Commercial Motor Cab Test Reprint February 2014

8/17/2019 Commercial Motor Cab Test Reprint February 2014

1/5

27/2/14 COMMERCIAL MOTOOMMERCIAL MOTOR 27/2/14

GROUP TEST TRACTOR UNITS

HomeadvantageWith a host of fresh new designs and ideas,ractor unit cabs have moved on and up

since we last compared them five years ago

OPERATIONS

For today’s news, visit commercialmotor.com For today’s news, visit commercialmotor.com

The contenders

Daf XF Space CabIveco Ecostralis Hi-Way

MAN TGX XLXMercedes-Benz Actros

BigSpaceRenault T 460

Scania R450 HighlineVolvo FH Globetrotter


2/5



Daf XF Space Cab: it’s nice, but not super. Top bunk is intrusive,

but at least Daf provides a decent rest for the left foot

WHENCM LAST CARRIED out a comparison of cabs

2009, we focused on compact fleet tractor units like the

af CF85, Mercedes-Benz Axor and Volvo FM. But this

me, we moved upmarket. Resisting the lure of top-of-

he-shop palaces, we have instead evaluated those

esigned for regular nights out but still within a prudent

eet budget. Broadly speaking, we are talking about

ull-width (2.5m or so) cabs that provide sufficient space

nd creature comforts for the average driver to stand

pright and spend a reasonable night. This is a highly

elevant and competitive part of the market, made even

more so by the fact that five of the seven cabs have been

ther renewed or significantly revised within the year or

o as part of Euro-6 upgrades. We were looking for

vidence of progress and new ideas.

he space raceWith the exception of the Iveco and the Renault, you can

et higher versions of each of these cabs, so absolute size

not the be all and end all. As we can’t ignore interior

pace, we evaluated three key dimensions. We measuredterior height directly above the centre of the engine

unnel; width across the door pillars at headrest level, and

ab length from just above the dashboard to the rear wall.

Multiplying these dimensions gives us a feel for the core

ross volume of the cab.

Mercedes’ new Actros BigSpace offers the most internal

eight and the second most width and length and so is the

ggest overall package. The Stralis doesn’t look nearly so

g from the outside but comes second, a whisker ahead of

he MAN and then the Volvo. Daf’s Space Cab is the

mallest, purely because it provides less headroom than all

he others. If that is an issue, take the Super Space, offering

n extra 370mm or so of internal height.

It is customary to assess the size of flats by reference to

oor area, so we did that too. The only genuinely usable

art of a cab floor is the engine tunnel, so we measured the

rgest unimpeded rectangular area, discounting areas

bscured by a projecting central console, for example.

Automated gear-shifting frees up floor space, and nearly all

ark brake levers are on the dash these days, so there is

more floor area than there used to be. The exception is

MAN, which keeps both park brake and the rotary control

or AS-Tronic’s mode selection on the floor, stealing a little

pace. Nor does MAN’s cooler box – an option – retract

ully under the bunk, so it too encroaches on available floor

space. Consequently, the usable area on the TGX’s engine

tunnel is about 30% smaller than most. Scania’s tunnel is

fractionally smaller still, being both narrow and short. Daf’s

engine tunnel has the largest surface area, with Iveco’s –

exceptionally wide – the next biggest. Strictly speaking,

there is no tunnel in the Actros BigSpace because any

2.5m-wide Actros has a flat floor, but the area between the

Actros seats is no bigger than average.

