Mercedes Sprinter vs. Ford Transit - What Are The Differences?

Is the Mercedes Sprinter Van the same as a Ford Transit Van?

Both Mercedes-Benz and Ford are brands synonymous with reliability and quality - with the Sprinter and the Transit, expect nothing less. Ready to 'boss' van life, the Sprinter and the Transit are popular commercial vehicles fit for hard work, accommodating passengers comfortably and long-distance trips when needed.

Each boast impressive capabilities, with both very good at their jobs. Assuming it's been properly maintained, an old Sprinter with 150,000 miles on the clock will readily give you another 150,000 miles. From inside to out, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is built for the long run. If you're after the ultimate smooth ride, the Ford Transit also offers excellent suspension. Pair this with a stylish and comfortable cabin, and the Transit delivers a very easy drive.

Head and shoulders above other commercial vehicles in their class, the Sprinter and the Transit have long been two of the best-selling vans on the market. They're premium, quality vans but don't let their polished, professional look fool you! Both the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and the Ford Transit are large, heavy vans, prepared for a hard day's graft.

With a range of engine options to suit every business, plus a good variety of dimensional specs, choose either the Transit or the Sprinter and expect a dependable, capable and comfortable van.

Here are some more specific similarities and differences between the Mercedes Sprinter and Ford Transit:

Exterior of Mercedes Sprinter and Ford Transit:

There isn't a great deal between the appearance of these two premium, heavy vans. Both the Sprinter and the Transit offer a sleek look and sport a confident stance. Neither go overboard with exterior styling, but come with plenty options to make it your own.

The Sprinter comes in two forms: the Panel van and the Crew van. With four varying wheelbase lengths available, the Sprinter can come slightly longer than the Transit (see specs below). You can also choose from five solid paint options or five metallic paints, plus with three different trim levels (PURE, PROGRESSIVE and PREMIUM) and three different heights available, the Sprinter provides many options to suit you perfectly.

The Transit comes in two forms also: the classic Transit van and the Double Cab-in-Van. With three different wheelbase lengths, plus two different heights available, the Transit's shape does vary too. With the Ford Transit, there's also three different trim levels available: the Leader, the Trend or the Limited. These can be chosen in a choice of three solid paint colours or six metallic paint options.

With both the Sprinter and the Transit, you're presented with many opportunities to personalise the exterior of your van.

Interior of Mercedes Sprinter and Ford Transit:

Every van buyer needs to pay attention to cab comfort - after all, you need something you'd want to work from, day-in-day-out! Luckily, both the Transit and the Sprinter score very well in this department.

With the Transit, you'll notice a very stylish, car-like cab. The seating position is slightly lower than the Sprinter and the infotainment system buttons are more prominent. With the Sprinter, the cab is very smart, sleek and functional - quite typical of the brand.

Enjoy Mercedes' renowned MBUX infotainment system in the Sprinter, or Ford's intuitive SYNC 3 in the Transit. Both systems offer excellent smartphone connectivity and intelligent navigation.

Both vans score equally on leg room too, both for driver and passengers, plus the amount of cupholders is the same.

Spec, Weight and Dimensions of the Mercedes Sprinter and Ford Transit:

Despite having very similar exterior dimensions, the Sprinter offers 17 cubic metres of load volume versus the Transit's 15.1.

Although the average height of the Ford Transit is generally taller than the Sprinter line-up, the tallest Sprinter variant offers 2,243mm of load height over the Transit's highest load height of 2,125mm.

In terms of wheelbase length, the longest Transit van available will offer you 3,750mm of length, whilst the longest wheelbase offered with the Sprinter is 4,325mm.

What's also worth noting, is that the heaviest Ford Transit, which comes with a gross weight of 4,700kg, can support a 2,209kg payload. Whereas the heaviest Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, with a gross weight of 5,000kg, can haul an impressive load of 2,529kg.

In terms of engines and performance, the 2.2-litre Transit and 2.1-litre Sprinter stack up fairly evenly, with the Sprinter achieving 129bhp and 305Nm or torque and the Transit reaching 123bhp and 350Nm. Both offer automatic, manual, plus front, rear and all-wheel drives.

Learn more about what van is best for you

Mercedes Sprinter Vs Ford Transit - The Verdict:

All in all, both the Sprinter and the Transit are reliable vans with a lot on offer. From strong, confident performance to a great selection of driver assistance systems on-board, they're equally prepared to get you through a busy working shift.

The Transit certainly scores highly for driver comfort and high levels of standard tech. The Sprinter additionally impresses with extra-large cargo space and an incredibly strong payload.

With plenty of options in terms of body style, engine and accessories, the Mercedes Sprinter and the Ford Transit can both be tailored to fit you and your business best.

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How Vansdirect can help you

Your choice of either the Sprinter or the Transit comes down to exactly what you need out of your new commercial vehicle. Ultimately, there's not much between these two outstanding vans.

Here at Vansdirect, we're happy to talk you through these models further and help you come to a decision based on your particular needs.

With fantastic finance options available, from leasing and contract hire to hire purchase, we offer you great flexibility too.

Get in touch today - our friendly team of experts are more than happy to help.