2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van Is Ready to Get Dirty

Mercedes-Benz has announced a host of powertrain upgrades for the 2023 Sprinter van aimed at improving efficiency and capability. 

The van will be available with a new on-demand all-wheel drive system.

Automatically shifting torque to the front axle as needed will boost control when needed and help minimize powertrain losses when you don't.

The new system can send up to 50-percent of available torque to the front wheels, an improvement over the outgoing system's 35/65 max split.

Benz is also replacing its old 7G-Tronic gearbox with a new standard 9G-Tronic unit.

With two additional ratios to work with, the Sprinter should boast improved acceleration from a stop and improved efficiency at cruising speeds.

The Sprinter is also switching to a full four-cylinder stable of available engines for the 2023 model year.

Joining the current 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine is a new 2.0-liter turbodiesel four-banger.

The diesel will come in 168 and 208 horsepower variants that boast reduced consumption and emissions relative to the current turbodiesel V6.

Expect the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter models with the new all-wheel drive option to begin arriving in the US in 2023.