Finally, we measured the width of the footwells. Deleting

the clutch pedal makes cramped footwells a thing of the

past for the majority of tractor units. We noticed that in

most cases, footwells on the passenger’s side are wider than

those on the driver’s side, presumably a function of design

for left-hand drive. Our initial reaction was that UK drivers

are getting a raw deal but, on second thoughts, maybe that

isn’t the case: if they swap seats when off-duty, they end up

with more room.We also checked for the presence of a footrest for the

driver’s left foot. Daf, Mercedes, and Renault all tick that

box, while Volvo has what looks like a rather half-hearted

attempt. Scania and MAN don’t bother at all, while Iveco

has thoughtfully included one – such a shame it’s on the

passenger’s side…

Are you sitting comfortably?Seat comfort is a subjective issue, so we chose to adopt a

more objective approach by measuring the amount of knee

room, determined by maximum and minimum length

between driver’s seat-back and the nearest point on the

dashboard. With the seat in its rearmost position, Mercedes

and Iveco respectively give the most knee room for

long-legged drivers; Renault and MAN give least. Scania

and Iveco seats had the greatest range of travel, and so

should be able to satisfy more extremes than others. Being

able to push the seat a long way forward also means the

seat-back is not so oppressive when using the bunk.

Taller drivers are also likely to have longer-than-

average thighs that need seat squabs that provide support

under the knee. All seven trucks have movable squabs

that can be pulled out to extend their length, although we

are not sure how many drivers take advantage of this.

We found a huge variation in how manufacturers

approached passenger seats. The optional leather seat in

the Iveco, for example, has a swivel action so the seat can

be turned 90° to face inwards for a change of scenery in

off-duty hours. The seat-back can also be folded down flat

so it isn’t in your face if you are sleeping with your head at

that end of the bunk. There is also a pocket on the

seat-back. Both Scania and Mercedes have passenger

seats that fold to create extra space: the squabs fold up or

the backs go down. Scania’s seat-back also serves as a

bedside table when it is folded. Passenger seats that lackthese folding functions are an opportunity missed.

Good evening?Before they turn in for the night, drivers need cabs to

function as a living room. We’ve mentioned standing

room and folding passenger seats, but the bunk

arrangement also plays a part. Our pet hate is a top bunk

that is slung too low and/or hanging at 45° when stowed.

Anything that prevents the average driver from sitting

comfortably on the lower bunk is a pain in the neck.

The Volvo FH assessed here has three lockers on the

back wall instead of an upper bunk, neatly avoiding the

compromises associated with providing two beds.

Conversely, most Daf XF Space Cabs are specified with

only one bunk, but this particular example had two. Theresimply isn’t sufficient height in the cab for this

arrangement to work comfortably. The top bunk – which

also hangs down at an intrusive angle – is far too low,

seriously encroaching on the living space.

The Renault is probably the best of the rest, with an

upper bunk that folds almost flat against the rear wall and

a reasonable amount of headroom between bunks. What’s

more, the upper bunk has a novel longitudinal folding

arrangement that turns it into a thickly lipped shelf.

Renault also has come up with a simple reclining device

that is little more than a mat anchored to a rail mounted

on the sidewalls above the lower bunk. Your backside

anchors it at whatever angle of recline you choose.

However, Renault’s bottom bunk is only 425mm above

the engine tunnel – about 100mm less than most – so

sitting on it is like using a child’s chair.

Iveco’s upper bunk also folds flat against the rear wall,

and you will probably want to keep it stowed for as long

as possible because it is low-mounted, leaving relatively

little headroom when on the lower bunk. Behind the

passenger seat, the lower bunk has a three-position

reclining mechanism akin to a sun lounger. Another nice

touch in the Iveco is a small drop-down table recessed

into the side wall on the passenger side.

Scania, Mercedes and MAN all stow their upper bunk

at 30° to 50° to vertical. Of these three, Mercedes isprobably the most liveable because it offers the most

headroom between bunks, boasting a multi-position

reclining arrangement for the lower mattress. MAN’s pull

out cool box, which refuses to slide all the way, impedes

your calves when sitting on the lower bunk.

Asleep on the jobWhen it’s time to bed down we think the driver should

choose which way round he sleeps, not the truck

manufacturer. We know one driver, overnighting in a

lay-by, whose cab was crumpled by a bulldozer blade on

the back of a low-loader that passed too close. He never

slept with his head nearest the roadside again.

