Motoring Middle East: Car news, Reviews and Buying guides

Why isn’t every van this clever?
By Imthishan Giado

It would be fair to call us a bit spoilt. We’ve driven nearly every kind of fast car imaginable on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina F1 circuit, from humble 86s to Cadillacs, to Porsches. But never…a van.

Yes, I went all the way to Yas Marina to try out a van. Not just any van though – this is the refreshed version of Mercedes’ renowned Sprinter range, a super-versatile hauler that’s been hugely successful in Europe and North America. In the Middle East though, it’s a rarer sight. Profit-obsessed companies buy cheaper Japanese, Korean – and increasingly, Chinese – vehicles that are cheap to run but are little more than white boxes-on-wheels with little-to-none in the way of safety features. Put it this way – ABS is optional on the new Nissan Urvan. It’s not even an option on the market-leading Toyota Hiace!

And when it comes to safety, nobody does it better (cue the James Bond theme) than Mercedes Benz. The new Sprinter features five new safety systems starting with the ninth version of Merc’s ESP system which is capable of automatically triggering a wipe of the brake discs to ensure they’re ready for maximum stoppage – how many cars do you know that do do that? The other four new systems have essentially migrated their way from Merc’s passenger car line-up. Using a windshield-mounted camera, Lane Keep Assist warns a drowsy driver if he’s veering across lanes, while cameras at all four corners are part of Blind Spot Assist, ensuring no pesky cars hide in a van’s huge slabby sides. Collision Prevention Assist uses radar and a bevy of sensors to warn you if you’re getting too close to the car in front and pre-load safety systems in the event of an emergency. Finally, Cross Wind Assist uses the ESP system to keep the vehicle planted in the midst of sudden gusts – or as we call them, sandstorms.

Sprinters literally come in all shapes and sizes – four lengths and three heights of roofs, to start with. The styling’s been updated to reflect Merc’s new hexagonal look grille so there are new fenders and a raised bonnet for better pedestrian safety. Merc even claims seven new available colours – though everybody only buys them in white here. Four engines will available in the Middle East: a 156bhp 1.8-litre four-banger petrol which will be the workhorse of the range, a meaty 268bhp 3.5-litre V6 for luxury versions and a 2.2-litre diesel in 116bhp and 150bhp states of tune. Believe it or not, the Sprinter is one of the first cars in the region to ditch a CD player entirely – Merc’s market research told them customers weren’t interested so it only has an SD card slot. In other markets navigation is available but as Merc doesn’t have an Arabic version available of the mapping, we won’t get the Audio 15 system that supports it.

I only drove the Sprinter briefly in a wet slalom course on Yas’ Dynamic Handling skidpan so my impressions behind the wheel are virtually non-existent. What I can tell you is that the diesel manual I drove had fun potential written all over it – it had tons of torque if not outright speed, a super-light clutch and a nicely-weighted gearbox, relatively car-like handling for something so large and a very comfortable driving position. The safety systems worked flawlessly on the skidpan, the van cutting power to wheels and defiantly resisting attempts to oversteer. A brief brake test also showed that this big old mass of metal stops just fine.

I’d like to end on a sobering note. People don’t pay much attention to van drivers here, they’re an obstacle you weave through in traffic. But the reality is that they transport both goods and souls across this great country night and day. As a former van driver myself, I can testify to the fact that it is a hard, back-breaking job that requires hours and hours of concentration, while getting no respect at all from other road users. Judging by the appalling safety record of van drivers in the UAE, many a driver has gotten it wrong and many passenger has paid an ultimate price.

The Sprinter is by no means the only choice in the segment, but its safety emphasis is entirely laudable and vans like it could have a significant impact on our terrible death toll. Don’t companies need to look at more than the bottom line? Don’t employees deserve better? If you’re an commercial vehicle buyer and you’re reading this, I hope it gives you pause.