Road Tests: MAN TG360L

This MAN proved to be a bit of a mixed bag. Looking at the vehicle as a whole, there's obviously a great truck in there eager to get out. But in such a new machine (40,000km) the presence of some niggles, such as the wayward front suspension and the rattles and squeaks, was disappointing. Other "features" such as the unintended mirror washers and the unreachable passenger sun blind are oversights that should never have left the design studio. Likewise, the transmission is fundamentally sound but, given a bit more attention to the way it's controlled, it could be even better, especially if it was able to make fewer changes as it goes about its business. Our reservations about the 360's modest power were largely unfounded, apart from its inability to maintain maximum speed on hilly motorways. But for its intended operations in the urban jungle with some semi-local motorway work thrown in, neither your drivers, nor your accountant are going to be too upset. And with over 8mpg at 40 tonnes you won't be either.