2004 Dodge Sprinter Road Test

While I was immediately impressed at what I saw, I couldn't help but laugh at the van's name. I mean, what Einstein came up with Sprinter for what is possibly one of the world's slowest accelerating vehicles. While irony seemed certainly alive and well in Germany, I was once again impressed with what I experienced. Compared to the majority of cube vans on the market, the Sprinter definitely lives up to its name. Its 5-cylinder Mercedes-Benz CDI (common rail direct

Compared to the majority of cube vans on the market the Sprinter, with its Mercedes-Benz CDI turbodiesel engine, definitely lives up to its name. (Photo: DaimlerChrysler)

injection) turbodiesel is lively for sure; at least once the turbo kicks in at about 8 km/h (5 mph). Even fully loaded it gave no complaint when ramping up speed, easily keeping up to stop and go city traffic. Once under way it kept pulling past highway speeds with an enthusiasm that belies its obvious girth.

Just like all diesels, horsepower, which incidentally is rated at 154 at 3,800 rpm, has little to do with it. Torque is what matters, with the Sprinter's engine putting out a maximum of 243 lb-ft from between 1,600 and 2,400 rpm. Its significant output contributes to a 3,810 kg (8,400 lb) towing capacity. The diesel is the only engine Dodge offers, which makes sense considering the vehicle's commercial applications. Anyone running a fleet can quickly calculate the running cost savings attributed to diesel power, with reduced initial fuel costs, increased driving range (with customers reporting

The Sprinter's electronic transmission is luxury car-like smooth. (Photo: DaimlerChrysler)

10.7 L/100 km or 22 mpg average fuel consumption and a vehicle range of nearly 885 km or 550 miles) and lower maintenance overall. And new diesels are hardly the noisy, smelly beasts of the past. This CDI unit is quite quiet actually, smooth in operation, partially due to its variable turbine geometry.

Shifting via the console mounted lever can be done manually, via a Mercedes-Benz version of AutoStick sequential mode, or just left in drive for fully automatic gear changes. Either way the electronic transmission is luxury car-like smooth.