Mercedes-Benz takes the Fleet Van of the Year award for the ninth year running with the Sprinter Van.

The superb Sprinter has scooped the highly-prized ‘Fleet Van of the Year’ accolade at the Motor Transport Awards for the ninth year – smashing its own record in the number of times this honour has been claimed by Mercedes-Benz Vans.

The Sprinter emerged victorious with its latest makeover giving the van a fresh new look, improved driving capability and a host of new safety features. The Motor Transport jury of fleet van operators felt the all-round package from Mercedes-Benz – reliability, performance and operational efficiency – gave it the edge over its rivals.

“We have a very demanding operation, which puts the focus on reliability and durability,” one judge commented. “The Sprinters we run make a significant contribution to our operation. When something does go wrong, which isn’t very often, the Mercedes network is quick to react and get us back on the road.”

“That three-pointed star on the grille counts for a lot,” another judge commented. “We know what we’re going to get, a reliable, consistent performer.”

Motor Trader Editor Steve Hobson added: “The Sprinter is a worthy winner of the title Fleet Van of the Year. It continues to set new standards for driver safety and comfort as well as being a reliable, economical and hard-working vehicle.”

The prestigious Motor Transport Awards took place last night at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane in London, with Kevin Ferris, Head of Strategic Planning at Mercedes-Benz Vans collecting the accolade.

Steve Bridge, Managing Director, Mercedes-Benz Vans, said of the win: “We set the record in the 2013 Motor Transport Awards by winning the title for an eight time, so to win again this year, is an astonishing feat. To say we are honoured to receive the Fleet Van of the Year title for an unprecedented ninth time is therefore a huge understatement!

“We knew that the Sprinter was an unbeatable van, so to have the industry recognise it as one is a true testament to its deserved appeal.”

Since the ‘Fleet Van of the Year’ category was introduced at the Motor Transport Awards 14 years ago, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has lifted the trophy in 2013, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2004 and 2003.

The new Sprinter was the world’s first van to meet the future Euro VI emissions standard, and also introduced standard-fit Crosswind Assist to the industry. 

The large van is available in a choice of three wheelbases, four lengths, and three loading space heights, as well as a 4x4 variant, offering a payload to 2,532 kg and volume to 17 m³.The first version of Sprinter was presented almost 21 years ago and since 2000, a driver airbag has been standard, with Adaptive ESP^® new in 2006.

Honda retains crown for most reliable car in the United Kingdom.

• Japanese brands continue to dominate reliability list, filling 8 of top 10 places
• Luxury and premium vehicles likely to break down most often

Honda has retained its status as the most reliable used car manufacturer in the UK for the ninth consecutive year, according to research by What Car? and Warranty Direct.

The Japanese manufacturer topped the annual survey of 37 manufacturers, which analyses 50,000 live Warranty Direct policies on three to eight-year old vehicles.

Once again, Japanese and South Korean manufacturers dominated the annual study of the most reliable brands, with Suzuki and Toyota claiming second and third place. Encouragingly for other manufacturers however, Chevrolet, Ford, Skoda, Peugeot and Fiat also fought their way into the top 10.  

At the opposite end of the scale, luxury and prestige marques Bentley and Porsche are the most likely to break down.

What Car? editor Jim Holder said: “Honda’s success in the reliability index is chiefly down to low failure rates. However, when things do go wrong, the cars are also relatively cheap to fix.

“Reliability is always one of the key attributes buyers look for when considering a used car purchase, so manufacturers that consistently demonstrate durability will always do well with the consumer.”

Warranty Direct’s Reliability Index analysed by What Car? experts, calculates each vehicle’s reliability using a complex formula that takes into account its failure rate, age, mileage and cost of repair. The lower the RI number, the more trustworthy the car.

Reliability rating of all manufacturers

Position	Make	Ave Mileage	RI	Average Cost (£)	Highest Cost (£)
1	Honda	50,892.73	41	335.87	2,913.40
2	Suzuki	39,280.27	48	256.04	1,684.84
3	Toyota	50,641.03	66	378.22	5,020.00
4=	Chevrolet	35,956.80	82	258.15	2,118.90
4=	Mazda	47,649.48	82	398.42	4,546.94
6	Ford	53,214.21	85	289.74	8,014.33
7	Lexus	53,305.39	89	415.90	5,699.94
8	Skoda	50,675.24	90	292.84	3,854.76
9=	Hyundai	53,281.01	94	318.54	4,637.66
9=	Nissan	48,738.90	94	367.19	20,747.88
9=	Subaru	56,991.20	94	456.75	3,933.45
12=	Daewoo	40,148.60	97	263.82	1,170.37
12=	Peugeot	49,787.60	97	284.62	4,975.00
14	Fiat	43,219.17	98	268.35	2,520.90
15	Citroën	48,805.54	105	311.58	4,026.40
16	Smart	37,672.35	108	291.75	2,544.00
17	Mitsubishi	52,882.69	109	456.29	4,832.59
18	Kia	49,608.72	114	390.01	4,056.00
19	Vauxhall	52,546.81	123	310.07	15,000.00
20	SEAT	51,710.06	125	299.11	5,993.08
21	Renault	48,537.36	130	262.42	4,711.75
22	Mini	44,017.29	136	380.74	4,721.72
23	Volkswagen	54,982.88	137	345.94	5,657.38
24	Rover	44,873.26	150	362.73	3,217.40
25	Volvo	60,664.66	151	377.35	5,604.10
26	Saab	56,991.42	158	327.4	8,862.35
27	Land Rover	67,011.84	162	428.47	15,350.00
28=	BMW	58,174.77	180	447.18	35,000.00
28=	MG	38,370.18	180	401.96	3,901.46
30	Jaguar	50,879.61	185	419.57	9,347.00
31	SsangYong	49,884.41	211	431.55	2661.39
32	Mercedes-Benz	54,341.10	215	452.7	16,115.38
33	Chrysler	52,454.94	221	399.47	3,747.22
34	Audi	59,054.52	223	515.41	15,438.42
35	Jeep	52,582.81	227	439.89	3,694.00
36	Porsche	41,829.73	380	784.71	10,348.00
37	Bentley	38,113.59	637	678.5	8406.65