Road Tests:
- Iveco (vans), Iveco Daily, 02 Jan 2003
- Iveco (vans), Iveco Daily Tipper, 08 Jan 2004
- Iveco (vans), Iveco Daily 29L10 HPI, 08 May 2003
- Iveco (vans), Iveco Daily 35S12, 28 Aug 2003
- Iveco (vans), Iveco Daily 35S13V, 13 Jul 2000
- Iveco (vans), Iveco Daily 29L11V, 23 Aug 2001
IVECO DAILY:
For tough jobs the Daily is in a league of its own. Last year it benefited from a tart up of the outside, while under the skin it had the full treatment.
Superior plastics and attractive styling in cab ensure the Daily retains a modern appearance, while the dials and gauges can be seen from the driver's seat in all positions and the fit and finish of the dash panels is up there with the best.
Iveco made big improvements to the structure of the loadbox last year with everything from the sliding side door to the rigidity of the panels. The latter resulted in the disappearance of that horrible booming from the van panels every time you went over a pothole or drain.
The Sofim engines combine to give startling performance with little in-cab noise and handling is a revalation - the changes to the rear suspension mean there's no hoping around of the rear when empty and the van felt permanently planted to the road when hustling through country roads.
IVECO DAILY 4x4:
Based on the Santana Anibal, the Massif is powered by the Italian company's 2.8-litre six-cylinder unit delivering a healthy 176hp. This is mated to permanent four-wheel drive that's designed to rough it with the best of them thanks to proven off-road mechanicals. Two body styles are offered: a five-door hardtop and an extended-cab pickup.
But if that's too small for your off-road needs you can always go for the Daily 4x4 with its steroid-like enhancements that see ground clearance significantly increase and gear numbers bumped up to an astonishing 24, thanks to the combination of a six-speeder, transfer box and reduction unit.
The designers say it's capable of climbing 45o inclines and wading through 700mm of water so this should prove a tempting prospect to any operator who needs serious layload when working off-road.
IVECO DAILY 65:
The new Daily 6.5-tonner might share the same model name as its lighter van alternative but don-t be fooled, this is a robust proposition capable of hard-working operation. This model is a revelation in terms of driving ability and practicality - it's even styled by famous Italian designer, Giorgetto Giugiaro, whose work has included several Ferraris and Maseratis.
The influence is evident in the cab, where excellent ergonomics have replaced the chaos theory and outside noise intrusion has been turned down a couple of notches. It comes with multi-point injection technology adding a layer of refinement to the engine's power delivery, with fuel economy getting a boost. The transmission also gets the finishing school treatment, snicking through the ratios with ease, while an automatic version is an option.