So full marks to Volvo, Scania and Renault which all

Iveco Ecostralis Hi-Way: does most things pretty well, particularly if you prefer to use the

upper bunk. It’s hard to see anything in the dark lockers, though

OPERATIONS



3/5



provide over-the-shoulder flexible snake lights for reading

at both ends of the bunk. Iveco and Daf reading lights are

at the driver’s end only; Mercedes’ and MAN’s are at the

passenger’s end only.

On paper, Scania’s bottom bunk is the biggest: long, with

a 170mm pocket-spring mattress. It’s wide too, but only if

you use the clever pull-out arrangement that expands

mattress width by 150mm once the seats are pushed

forward. Volvo’s pocket-sprung mattress lacks the pull-out

trick, but is almost as wide anyway. Daf’s lower bunk

mattress is foam in the Space Cab (interior-sprung in the

Super Space) and loses out to the two Swedes because the

cut-outs behind both seats are deeper, making it

substantially narrower at the ends. MAN’s lower bunk,

with a foam mattress, isn’t particularly wide (790mm) but

has only one small cut-out against the back wall on the

passenger side, so more of its full width is usable. The foam

mattress on Iveco’s lower bunk is marginally wider

(800mm) but has a bigger cut-out behind the driver’s seat.

That configuration, plus the reclining mechanism

mentioned earlier, lends itself to sleeping with your headon the passenger side, so it is annoying to find the reading

light on the side wall at the other end.

By the time you get to the Renault, the foam mattress

width is down to 770mm in the middle and 650mm at

either end, so it feels restrictive around the head. Renault

offers an extending-width mattress á la Scania, but not on

right-hand-drive models. Mercedes’ approach is different

from the rest, opting for a straight (foam) mattress

without any cut-outs. At a constant 750mm, it is narrow in

the middle but loses nothing at either end.

Most of the top bunks are narrower than those beneath

them. The two exceptions are Mercedes and Iveco, both

of which are the same width top and bottom. The Actros’s

upper bunk has a clever ratchet system on its support

straps, allowing the bunk to be levelled if the truck is

parked on a slope: there is even a spirit level on the bunk

frame to get it spot on. Iveco has apportioned the space so

that the upper bunk gets more headroom than the lower

one, suggesting that Iveco gives more priority to the upper

bunk than other manufacturers. The aluminium ladder is

cleverly stowed within the bunk’s base. Our vote for the

best ladder goes to Daf’s, which sports wide treads for

comfortable use with bare feet and slides along between

the frames of upper and lower bunks.

Storage huntersThe driver with everything needs only one more thing

– somewhere to put it. Looking first at the big storage

lockers under the bunk, Mercedes offers plenty of volume,

largely because its bunk sits higher than the others, so space

beneath is deeper. Volvo’s cunning idea is to use lift-outtrays on the top of the two big under-bunk lockers so if you

don’t need their full depth you can add a second tier of

storage for smaller items. There are a couple of a dditional

smaller lockers too, accessible only from the outside. Iveco

opts for a pair of small external lockers to complement the

main lockers that are illuminated and accessible from

inside and outside. Most of the units offer the option of a

pull-out fridge replacing the centre drawer. MAN’s

troublesome cool box once again rears its head, wasting

space behind it under the bunk. All seven trucks have three lockers above the

windscreen, mostly with a couple of open-fronted

cubby-holes beneath for paperwork, etc. The most

common failing is the lack of an appropriate space

suitable to keep a big floppy road atlas easily accessible.

Plaudits go to Volvo, Daf and Renault for using light-

coloured interiors for their lockers, making it easier to

find things than in the black holes of MAN, Iveco,

Mercedes and Scania. The row of lockers on the back wall

makes the single-bunk Volvo FH a winner on storage.

As well as integrating pull-out tables, Mercedes’ and

Daf’s dashboards offer more substantial storage space

than most: the others mainly have multiple small niches

for pens, glasses, credit cards, etc. Iveco finds additional

novel storage opportunities, such as bins beneath the seats

and a cubby-hole beneath the hinged cushion pads on the

door arm-rests. Either cargo nets or pockets are found onnearly all the side walls above the doors and on the back

walls too. Iveco’s rear-wall storage isn’t particularly

accessible because it is above the upper bunk.

