IVECO Daily (06-09) - Review

The Daily is the undoubted heavyweight of the panel van sector – a massively engineered vehicle with a proper ladder frame chassis underneath that is built for hard work. You won’t find many local florists driving one of these. There is also a huge range of Dailys on sale - panel vans, crew-cabs, chassis-cabs, tippers and massive array of conversions, so most needs should be catered for. In fact there are 3,000 different models on the price list. The downside is that because the vans are so heavy, payloads suffer as the gross vehicle weight of the van includes both the weight of the vehicle and its cargo. Consequently, a 3.5-tonne Ford Transit will generally hold more than a 3.5-tonne Daily. The vehicle was heavily updated for 2006 to include a new exterior and a fresh look for the cab. Iveco spent £175 million on the upgrade.

Iveco brought in one of the most famous automotive designers, Giorgetto Guigiaro, to design the cab of the new Daily and it shows. Gone is the slabby old truck-like dash, to be replaced by something much more chic and stylish. The old radio/cassette player has also disappeared, replaced by a CD stereo. The driver’s seat of the old Daily was good but the new one is even better and there is even an option of an air-sprung variety, which is well worth having for long distance drivers. The steering wheel doesn’t adjust at all but we’ve had no trouble finding a comfortable position, as the seat adjusts all ways. Meanwhile Iveco offers all the usual extras such as sat-nav, electric windows and an AGile automatic gearbox as options.

The 2006 Daily has a 2.3-litre engine offering 96bhp, 116bhp and 136bhp plus a 3.0-litre unit with 146bhp and 174bhp. Torque ranges from 177lb-ft to 295lb-ft. While ABS brakes are standard, ESP traction control is a paid-for option, unlike on the Ford Transit, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Volkswagen Crafter. We’ve driven most of the engine options and all are extremely quiet. The 174bhp unit is a belter but probably far too powerful for everyday needs. We found even the 96bhp motor to be a lively performer and the biggest vehicles are relatively easy to manoeuvre. The choice of engine is really down to what the van is going to be used for - the smallest engine is fine for short-haul work on fairly flat ground, while the 116bhp or 146bhp unit is best for longer haul heavier work. The new model also sees the gearstick move from the floor to the dash and it’s much slicker to use.