Volkswagen has just launched the new version of its Crafter van. The Crafter is VW’s largest van and has never been as popular in the UK as the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, despite the two vans being built in the same factory and being very nearly identical, except for having different engines.

The engine appears to be the biggest difference again – VW has replaced the 2.5TDi engine that was previously used in the Crafter with the same 2.0l, 4-cylinder engine that is used in the VW Transporter.

VW says that the engine has been retuned for use in the Crafter so that it provides more torque at lower engine speeds, reducing wear and tear and improving the driving experience. The new engine will be available with approximately the same power levels as the 2.5l unit it replaces – 109PS, 136PS, 143PS and 163PS.

Despite this, the engine will meet not just Euro V emissions standards but the EEV (Enhanced Environmentall Friendly Vehicles) standard, which is something of a halfway house between Euro V and Euro VI. VW says that in Bluemotion trim, the Crafter’s CO2 emissions will start from just 199g/km, very impressive for a large van.

Fleet News was impressed with the new Crafter when they drove it recently and it will be interesting to see if it makes any further headway against the Sprinter, especially in the van rental market.

VW’s official fuel consumption figures look impressive; the 109PS engine is expected to be the most popular and should provide an 11% improvement in fuel consumption on the outgoing model, according to VW’s figures for the combined cycle. Whether it will gain market share against the Sprinter and Iveco Daily is another question.

The new Crafter's cab - a very nice place to spend time

Mercedes has a powerful brand advantage – the Sprinter’s reputation is legendary, as is the mileage some Sprinter engines reach. One concrete advantage the Sprinter has always had has been its low maintenance chain cam engine.

VW has always favoured a cambelt-driven engines meaning that the belt requires periodic replacement, as with most car engines. However, maintenance intervals keep getting longer on all vehicles and VW says that owners can opt to run the new Crafter on LongLife oil – meaning service intervals of up to 25,000 miles or 24 months, depending on how the van is used.

Update: In what is perhaps a deliberate move to try and break into the 3.5t fleet market currently dominated by the Sprinter, VW has announced that it will be making 80 Crafters available to large fleet customers for an extended six-month ‘try before you buy’ demo period. These vehicles will be in addition to VW dealer’s regular demo vans. Full details on Fleet News.