Room with a viewThe desire to minimise intrusion of the engine tunnel

pushes up the height of the floor; we measured heights

ranging from 1,420mm (Iveco) to 1,670mm (Mercedes).

Consequently, a driver’s eye line is around 3,000mm

above the ground. While that provides a commanding

view, these lofty perches also create blind spots

immediately adjacent to the truck. Using a 1,100mm-high

traffic cone, we measured the distance from the sides/front

of the truck at which the top of the cone just became

visible to a driver of average height in each of the trucks,

without using mirrors. Shorter measurements indicate

smaller blind spots. The cone was placed centrally in front

of the truck and at 90° to the centre of the side windows.

Our results (see table) show some big differences

between the trucks. Floor height appears not to be a

causal factor: the Mercedes has the highest floor but the

second smallest blind spot area, whereas the Iveco has the

lowest floor but the second largest blind spot area. The

size and shape of the windows, and the position of the

driver’s seat relative to the glass, seem to be the critical

factors. The fashion for an upswept line at the bottom of

the side windows has an adverse effect on visibility,

increasing the width of the blind spots as the window

depth decreases towards the rear. This was particularly

noticeable with the Renault.

Scania comes out best in our assessment overall, with

MAN, hampered by poor views through its relatively

shallow side windows, in seventh place. While much of the

debate surrounding blind spots focuses on cameras and

ultrasonic proximity sensors, maximising direct visionthrough windows is a good starting point. A downward-

facing kerb (class V) mirror picks up the area closest to

the nearside of the truck, but we found a significant gap –

typically around 2m to 3m – between the edge of that

area and the point at which direct vision begins on the

nearside, so those trucks with the smaller measurements

undoubtedly offer a safety advantage.

Feel-good factorAs well as measurable factors, we sought to take account

of the softer, aesthetic elements of the cab designs too. We

would have welcomed a splash of colour to escape the sea

of black, grey and beige. Mercedes makes a strong

statement with its sharply contrasting light beige and

black interior. The Renault also stands out, with a rather

weird combination of dark brown leather for its steering

wheel and top-of-the range seats – with integrated red

seatbelts – amid the predominantly grey interior. Iveco

has made huge strides with its interior, notably with

soft-touch plastics around the dashboard, and carpeting

that lifts the interior. Of the others, most have a carpet

insert for the engine tunnel; only Renault and Scania

choose rubber/vinyl.

Daf, Scania and Volvo interiors are all safe and

restrained in their choice of interior colours. All three

Mercedes Actros BigSpace: it has lots of space, a flat floor,

good storage and some nice touches

MAN TGX XLX: it’s a

big cab but let down by a

lack of mod cons and too

much clutter restricting

standing space on the

engine tunnel

OPERATIONS



4/5

Cab dimensions (mm)

teriors are finished to what looks and feels like a good

andard. MAN steers clear of beige, with a palette of

reys and black lightened by silver trim. MAN’s flattish

ash is beginning to show its age and is rather a plain Jane

this company. This year’s cab test shows that differences

etween the fit, finish and perceived quality of interiors

re not as great as was once the case, so that tends to

ocus more attention on style and aesthetics, where there

re fewer rights and wrongs – it’s more a matter of taste.

We found evidence of more attention to audio systems

han ever before. For example, as well as the customary

multiple-speaker radio/CD unit, all seven trucks’ audio

ystems had a USB port, plus a 3.5mm jack-plug socket

or connecting devices such as MP3 players. But while

adgets are well catered for, there is less attention to more

mundane features such as a towel rail, shaving mirror or

aste bin. All these cabs are intended for routine nights

ut, so they ought to include these in our view: not all did.

ne nice touch we noticed was the coat hook at either

nd of lockers above the windscreen in the Actros,

lowing a driver to hang his jacket somewhere other thanhis living space around the bunk when not driving.

et there be lightMultiple cab lighting options are a matter of course these

ays. The best two lighting systems we found are by Volvo

nd Renault. Both feature a mixture of LED and filament

ulbs, with several pre-set programmes, plus a dimmer

unction. But it isn’t all about fancy programmes and

oloured LEDs: the quantity of light is hugely important.

