Both the Sprinter Cargo Van and the Transit Van have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.
Compare the2022 Mercedes Sprinter Cargo VanVS 2022 Ford Transit Van


Safety
Warranty
The Sprinter Cargo Van comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire van. The Transit Van’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.
Mercedes’ powertrain warranty covers the Sprinter Cargo Van 40,000 miles longer than Ford covers the Transit Van. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Transit Van ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.
Reliability
From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mercedes 2 places higher in reliability than Ford.
Tires and Wheels
For better traction, the Sprinter Cargo Van 3500/4500’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Transit Van (285/65R16 vs. 235/65R16).
Suspension and Handling
The Sprinter Cargo Van has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Sprinter Cargo Van flat and controlled during cornering. The Transit Van’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.
The Sprinter Cargo Van has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Transit Van doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.
For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Sprinter Cargo Van’s wheelbase is longer than on the Transit Van:
|
Sprinter Cargo Van |
Transit Van |
SWB Van |
144 inches |
130 inches |
LWB Van |
170 inches |
147.6 inches |
For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Sprinter Cargo Van is 1 inch wider in the rear than the average track on the Transit Van.
For better maneuverability, the Sprinter Cargo Van 1500 144” WB’s turning circle is 2.2 feet tighter than the Transit T-150 MWB’s (40.7 feet vs. 42.9 feet).
Chassis
The Mercedes Sprinter Cargo Van may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 400 pounds less than the Ford Transit Van.
Passenger Space
The Sprinter Cargo Van offers optional seating for 6 passengers; the Transit Van can only carry 2.
The Sprinter Cargo Van 1500 144” WB has 6.5 inches more front headroom and 3 inches more front hip room than the Transit T-150 MWB.
The Sprinter Cargo Van 2500 170” WB High Roof has 4.4 inches more front headroom and 3 inches more front hip room than the Transit T-150 LWB.
Cargo Capacity
The Sprinter Cargo Van 1500 144” WB has a much larger cargo volume than the Transit T-150 MWB (319 vs. 246.7 cubic feet).
The Sprinter Cargo Van 2500 170” WB High Roof has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Transit T-150 LWB (370.8 vs. 277.7 cubic feet).
The Sprinter Cargo Van 2500 170” EXT WB High Roof has a much larger cargo volume than the Transit T-250 LWB-E (532.6 vs. 487.3 cubic feet).
A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Sprinter Cargo Van easier. The Sprinter Cargo Van’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.5 inches, while the Transit T-250 LWB-E’s liftover is 28 inches. The Transit T-150 MWB’s liftover is 28.9 inches.
The Sprinter Cargo Van’s cargo area is larger than the Transit Van’s in almost every dimension:
|
Sprinter Cargo Van 2500 170” EXT WB High Roof |
Sprinter Cargo Van 2500 170” WB High Roof |
Transit T-150 MWB |
Transit T-250 LWB-E |
Max Width |
70.4” |
70.4” |
70.2” |
70.2” |
Min Width |
53.2” |
53.2” |
54.8” |
45.4” |
Height |
79.1” |
79.1” |
56.9” |
81.5” |
Payload and Towing
Maximum trailer towing in the Ford Transit Van is limited to 6900 pounds. The Sprinter Cargo Van 3500 offers up to a 7500 lbs. towing capacity.
The Sprinter Cargo Van 1500 144” WB has a much higher standard payload capacity than the Transit T-150 (3953 vs. 3685 lbs.).
The Sprinter Cargo Van has much higher optional payload capacities than the Transit Van:
|
Sprinter Cargo Van |
Transit Van |
1500 Van |
3953 lbs. |
3685 lbs. |
2500 Van |
4453 lbs. |
4085 lbs. |
3500 Van |
5717 lbs. |
5174 lbs. |
Ergonomics
When three different drivers share the Sprinter Cargo Van, the optional memory seats make it convenient for all three. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver and front passenger’s seat positions. The Transit Van doesn’t offer memory seats.
The Sprinter Cargo Van’s front power windows open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Transit Van’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.
If the windows are left open on the Sprinter Cargo Van the driver can close them all from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Transit Van can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.
To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Sprinter Cargo Van offers an optional rear wiper. The Transit Van doesn’t offer a rear wiper.
To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Sprinter Cargo Van offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Transit Van doesn’t offer cornering lights.
The Sprinter Cargo Van’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Ford charges extra for heated mirrors on the Transit Van.
The Sprinter Cargo Van’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Transit Van’s power mirror controls are on the dash where they are possibly hidden by the steering wheel and are awkward to manipulate.
The Sprinter Cargo Van’s optional automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Transit Van doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.
To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mercedes Sprinter Cargo Van offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the glovebox. The Transit Van doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.