We were impressed this month by a drive off-road in a mini bus! The school run never was that exciting, but the latest version of the Sprinter 4×4 from Mercedes-Benz is an impressive piece of kit. Available as a panel van, we drove the seated version over a reasonably demanding off-road course. The V6 CDi diesel engine was very smooth and allowed for excellent throttle control even when bouncing the bus through the ruts. The Sprinter has a switchable 4×4 system, which delivers drive front to rear of 35:65 through a viscous coupling. There are no mechanical diffs, but Mercedes’ 4ETS, Electronic Traction System. This also has an optional Low range. It climbed well, especially given the ‘road’ nature of the tyres, but we did wonder what it would be like full of passengers!
