On The Road
Apart from the rather specialised refuelling process, there’s little to indicate to the driver that the CNG Daily is running on gas. As you might expect, being spark ignited means a small but noticeable improvement in noise and smoothness.
On level ground the SNG Daily is surprisingly lively, accelerating in a sprightly manner. Hilly terrain is a different matter, however. The torque reserve taken for granted on a modern turbo-diesel just isn’t there, and any significant hill knocks the road speed right back. Another difference is noticeable down the other side of the hill, where the CNG van demonstrates surprisingly strong engine braking – too much for optimum economy in fact, as power is often needed to go downhill. The only unscripted part of the proceedings came after about an hour of running, when the engine gave a couple o noticeable hesitations during a spell of low speed manoeuvring.
That apart, however, in its natural working environment, on urban stop-start duties with a high-cube, low-weight cargo without a limited range of base (much like Securicor Omega’s operation, in fact), the Daily CNG is as capable as a diesel.
Cab Comfort
In this era of Masters, Transits and Sprinters a van’s interior has to meet a pretty high standard. The Daily tries hard, but it’s not a perfect solution. The distinctive, deeply-recessed instruments look good (in a 1970s Alfa Romeo kind of way), but they are difficult to see from an angle and the pale colouring of the dials makes them nearly impossible to read in a half-light. Nevertheless, the switchgear is well laid out and the quality of the mouldings is nice.
The excellent door mirrors have useful blind-spot sections, and forward vision is just as good.
Lighting and ventilation in the cab are fine (and air recirculation is standard) while there is plenty of storage space in the doors. We disapprove of using one’s phone on the move, but a mobile-shaped cubby-hole is handily placed by the driver’s left hand. The storage netting on the back of the seats is a good idea, but far too difficult for use in practice.
Cab access is easy and the seats are upright but comfortable. The centre passenger gets a useful grab handle mounted on the ceiling, but just a lap belt – we’d like to see all three be three-point belts as standard.