Truck cabs with black floors need plenty of light to

low drivers to live comfortably during nights out: the

enault’s main cabin lights were the brightest.

Daf has added a multi-function panel on the rear wall

f the Euro-6 XF to control cab lighting, heating and the

oof hatch without leaving the lower bunk, which is handy,

ut others do more. Once again, we think Volvo and

enault do it best. Volvo’s sleeper panel on the centre of

he rear wall controls lighting, heating/cooling, audio,

cks, roof hatch and alarm clock. Renault’s does all that

oo but is mounted on a wander lead from the back wall,

o is even more convenient. The control box’s lighting

utton is permanently illuminated, making it easy to find

the dark. Other makes have variations on these remote

ontrol functions, but none do it quite so comprehensively.

veco’s remote control is high on the back wall, handy for

the upper bunk, not the lower. MAN lags behind the

others, with just a detachable alarm clock in the side wall

behind the passenger seat. But at least window controls

and the main cab lights switch are next to the park brake

beside the driver’s seat, reachable from the lower bunk.

ConclusionsAll these cabs bring something different to the party.

Our scoring matrix shows how we ranked them on eight

key criteria.

MAN’s TGX is at the back of the field. The XLX cab –

the second largest in MAN’s line-up – is relatively spacious

but lacks many of the features and touches of newer rivals,

and its visibility scores are the worst of the bunch.

In joint fifth place – but a long way ahead of the TGX –

are Scania’s R-series Highline and Daf’s XF Space Cab.

That comes as a surprise, not least to us. The Scania earnsa good score for feel-good factor, reflecting its high-

quality ambience, but there is no escaping the fact that the

Scania R450 Highline: let

down by a lack of space,

but what there is feels

good. This cab has the bes

all-round visibility too

Manufacturer

Floor height

Internal height on tunnel

Internal width

Internal length

Heightxwidthxlength (m3

)Tunnel height

Tunnel width

Tunnel length

Tunnel area (m2)

Driver footwell widthPassenger footwell width

Dash-seat back (max/min)

Lower bunk width (max/min)

Lower bunk length

Lower bunk headroomUpper bunk width (max/min)

Upper bunk length

Upper bunk headroom

Daf

1,500

1,750

2,220

2,045

7.94150

1,000

700

0.70620

615

815/600

810/690

2,215565

600

2,035

535

Iveco

1,420

2,020

2,1802,030

8.94220

1,150

5800.67

580

655

840/610

800/6702,205

630

800/670

1,945

710

MAN

1,460

1,8702,200

2,150

8.85105

1,000450

0.45

545

620

805/625790/700

2,175

690

670

2,100550

Mercedes

1,6702,045

2,215

2,095

9.4901,070

595

0.64

625

600845/645

750

2,175

710

7502,180

550

Renault

1,445

1,930

2,155

2,050

8.53205

1,000

620

0.62

515600

800/590

770/650

1,900

760680/635

1,900

590

Scania

1,470

1,850

2,125

2,055

8.08150

910

455

0.41540

540

835/595

850/730

2,250660

540

1,940

510

Volvo

1,600

1,950

2,1702,070

8.7690

1,050

6000.63

530

630

830/605

820/7201,980

970

n/a

n/a

n/a

Highline – Scania’s second tallest cab – is smaller than

most, particularly in terms of free-standing area on the

engine tunnel.

We feel sure that this test has come at the wrong time in

the cab life-cycle for both MAN and Scania. The other five

cabs have all been renewed or refreshed to some extent for

Euro-6, whereas the TGX and R-series are essentially

unchanged inside and arguably due for revision.

