2020 bikesales Bike of the Year: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 519 CDi

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 519 CDi challenges any notion of a large van being humble or basic, and especially when – in the case of our test vehicle – it's loaded with over $14,000-worth of factory extras.

When bikesales went scouting for a support vehicle for its 2020 bikesales Bike of the Year mega-test, we had fairly low-key aspirations.

Something safe, robust and practical would have sufficed, but Mercedes-Benz upped the ante in every respect, providing a luxurious 'mothership' that carried all our gear, tools and spares over five days through Victoria's High Country.

The van would also accommodate any stricken bikes, though fortunately this year we experienced neither accidents nor breakdowns.

It's fitting that a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter was along for the ride in 2020, the milestone year marking not only the fifth running of bikesales' Bike of the Year, but also the 25th anniversary of the Sprinter. That's right, 'Benz's largest light commercial first arrived in 1995, and in that time it's come to dominate the large van segment, both in Australia and many other world markets.

That success is on-going – the Sprinter currently outsells its nearest competitor in Australia by nearly two to one. And over two weeks and nearly 2000 kilometres, we gained a solid insight into why the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has found such widespread favour.

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter underwent a generational update in 2018 and is available in myriad van, cab/chassis, and minibus models.

With six engine options, manual or auto transmissions, front-drive or rear-drive, and the aforementioned formats – plus various wheelbases, roof heights and GVMs (gross vehicle mass) – there's a Sprinter for every application.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 519 CDi van featured here is a long-wheelbase, high-roof model with a car-licence-friendly GVM of 4490kg. It's powered by Benz's 'OM642' 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel – the flagship engine for the Sprinter range – with the urge delivered to dual rear wheels via the brand's 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic.

This single-turbo engine is good for a claimed 190hp (140kW) at 3800rpm and a thumping 440Nm between 1400-2400rpm. It meets its Euro6 emissions compliance with the help of a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system, so there's AdBlue tank in addition to the 71-litre diesel tank.

The standard van in this particular variant is priced at $80,075 (including GST, plus ORC), but our test van is fitted with the following options:

• Leather steering wheel ($253)
• Painted bumper ($759)
• Full bulkhead ($611)
• Traffic sign assist ($418)
• Auto lights and wipers ($510)
• LED high-performance headlights ($2200)
• Fog lights ($310)
• 10.25-inch MBUX multimedia system ($1760)
• Adaptive cruise control ($1210)
• Parking package with 360-degree camera ($1375)
• Chrome radiator grille ($415)
• Black metallic paint ($2200)
• Barn doors ($715)
• Comfort seat pack ($715)

That totals $14,078, pushing the price of this van as tested to a heady $94,153 (plus ORC).

With its top-spec drivetrain and a fairly minimal load, it's hard to fault this van's performance. With just 200kg (or thereabouts) of gear in the back, it surges away from a standing start and pulls well to just short of its indicated redline (4250rpm) in the majority of its gears.

There's plenty of urge on tap from as low as 1000rpm and acceleration is brisk and willing to 3500rpm, while at 100km/h in seventh it's loping along at just over 2000rpm.

The seven-speed auto occasionally displayed a touch of hesitancy when selecting ratios on the steeper uphill bends we regularly encountered in the High Country but then there's always manual mode, the paddle shifters flicking the auto through its cogs with surprising speed and precision.

The auto won't readily downshift on descents, however, the transmission calibrated to favour economy over engine braking, but here too manual mode can assist if need be.

Handling is a highlight. The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter's ride was actually very refined even with the minimal weight, the van displaying very modest body roll through corners and a high degree of composure over average surfaces.

As for maneuverability, the steering box ratio is actually pretty short at just three turns lock to lock, but as a rear-drive model the turning circle is impressively tight for a van pushing an overall length of near seven metres.

The power steering requires only a light touch and the reversing camera and optional parking package with 360-degree camera make maneuvering the big machine a breeze.

The van's four-wheel disc brake arrangement pull the vehicle up well with excellent power and modulation at the pedal, while in-cab noise is suppressed nicely, save for a little road noise and the distant growl of the V6.

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Mercedes-Benz prides itself on safety and this Sprinter 519 doesn't miss out, having an extensive list of active and passive safety features.

There are all the staples – antilock brakes, stability control and so on – but it's the latest tech that really catches the eye. The adaptive cruise control works a treat and the blind spot monitoring is a huge plus too.

The speed sign recognition is also worthy, as is the lane departure warning and the active lane keeping function. The latter gently guides the van back into the centre of its lane if it inadvertently drifts onto the lane's boundaries, but can be deactivated if desired.

