2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Passenger Van Safety and Reliability

As a van, the Sprinter misses out on the opportunity to prove itself on the crash test course, and so neither the NHTSA or IIHS has put one through its paces. This seems mighty odd when you consider the fact that it was designed for the pure and simple reason of transporting up to 15 humans at a time. The good news here is that Mercedes-Benz has upped the Sprinter's safety game by quite a substantial margin thanks to the addition of several optional driver assistance tech. With Mercedes-Benz's reputation for building ultra-safe cars, we wouldn't worry too much about the Sprinter Passenger Van.

For a simple box on wheels designed as a human sardine can, the Sprinter Passenger Van does come with its fair share of safety systems and equipment, both traditional and modern. All Sprinter Passenger Vans come with standard longitudinal member reinforcement to protect its precious cargo in the event of a side-on collision, and there's also a set of ABS-equipped brakes, crosswind assistance, and a traction and stability control system on board. A rearview camera and tire-pressure monitoring are included, too. You'll have to look at the options list if you're serious about safety, however: optional safety features include blind-spot assist and attention assist as part of the Driver Convenience package, active lane-keep assist contained in the Premium package, as well as intelligent navigation and traffic assist as part of the Premium Plus package. A Parking package with a 360-degree camera system is another option.

No recalls have been published for the 2023 model at the time of writing, but the 2022 model was recalled four times, for loss of drive due to a fuel pump shutting down, a malfunctioning instrument display omitting critical information, improperly deploying side airbags, and failed guide bushing that may cause the vehicle to roll away. The 2021 Sprinter Passenger Van was recalled 14 times, so things have definitely been improving.

Mercedes will cover its Sprinter Passenger Van with a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty, a five-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, a five-year/100,000-mile corrosion and drivetrain warranty, as well as three years or 36,000 miles of roadside assistance.