Times are tough and fuel prices are high, but some of us can’t transport all we need to transport in a fuel-efficient economy car. Luckily, we don’t have to, because Dodge Sprinter offers an average city MPG in the upper-20s, which is great for a cargo/passenger van of its size. Though, admittedly, it is no Prius in fuel efficiency, it offers the passenger capacity to handle large church or school groups in comfort, or enough cargo capacity to make any plumber, painter, contractor or flower delivery person happy as can be-all of which a Prius cannot offer.
According to Car and Driver, the Sprinter 2500 diesel passenger van offers 26 city MPG and 30 highway MPG, combined with the ability to carry up to 12 passengers comfortably, Sprinter blows its competition out of the fuel-efficiency waters. The GMC Savanna offers 13 City MPG and 16 Hwy MPG according to recent EPA figures, and the popular Chevrolet Express offers the same.
Sprinter’s main cargo van competitors are also the GMC Savanna, and Chevy Express, along with the popular Ford E series, all averaging 12 MPG compared to Sprinter’s upper-20s. Much of the fuel efficiency comes from its diesel powered engine. In the past, diesel engines emitted an unpleasant odor and black smoke that made them undesirable to many, but today’s diesel engines burn much cleaner and no longer produce these unpleasant effects. Of course, Sprinter also offers a gasoline engine, though the fuel efficiency will not be a good, it will have a little more get-up-and-go than the diesel model.
As hybrid engines gain popularity in smaller cars, such as the Toyota Prius, they are still very much in the development stage in cargo and passenger vans. Chevrolet has announced they will offer a 2009 hybrid Silverado, the only full-sized hybrid truck set for release as of yet, but no hybrid cargo or passenger vans are yet on the horizon. So, as of yet, Dodge Sprinter still stands as the most fuel efficient vehicle of its class.
Sprinter offers numerous options, which makes creating the van to best fit your needs a snap. It offers up to 547 cubic feet of cargo space, or seating up to 12 passengers in the passenger variety. It also offers a taller body than other vans, allowing one to stand up inside. And though they tend to look utilitarian and top-heavy, they handle like a much smaller vehicle, and provide ample safety features such as traction control, anti-lock breaks, and braking distribution regulators.
A great, fuel efficient option for large families, church organizations, and schools, as well as plumbers, contractors, caterers and other businesses, Dodge Sprinter offers unbeatable cargo and passenger space and will save you money at the gas tank. So why not have it all, fuel-efficiency and a roomy interior to accommodate all your transportation needs. Until bio-fuels become more attainable and hybrids are developed in larger vehicle classes, Sprinter offers the most fuel efficient van of its class.
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