On The Road
Lots of manufacturers claim that driving their vans is just like driving a car, but in the majority of cases it just isn’t true (unless you’re behind the wheel of a car-derived van).
So it comes as no real surprise to discover that Iveco’s numerous brochure promises that driving a Daily is like driving a car need to be taken with a healthy pinch of salt. In fact, the Daily is one of the least car-like drives around. It’s not that CM thinks that driving a van should necessarily be like driving a car, but it’s annoying to constantly hear the comparison.
For instance, along the motorway a slight cross-wind will cause the Daily to sway on its springs (single leaf at the rear,) pulling the wheel in your hands from side-to-side. Overtake a truck and it reacts in the same way from the change in pressure, so it needs constant attention to stop it getting out of hand.
Manoeuvring about town is a lot better, but it suffers from an alarming degree of body lean. You get used to this and soon discover that the Daily is able to corner well; it just does it in its own way. The turning circle is alright, 11.2m between kerbs with 3.75 turns lock-to-lock.
The brakes feel a little spongy but are capable of stopping the van quickly – just look out for bottles of water on your seat. A full brake test will have to wait for another Daily test as gremlins were infesting our brake testing equipment on the day.
The ZF S6-300 gearbox is like no other our tester has ever encountered: it certainly fails to live up to its billing of “smooth and precise action” in any way. While it’s nice to have an extra ratio for faster cruising, it would be much nicer to find gears hen you want them. This box is amazingly reluctant and very rough, in this application at least.
Feel through the stick is vague and grating in turn. Changing down was at times impossible, leaving us at a standstill on the side of a steep hill trying to select first. We should have gone up in fourth but couldn’t select that gear (or third, or second). Not being able to find the gears will affect fuel economy, not only because the van won’t be in the right ratio but because it will also wind up the driver.
There were few miles on the clock on our test vehicle, so perhaps the box will sort itself as it beds in…or perhaps it will get worse. We hope this was just a bad example.
The transmission’s shortcomings were particularly frustrating because the 125hp common-rail Unijet engine is a winner – quick on the uptake with an almighty pulling power from low down. It romped up the 1-in-3 (33%) test hill, and the handbrake did its bit by easily holding its own on the same demanding slope. This might sound routine, but its surprisingly rare with our test vehicles.
In terms of straight-line speed this Daily is best of breed to date. While it may be down on the best of the rest, it’s quite fast enough for the real world.# Wing mirrors now have blind-spot sections and provide a good view of what’s going on behind. The windshield line is a little low if you have the seat cranked up, but this is a minor sacrifice if you want to find a comfortable driving position (most sizes and shapes are catered for).
Controls are well laid out and easy to use, but the dash is poorly designed and set at a difficult angle. Thanks to ultra-deep recesses around the dials it is impossible to find a driving position that gives a clear view of all the available data.
Cab Comfort
The cab is easy to get in and out of as the door gives good access, even when only partly opened. It feels pretty small but is nonetheless comfortable and quiet. Cross-cab access isn’t that bad at all, despite the floor-mounted shift and wraparound fascia; you just need to turn a corner to make it to the other side.
A centrally mounted light cluster in the cab is a good touch and features a moveable eye-ball light like those found in airliners. There’s also a sturdy grab handle in the roof for the centre passenger, which is a thoughtful touch.
Ventilation is good, with some nice vents demonstrating great economy of design and real flair. Recirculation is standard (and much needed if the van is to be at home in built up areas).
Storage is pretty good, with a door pocket capable of swallowing a big bottle of water, lots of rubbish and plenty of maps; there’s also a sprinkling of little cubby holes and some mesh pockets. If you can do without a passenger airbag you’ll have the use of a large, lockable glovebox.
