VW Crafter vs Mercedes Sprinter for a campervan conversion
Two of the three serious base vehicles for a UK custom build. Here is how they compare on the things that actually matter, and which one we would choose ourselves.
Co-founder of HubDub Campers. Writes most of what you read here. Spends the rest of his time in the Chertsey workshop.
More about HubDubIf you are commissioning a custom campervan in the UK and you are choosing between a VW Crafter and a Mercedes Sprinter, you have already narrowed it down to the two best base vehicles in the class. The wrong answer between these two is hard to find. The right answer depends on what you actually plan to do with the van.
We have built campers on both. We have a slight preference, which we will state at the end. Here is the comparison that gets you there.
Drivetrain and engine
The current Crafter (second generation, 2017 onwards) shares its platform with the MAN TGE. It is offered with a 2.0 TDI in 102, 140, 177 bhp variants, in front-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-drive, or all-wheel-drive. The all-wheel-drive variant is the genuinely useful one for buyers who plan to use the van off the tarmac.
The current Sprinter (third generation, 2018 onwards, refreshed 2023) is offered with a 2.0 OM654 diesel in 114, 143, 170 bhp, and a 2.0 OM651 in older examples. Mercedes also offers a 4MATIC all-wheel-drive option and rear-wheel-drive across the range. The drivetrain is, in our view, more refined than the Crafter at all power outputs.
Verdict on engines: marginal advantage to the Sprinter for refinement, particularly above 2,500 rpm. Both engines are at the back end of their lifecycle and will be replaced by hybrids and electric drivetrains in the next two years.
Drive and handling
The Crafter feels like a van that wants to be a car. Light steering, easy clutch, well-judged ride. It is the most car-like 3.5-tonne van you can buy. Most owners report a single hour of acclimatisation.
The Sprinter feels like a van that wants to be a workhorse. Heavier steering, more substantial brake pedal, ride that is slightly firmer at the rear. Owners who have driven Sprinters before love this. Owners who have not sometimes find it hard work for the first month.
Verdict on driving: Crafter for buyers new to vans, Sprinter for buyers who have driven larger vehicles before.
Cab and ergonomics
The Crafter cab is the more modern of the two. Touchscreen, digital instruments, decent seats out of the factory, and a sensible amount of storage. The Sprinter cab post-2018 is also very good, with the MBUX infotainment system being arguably the best in the class.
What separates them is the seats. Sprinters above the base trim get extremely comfortable seats that are noticeably better on long drives. The Crafter seats are good, but they are not Sprinter seats.
Servicing and parts
The Sprinter has the wider service network across continental Europe. If you plan long trips to Spain, France, Germany, or further, this matters. Mercedes commercial dealers exist in towns where VW commercial does not.
In the UK both networks are comparable. Service costs are similar. Parts availability is similar. We see slightly fewer warranty issues on Crafters in the first three years and slightly fewer on Sprinters in the first ten.
Conversion considerations
From a builder's perspective, both vans are excellent platforms. The Crafter has slightly more interior height in the MWB, which lets a 6'2'' adult stand fully upright in the kitchen. The Sprinter is fractionally wider, which lets us fit a transverse fixed bed for taller buyers without compromising shoulder space.
Wiring access on the Sprinter is easier. Insulation is easier on the Crafter. Roof rail mounting is similar. Door mechanisms are mature on both.
What we would choose
Most HubDub builds are on Crafters. The reason is that most of our buyers do their first long trip in the first year and want a vehicle they can drive without thinking about. The Crafter is easier to drive on UK roads, fits more domestic driveways, and is fractionally better suited to standard ferry decks.
If we were buying for ourselves and planning frequent continental travel, we would buy a Sprinter. The seats matter, the service network matters, and the engine refinement matters at six hours a day for two weeks running.
Common questions
Both are reliable. Sprinters tend to need less attention in the first ten years; Crafters tend to need less in the first three. Either choice is sensible.
The Crafter is easier to drive for buyers new to large vans. The Sprinter is heavier in feel but more refined on long drives.
Yes. The Crafter offers AWD via the 4MOTION drivetrain. The Sprinter offers 4MATIC. Both add roughly £4,000 to £6,000 over the equivalent FWD or RWD.
Most 3.5-tonne campervans on either platform leave around 700 to 900kg of payload after conversion. Heavier 4.25-tonne plated versions are available on both and add roughly 1,000kg.
