Compare the2024 Mercedes Sprinter Cargo VanVS 2024 Ford Transit Van

Safety
Warranty
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Payload and Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

Safety

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Both the Sprinter Cargo Van and Transit Van offer rear cross-traffic warning, but the Sprinter Cargo Van with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert also has Rear Cross Traffic Braking (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Transit Van’s Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

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 lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and driver alert monitors.

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.

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. 245/75R16).

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

Passenger Space

The Sprinter Cargo Van offers optional seating for 6 passengers; the Transit Van can only carry 2.

The Sprinter Cargo Van 2500 144” WB has 6.5 inches more front headroom and 3 inches more front hip room than the Transit T-150 Regular.

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 Long.

Cargo Capacity

The Sprinter Cargo Van 2500 144” WB has a much larger cargo volume than the Transit T-150 Regular (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 Long (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 Long-EL (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 2500 144” WB’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 28 inches, while the Transit T-150 Regular’s liftover is 28.9 inches. The Sprinter Cargo Van 2500 170” WB High Roof’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.5 inches, while the Transit T-150 Long’s liftover is 28.7 inches. The Sprinter Cargo Van 2500 170” EXT WB High Roof’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.5 inches, while the Transit T-250 Long-EL’s liftover is 28 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 Regular	Transit T-250 Long-EL
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 has much higher optional payload capacities than the Transit Van:

	Sprinter Cargo Van	Transit Van
2500 Van	4211 lbs.	4068 lbs.
3500 Van	5739 lbs.	5114 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.

The Sprinter Cargo Van has standard Keyless-Start that allows you to start the engine without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Intelligent Access costs extra on the Transit Van.

The Sprinter Cargo Van’s optional power passenger’s side sliding door makes it much easier to load and unload kids and cargo. One touch opens the door, before you even get to the van. The Transit Van doesn’t offer a power rear door.

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.

The Sprinter Cargo Van’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Transit Van’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen. The Sprinter Cargo Van’s LED headlights produce a white, bright light using less electricity than the Transit Van’s optional xenon high intensity discharge (HID) headlights. HID headlights can be slow to reach full brightness or power cycle, causing issues when flashing them to signal other vehicles; LED headlights light instantly. LED lights also last about three to four times as long.

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.

Economic Advantages

The Sprinter Cargo Van will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Sprinter Cargo Van will retain 59.21% to 61.24% of its original price after five years, while the Transit Van only retains 56.69% to 58.16%.