fuel-pump recall reached about 20,500 vans, and together they show a systemic assembly-quality pattern for the update year.

The scored gas van uses the 2.0L turbo four (188 hp) carried over from the 2019 VS30 launch, now paired with the 9G-TRONIC nine-speed for 2023. The engine family is widely used across Mercedes products with no catastrophic failure pattern, though camshaft-adjuster and timing-chain complaints follow it. The gas Sprinter also lacks the diesel's long high-mileage fleet record, and the 2021–23 fuel-pump shutdown recall counts against it.

With MBUX and Mercedes switchgear, the Sprinter's cab is the most car-like and best-finished among full-size work vans, a step above the Transit and ProMaster. Lower-cabin and cargo surfaces are hard, durable plastics, as expected in the class.

Reviewers find the Sprinter's cab tighter and quieter than its domestic rivals. MY2023 builds, however, carry an unusual number of assembly-error recalls: missing partition-wall bolts, an unsecured strut bolt, an unsecured ground, harness routing and frame reinforcement. That points to inconsistent initial build quality in the update year.

Sales and service run through a dedicated Mercedes-Benz Vans network of a few hundred US locations. That covers metro areas adequately but is far thinner than the thousands of Ford and Ram dealers servicing the Transit and ProMaster, so rural fleets face longer trips and waits.

Parts are largely dealer-sourced and premium-priced, and the independent aftermarket, centred on upfitters and campers, is smaller than the Transit's or ProMaster's. Without the diesel's DEF/SCR and injector costs, the gas van's repair bills run somewhat lower.

The volume cargo trim has the 7-inch first-generation MBUX screen. The 10.25-inch display is an option that appears on many dealer-stock vans.

First-generation MBUX is still the most polished interface in a work van, with a clean menu structure and touchpad-style wheel controls. The base 7-inch unit is plain, and it's older and slower than the MBUX generation that arrived for 2025.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto work only through a USB cable, and smartphone integration is packaged with the MBUX upgrades. Wireless projection arrived only with the 2025 update.

The 'Hey Mercedes' natural-language assistant and optional MBUX navigation are good for the class. Navigation is an option rather than standard, and trailer-aware routing came only in 2025.

The standard work-van audio is adequate for speech and radio, and no branded premium system is offered.

Analog gauges flank a color multifunction display. A full digital cluster arrived only with the 2025 update.

MBUX and Mercedes me connect support over-the-air map and infotainment updates. Nothing beyond infotainment is updated or added remotely.

The Mercedes me app covers remote lock and unlock, vehicle location and vehicle status. Mercedes PRO connect adds fleet tools that are useful to businesses.

There are USB-C ports with MBUX and a 12V outlet, and a wireless-charging tray is a cheap option. No 120V household outlet is standard on the cargo trim.

Remote keyless entry is standard, but the volume trim starts with a key. KEYLESS-GO proximity entry and push-button start are options.

A rear camera is standard, and a 360-degree camera with Parking Package sensors is available.

No head-up display is offered on the Sprinter.

The gas Sprinter is a cargo or Crew van. Only the Crew's 2nd-row bench can take child seats, the step-in is high, and the multi-row Passenger Vans were diesel-only.

Active Brake Assist and Crosswind Assist are standard, but Blind Spot Assist, DISTRONIC and lane keeping are options. The van has no NHTSA or IIHS crash ratings.

Five seats at most in a gas Crew van, with no rear climate and a utilitarian rear cabin. It has huge luggage space but little passenger comfort.

Car-like controls and a smooth 9-speed make it the easiest full-size van to live with, but its size and height make every trip deliberate.

Around 16 MPG on premium-priced gas, with a premium van price, makes it an expensive commuter, though it avoids diesel/DEF costs.

A 45-foot turning circle and a height of 96 inches or more rule out many garages. The optional 360-degree camera helps.

The 319–374 cu ft box carries well, but the gas van is limited to the 2500 with 5,000 lb towing, and 188 hp is modest under full load. The 7,500-lb rating is diesel 3500 only.

It's the benchmark fleet van with a long upfit history. The gas engine avoids diesel aftertreatment, but the small turbo four works hard in loaded duty.

The upfit ecosystem is excellent, with the Master Upfitter program, tie-down prep and multiple roof heights. The gas engine narrows the choice to 2500 bodies.

Comfortable seats and optional DISTRONIC help on long drives, but about 350 miles of range and a busy-revving gas engine make it a lesser mile-eater than the diesel.

It's a great camper-conversion base with a huge aftermarket, but the gas van is RWD-only (the new 2023 AWD came only with the High Output diesel) and ground clearance is limited.

The cavernous cargo box, rear doors that open up to 270 degrees and a sliding side door take any gear.

Its body control is the best of the full-size vans, but it remains a tall, heavy commercial vehicle.

The steering is light and predictable with decent on-center feel, though it offers little feedback.

Four-wheel disc brakes give strong, well-modulated stopping, and Active Brake Assist is standard.

The 9-speed is smooth and quick-shifting. The 188-hp gas four is refined at light throttle but has to rev hard and feels short of breath with a load.

The gas engine has none of the diesel's cold-start clatter and idles smoothly, but it gets buzzy at high revs under load.

The long wheelbase gives it a turning circle well beyond the van band. The figure is the same across the third generation.

The tall, commanding seat and car-like controls are strong points. The 2023 van keeps the older steering wheel and a mechanical parking brake, and front legroom is limited by the bulkhead.

It's pleasant for a van, but it drives like an appliance.

For MY2023 every Sprinter, including the gas 2500, gets the 9G-TRONIC nine-speed automatic, MBUX infotainment and core driver aids such as Active Brake Assist and Crosswind Assist. Comfort and convenience features are mostly expensive option packages, which is competitive but not generous for a premium-priced van.

The gas I4 is the cheapest way into a 2023 Sprinter, at about $46.8K delivered, but it brings only 188 hp and 5,000 lb towing against the Transit's V6. It is also a one-year orphan whose resale is weaker than the diesel's, so it is fair value but not a bargain.

It has the broadest lineup in the segment: 2500/3500/3500XD/4500 weight classes in cargo, crew, passenger and cab-chassis bodies, standard or high roof, 144"/170" wheelbases plus an extended body, a gas engine plus two diesel outputs, and RWD or AWD.

At about 46,000 US units in 2023 the Sprinter was a solid number two behind the dominant Ford Transit, essentially flat on 2022. Mercedes-Benz USA's total van volume rose 8% that year.

The three-pointed star and the Sprinter's status as the default base for van-life conversions and luxury shuttles give it an image no rival van matches. The gas version shares the badge but not the diesel's camper-market cachet.

Commercial-van supply was still recovering in 2023 and Mercedes van sales grew, so discounts were modest and mostly came as Mercedes finance or lease support. Deep markdowns did not appear until the 2024 inventory build-up.

The VS30 generation launched for MY2019, and MY2023 is its major update: the V6 diesel gives way to a 2.0L four-cylinder diesel in two outputs, a nine-speed automatic and full-time AWD arrive, and the gas I4 carries over. It is mid-cycle but newly refreshed, though the gas engine itself was dropped after this year.

Reviewers praise the 2023 update's refinement, nine-speed automatic and driving manners and call it the most car-like van in the class. Reliability and price remain knocks, and the Transit is usually the value pick.