The Iveco Daily may just be the best van to ever come out of Europe. This is a van that’s 4 decades old and is quite underrated in the west, simply due to a lack of marketing. The Mercedes Sprinter on the other hand is as prominent as ever. It’s the most luxurious and high-tech van in the game. So, who wins the Iveco Daily vs Mercedes Sprinter debate for overlanding purposes then? Let’s find out:
Both of these vans offer a bunch of engine and transmission options. If we look at the current models, the Iveco daily offers a range of 2.3-3.0-liter turbodiesel 4-cylinder engines. These are available with manual and automatic gearboxes. In the olden days, you got only 2-3 engines to choose from.
In comparison, the Sprinter Mercedes offers a wider range of engines. You can choose from a 2.1-liter I4 which is the base model, all the way up to a 3.5-liter V6 engine. However, they’re a lot older than the Iveco’s. The catalog offers 1 manual and 3 automatic transmission options.
Unlike the Iveco, the Merc van is available with petrol options as well.
Check out the Iveco Daily buying guide here.
If you look at the base versions of both these vans, the Iveco Daily is a better choice as it is more powerful. For the maximum horsepower, you should get the Sprinter van as it also offers a V6.
The Iveco Daily wins in this regard as its maximum towing capacity is greater. If we look at the current model, it should be able to haul up to 7 tons. Meanwhile, the Sprinter has a higher towing capacity on the lower end at 3.3 tons.
The Daily is the better option here by far. It can do up to 27.6 mpg as opposed to the Sprinter which averages 14.5 mpg. This means that you’ll have lower running costs on the trail. In fact, the Iveco Daily also has an electric version.
Check out the Mercedes Sprinter's battle with the mighty Ford Transit here.
Both of these vans could do better as far in the interior department. While the Iveco Daily gives you a great look, the Sprinter does give a better feel overall as it has Mercedes’s build quality backing it up. The Sprinter also gets you more technology than the Daily, which is also great.
The Sprinter is more powerful than the Daily so it gives you a more athletic feel when you press the accelerator. It is also better to drive overall, at least on tarmac. Meanwhile, the Iveco Daily is better for overlanding as its 4x4 version comes with lots of tech for off-tarmac driving.
Check out the best campervans here.
Both of these vehicles are reliable and durable. However, the Iveco Daily van should fare better as a campervan. This has reputation for being dependable and this is why you’ll see so many older models on the road.
If we just look at the current models, the Sprinter is about $25k cheaper than the Daily. The latter also holds its value pretty well so you can expect a used version to be pricey as well.
So, who wins the Mercedes Sprinter vs Iveco Daily debate then? Well, it was a tough contest but the Iveco Daily takes the win.
The Daily features more modern engines, can haul more, consumes way less fuel, is better for offroad driving and is more reliable. These factors make it one of the best camper vans. The Merc is no slouch as it gets the win when it comes to horsepower, luxury, on-tarmac driving, and pricing.
Both these vans are absolutely splendid though, and they’ll make for great campervans.
To know about the best camper vans today, click here.
To look at the Iveco Daily’s comparison with the Fiat Ducato, click here.
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