There there's crosswind assist, rollover mitigation, trailer stabilisation, load adaptive control – the list goes on.

Cab ingress/egress is easy due to the large and reasonably low step, the wide-opening doors and the grab handles for both driver and passenger. The handles are mounted on the doors though, not the A-pillars, so they can move a little when you haul yourself up.

The steering wheel is adjustable for tilt and reach and the set-up of all the integrated controls really works well. On the left is a touchpad to control the MBUX display (which is also a touchscreen in its own right), along with controls for the hands-free telephony.

On the right side of the wheel then is the adaptive cruise control and speed limiter functions, plus a touchpad to access all the trip and other info displayed in the central TFT screen (between the speedo and tacho).

Everything is right where you want it – it doesn't take long to familiarise yourself and if you drive a Mercedes-Benz passenger car (or truck, for that matter) you'll feel right at home.

Oh, and the voice command system is really slick, as is the integrated satellite navigation, while the MBUX system also comes with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. There's a USB port (and 12-volt socket) located in the concealed centre dash tray, which is perfect for storing your smartphone plus other odds and ends.

Finding the perfect driving position is easy thanks to the adjustable steering wheel and the six-way manually adjustable pedestal seating, and vision is excellent. Both the driver's and front passenger's seats in our test van come with fold-down armrests and adjustable lumbar support.

There's plenty of room to store gear (in our case a portable fridge) between the two seats, despite the presence of the manual park brake, with further storage in the double-deck door pockets, the twin overhead shelves, and the three dash-top trays.

There's no dead pedal as such but there's plenty of room for an idle left foot.

It's hard to see how life could be improved in this cab; the interior strikes a great balance between LCV utility and passenger car comfort and features.

Our test van has a load volume of 13.9m³ and a generous payload limit of 1911kg. The optional full bulkhead provides protection in an accident or during emergency braking, and the load bay floor has a textured surface that prevents sliding.

There are 12 sturdy tie-down anchor points dotted throughout the load bay, which is accessed via the near-side sliding door (1240mm wide x 1810mm high) or the rear 50/50 barn doors (1520mm wide x 1830mm high).

Our test van has two internal lights but no wall linings or 12-volt power socket. But both are available as options.

The load floor height (740mm) isn't super low – it's a rear-drive model, after all – but there are large, grippy steps at both the side door and the rear which make hopping in and out easier. And when you're inside, the ceiling height of 1920mm means no ducking of heads for most.

The dual rear wheels give a reduced measurement of 970mm between our test vehicle's wheel arches, but with a load bay length of 4307mm the van could have easily accommodated two large motorcycles, or even three if required. But we were happy not to put this aspect to the test!

After two weeks of use, including five days of hard use in the High Country, our Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 519 CDi covered just under 2000km at an average fuel economy of 12.0L/100km. That's a respectable figure given the terrain, the van's size and its usage, we think.

Service intervals are pegged at up to two years or 40,000km, and roadside assistance is provided for the duration of the van's five-year/250,000km factory warranty.

The Mercedes-Benz ServiceCare program provides three levels of maintenance support to give owners extra surety and control over their van's servicing costs.

You don't necessarily need all the bells and whistles when it comes to a van, but gee it was nice to have them in this Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 519 CDi. This new-generation van simply works incredibly well on every level, and for the 2020 bikesales Bike of the Year it provided dependability, performance, safety and comfort in spades.

Price: from $80,075 plus ORC ($94,153 plus ORC as tested)
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel
Power: 190hp (140kW) at 3800rpm
Torque: 440Nm at 1400-2400rpm
Emissions: Euro6
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Configuration: 4x2, rear-wheel drive, dual rear wheels
Front suspension: MacPherson strut
Rear suspension: Leaf spring
Wheelbase: 4325mmf (LWB)
Roof height: 2706mm (high roof)
GVM: 4490kg
Cargo volume: 13.9m³
Payload: 1911kg
Towing: 3500kg (braked)
Fuel capacity: 71lt
Safety: AEB, Adaptive ESP9i Electronic Stability Program (antilock brakes, traction control, hill start assist, crosswind assist, load adaptive control, rollover mitigation, trailer stabilization), blind spot assist, active lane keeping, attention assist, twin front airbags, window airbags, reversing camera, daytime running lights, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, auto lights and wipers, parking package with 360-degree camera
Warranty: Five years/250,000km
Test vehicle supplied by: Mercedes-Benz Vans Australia