Our aim was venture off-grid in our 2021 Winnebago Revel, built on a 2020 Mercedes Sprinter 4WD chassis, and enjoy comfortable camping in beautiful, remote destinations; farther into the backcountry than most dare to tread.

Back in 2021, when I was first getting acquainted with our van, I was driving it along a rugged forest road in West Virginia, en route to one of my favorite campsites. On that day, the terrain was wet from snowmelt, and the hulking, 9,500lb RV with its all-terrain tires at street pressure, slid into the shoulder and sunk into the mud like a boat anchor, stopping in its tracks.

I thought for sure I’d need to call for help.

In an attempt to self-extract, I took some time to gather fallen branches and debris, which I then jammed under the sunken passenger side tires to help provide traction. In first gear, low range, I sat in the driver’s seat with the throttle mashed to the floor, gently jogging the steering wheel back and forth to provide some persuasion. The engine RPM was up, but the wheels weren’t turning at first…

The Sprinter VS30 (2019+) is very good at intelligent application of power to the wheels that have traction, and it doesn’t grant that power gratuitously.

I patiently sat, throttle to the floor. Every umpteen seconds, it inched forward, up my makeshift ramp without unwanted wheel-spin, as if the van was systematically probing for traction. This process took some time, and a driver might even think no progress is being made. However, the van eventually found ample traction and lurched back onto the road.

It wasn’t the outcome I expected, and I was impressed!

My takeaway from this early experience was to abandon my pre-conceived notions about what constitutes a capable “four-wheel drive” system. On a fundamental level, its traditional hardware that delivers the power, but software comes into play more than ever to dictate how-and-where that power is applied.

It was as if pressing the gas pedal was a mere suggestion. The vehicle then acknowledges that the driver wants to go forward, and software decides how to best accomplish that. The hard part is trusting the machine, even when forward progress is minimal and the wheels aren’t turning, that it is indeed working.

While this might not be the best experience in terms of driver feedback, it is extremely gratifying when the vehicle gets it done and saves you a towing bill!

Nearly three years later, for the 2023 Sprinter VS30, Mercedes replaced the 6 cylinder turbo diesel, and selectable four-wheel drive system, with a 4 cylinder twin-turbo diesel and an always-on AWD system that provides torque on demand.

The new, 2023 model year van no longer has a “low range” setting. There are no buttons nor levers to engage four-wheel drive when you leave the highway and turn onto a primitive forest road. The traction system is always on and ready to rock.

The notion of AWD replacing a relatively formidable 4WD system might sound disheartening, but if I’ve learned anything about these computer-controlled vans over the past few years, its to leave your preconceived notions at the door.

Does it make a difference whether the badge reads 4×4 or AWD if power is getting delivered effectively to the wheels that have traction?

With Agile Offroad, we took their 2023 Mercedes Sprinter AWD out into the desert to stretch its legs, and to compare its off-pavement capability with older 4WD models.

The obstacle that we used for testing was a short ascent consisting of deep pits and alternating moguls that would demonstrate suspension flexibility and traction control. …Or maybe just traction control, since Sprinters are about as flexible as a sheet of plywood. (they’re delivery vans, not RTI ramp monsters)

I settled into the cockpit of the new van, adjusted the seat, put it in first gear and started creeping forward.

It was my instinct to make sure that I was in low range for such terrain, but there was none. I immediately noticed that the power steering was feather-light compared to my 2020 model, and the throttle response was “peppy” which might’ve been partially attributed to the van being an empty cargo model, and I was accustomed to a heavy RV conversion.

The throttle was much more responsive to my input than that of my 2020 model.

In one regard, this was welcome, because the previous powertrain doesn’t move the older vans with much enthusiasm. On the other hand, with the new van, I was having a little bit more trouble sustaining a smooth crawl up the obstacle. It had plenty of torque, and it didn’t balk at the ascent, but throttle control was a little bit touchier than in my 2020 Sprinter. This difference might simply be a matter of getting used to the new throttle response and developing the muscle memory for a more gentle touch.

It is reported that the new 2023 transmission has a 25% lower first gear than the 2019 through 2022 vans, which allegedly makes the first gear crawl ratio comparable to those 4WD models when in low range first gear.

As I steadily climbed up the hill and traversed the moguls, driving technique consisted of light and steady throttle in first gear, jog the steering wheel back and forth to add some persuasion, and otherwise let the van’s systems do most of the work.

Compared to my 2020 Sprinter 4WD, delivery of power in the 2023 is considerably more generous. The 4WD models seem to grant you only as much power as you need (and no more) to traverse an obstacle, whereas the AWD model grants you ample power, but it’ll momentarily take AWD offline if the computer detects that you’re mashing the throttle for too long, and being too aggressive.

This presents as a “4Matic Currently Unavailable” message on your instrument cluster, and the system re-engages after putting the transmission in park for a minute.

While this “nanny” is somewhat jarring, and could be a source of frustration, it is definitely an indication that you, as a driver, should cool your jets and re-examine your line.

The AWD system was significantly more effective at finding traction and moving the van forward than the 4WD system it replaces. The same rule applies: be patient while applying steady throttle, allow the traction control system to go through its motions, and it’ll move you along nicely.

The 2023 Sprinter paused on a mogul, briefly hunted for traction, and lurched forward. It paused on the next mogul, hunted for traction, and lurched forward again. This process repeated smoothly and predictably until it completed the ascent.

While both the 4WD and AWD vans rely on computers to get it done, the AWD version is more responsive, and seemingly smarter. The four-wheel drive Sprinters through the 2022 model year, with selectable low-range, are better at sustaining low speeds over technical terrain, while the AWD vans are better at finding traction and moving you forward.

Don’t let the AWD badge fool you; based on our testing, I believe the new 2023 Sprinter to be the more off-road capable machine.

Whether you have an old 4WD Sprinter or the new AWD version, the capability of these vans is wildly underestimated and will surprise you. So get out there, air down your tires, and do some exploring!

Christopher Shontz
@venture4wd
July 28th, 2023