As sister companies in Volkswagen’s truck business,

perhaps MAN and Scania will unveil new cabs before too

long – possibly variations on a common theme?

We found lots to like about Daf’s XF but the elephant

in the room is the upper bunk. The Space Cab isn’t tall

enough to accommodate it comfortably, so the upper

bunk impinges on precious living space. It was hard for

Daf to justify major internal revisions for Euro-6 and so

Renault T 460: the new design accomplishes a great deal, with

excellent control panel on rear wall and good lighting

Cab visibility

Dimensions (mm)

DafIveco

MAN

Mercedes-Benz

Renault

ScaniaVolvo

Left

4,9505,130

6,235

3,965

4,530

3,8103,835

Right

815940

1,050

705

920

920860

Front

2,160

2,220

2,370

2,100

1,9251,640

2,390

OMMERCIAL MOTOR 27/2/14 27/2/14 COMMERCIAL MOTO

GROUP TEST TRACTOR UNITSOPERATIONS



5/5

GROUP TEST

COMMERCIAL MOTOR 27/2/14

34

Test results

Category

Gross space

Floor area

Use of space

Bunk(s)

Living convenience

Storage

Feel-good factor

Visibility

TOTAL

Daf

5

10

10

9

9

11

10

5

69

Weighting

10

12

14

15

13

14

12

10

100

Iveco

7

9

10

11

10

11

9

4

71

MAN

7

6

10

11

8

9

8

3

62

Mercedes

9

8

11

12

11

12

11

7

81

Renault

6

8

10

10

10

11

9

6

70

Scania

5

5

10

11

9

10

11

8

69

Volvo

7

8

11

12

11

13

10

6

78

we feel the XF Space Cab hasn’t made the progress of the

others. It was penalised in our test more for size and

packaging issues than for quality.

In fourth place, just a single point ahead of the Scania

and the Daf, is Renault’s new T range, with Iveco’s

Ecostralis Hi-Way a further point ahead in third. We found

it hard to split the Iveco and

the Renault. Both are hugeimprovements on their

predecessors and bring some

nice new touches. The extra

space just tipped the balance

in favour of the Iveco. But we

feel that both could be

improved by attention to their

sleeping arrangements.

We found Renault’s lower

bunk rather narrow at both

ends, while we are not sure about Iveco’s apparent

prioritisation of the top bunk ahead of the lower bunk.

That leaves just Volvo’s FH Globetrotter andMercedes’s Actros BigSpace. This pair is well ahead in our

judgement, with the Actros taking the top slot. The clue is

in the name – BigSpace. Although absolute size was not

the be all and end all of this test, and bigger versions of

both cabs are available – Volvo has the Globetrotter XL,

Mercedes the Actros GigaSpace – it is impossible to

overlook the fact that the Actros offers more room than

the FH. In contrast to Daf, Volvo made the most of its

space by providing us with a single-bunk arrangement

that works well and should be more popular across the

industry as a whole, we feel. Both Actros and FH scored

consistently well across all our criteria, emerging as strong

all-round packages.

Reviewing the outcome, it strikes us that investment in

cab updates definitely pays dividends as far as drivers are

concerned, with newer designs doing well. It is apparent

that two of the all-new cabs, the Actros and the FH, doindeed deliver tangible advantages.

The other all-new cab, Renault’s T range, is aimed at

a broader audience and strikes a pretty good compromise,

we reckon. Iveco carried out a root-and-branch revision

of its interior, resulting in what now looks like a far

better environment. If this pattern of development

continues, we can surely look forward to MAN and

Scania raising the bar even higher with their next

generation of cabs. n

l CM ’s testers also spent the night in each of the seven

cabs. Their impressions are recounted in the March issue

of our sister title Truck & Driver .

Volvo FH Globetrotter:

the one-bunk layout in this

FH proves less is more,

providing a spacious feel

and unrivalled storage

OPERATIONS

For today’s news, visit commercialmotor.com

Commercial Motor Cab Test Reprint February 2014

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