Tests and Features

Vancouver, BC - There’s absolutely no denying that the idea of dropping it all and hitting the open road to live in a tricked-out school bus or van hasn’t crossed my mind at least once or twice over the past few years especially since the pandemic hit. And I’m not …

The “van life” movement has become so popular over the last 20 years that several companies now sell or rent small vans that are fitted with everything you need for a camping weekend, or a good old road trip across the country. The prices vary widely, some adventure-ready vehicles even …

CHARLESTON, South Carolina – It was inside a gigantic, and all-new, 1.5-million square-foot assembly plant that Mercedes-Benz unveiled its latest cargo van. The factory, which sits just outside of the very charming city of Charleston, in South Carolina, currently employs 900 people and represents a 500-million-dollar investment for Mercedes-Benz. The …

When Mercedes-Benz imported its cargo van to the North-American market, little did it know it would be such a sales success. Since then, we’ve seen the Sprinter in different shapes, sizes and colors, even carrying the logos of other brands on its front grille, such as Dodge and Freightliner. Today, …

With the Sprinter 4x4 creating a new niche in commercial vehicles in Canada, Mercedes-Benz will expand its commercial fleet this fall with the arrival of the Metris. Known globally as the Vito, this midsize commercial van will be available in cargo and passenger versions, and will be powered by a …

There’s no doubt that the hardest-working passenger vehicles in Canada are pickup trucks. They can be found throughout the country hauling dirt, motorcycles, landscaping equipment, and any other number of work and leisure related articles. For cargo that needs to be sheltered from the elements, there’s the venerable cargo van.

On a beautiful, sunny day, Mercedes-Benz invited me to come and meet its line of Sprinter vans, updated for 2014. My experience with vans was pretty limited; I’d quickly driven a 1987 GMC Van a few years prior, but that was about it. I felt ill-prepared to compare the new …

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has been available in North America since 2001. Sold initially as a Freightliner (a subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz) product, then as a Mercedes-Benz product and finally as a Dodge during the Daimler-Chrysler fusion, this big van returned to the Mercedes-Benz fold after the bankruptcy of Chrysler and the …

I woke up bright and early on the second-to-last day of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Arctic Drive to find that our idling vans were still going strong in the parking lot of the truck stop in Coldfoot. After topping them up with fuel and anti-gel to keep the diesel from freezing …

Up and ready to roll early on Day Two of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Arctic Drive, I peer out the window into the parking lot to see that blowing snow and morning darkness obscure our fleet of vans as we prepare to depart Fairbanks. Depositing my luggage in the lobby, I …