Don Cohen is the Blogger-in-Chief of Winnebago’s blog, GoLife. Two years ago, he and his wife Terry bought a new Itasca Navion and put 40,000 miles on it traveling throughout the United States. The Navion had the Mercedes V-6 engine.
Don knew that Mercedes had made a big change to its 2014 Sprinter – the introduction of a 161-hp, 266-lb-ft 2.1-liter I-4 turbodiesel engine. This new engine has four cylinders in an inline layout, compared to the older V-6 model which has two rows of three cylinders in a V setup.
The two test subjects: a 2013 Itasca Navion (6 cylinder) and a 2014 Winnebago View (four cylinder).
He wanted to test out the new I-4 engine compared to his older, V-6 model.
With the help of Winnebago and Transwest Truck Trailer RV (they loaned him the new motorhome), Don was able to test it through the Colorado Rockies, up and down 5% and 6% grades.
Watch Don Cohen test the new four cylinder Mercedes engine in a new Winnebago View.
It seems one of the most useful features of the new I-4 engine is that it has 7 gears compared to 5 in the V-6. Don was able to use engine breaking to maintain a smooth 60 mph during descents, taking the load off the brakes. Based on this test, which engine would you prefer if you had to choose between the two?
Related: Get A Behind The Scenes Look At The 2015 Winnebago View (Itasca Navion)
Try the RV LIFE Pro Bundle FREE for 7 days
Love RVing? You'll Love RV LIFE Pro
It’s the wanderlust, the freedom of the open road. It’s not the destination, but the journey. It’s exploring the world. You don’t need a house because when you travel, you’re home. That’s RV LIFE.
The problem is, planning epic RV journey is somewhat complex. At RV LIFE, we believe it should be simple. As RVers ourselves, we understand the process and have helped millions of RVers journey with confidence and make their travel dreams come true.
RV Trip Wizard helps you plan the perfect trip and our RV GPS app turns your phone into an RV Safe GPS to get you there safely. Have a question about ANYTHING related to RVing, join the conversation at any of our awesome RV forum communities.
Step 1: Click here to learn more and sign up for the free trial.
Step 2: Plan your dream RV trip.
Step 3: Enjoy unforgettable memories!
