2017 Mercedes-Benz 1630: Review

Name: 2017 Mercedes-Benz 1630: Review
Brand: Mercedes-Benz

The new breed of Mercedes-Benz rigids brings class and sophistication to a very capable platform…

It's been all go at Mercedes-Benz Trucks lately, with the recent introduction of its next-generation prime movers now complemented by a new range of medium-duty models. The update may have swept through Europe several years ago but now the new line-up is here in Australia, finally hitting the streets after an exhaustive period of local testing and evaluation.

Trucksales has been keeping a close eye on the three-pointed star's progress right from the beginning – from when we took a prototype Actros for a drive back in 2015. And now, after attending the recent product launch of the new rigid range in Queensland back last August, we've had our first taste of a next-gen rigid on our local, traffic-choked Melbourne roads.

Mercedes-Benz threw us the keys to its new 1630, a medium-duty rigid fitted in this case with a flat-bed body loaded with around five tonnes of concrete. That's about roughly half of this model's payload limit.

Naming names

Before we get into the nitty gritty, however, first we'll make mention of the new naming convention that's been rolled out across much of the 'Benz truck range. The old model names of Actros, Arocs, Atego and Antos have gone, with the existing line-up only going by a four-digit number, itself a combination of the truck's GVM and horsepower rating. As such, this 1630 – which previously would have gone under the name of Atego 1630 – has a 16t GVM and a 300hp engine rating.

The change only applies to the Australian line-up because our Aussie-spec ranges converge in some instances, creating a bit of confusion. Having just the four-digit number, however, immediately conveys the important stuff without any ambiguity.

This only applies to what was formerly known as the Actros, Arocs, Atego and Antos lines – special vehicles, such as the Unimog and Zetros, will retain their existing names.

The changes

So what exactly is new here? Well, just about everything. This 1630 has a new chassis, cab and drivetrain, with countless updates both large and small at every turn. We only spent a short amount of time in the 1630, but we still got in several hundred kilometres of city driving over a couple of days. Essentially we put the truck to work in a role in which it excels – metro distribution.

This truck is destined to endear itself to drivers, being comfortable and capable in equal measure. It's just two external steps up to the ISRI air-suspension driver's seat, and with grippy foot plates and two solid grab rails it's no drama hopping in and out several times a day (although we were a little surprised to note the lack of central locking or a remote fob).

Both driver and passenger score this ISRI seat, which features two fold-down armrests and a decent range of adjustment. Our test truck's Extended Short Cab is a two-seater – there's a very handy storage tray with two bottle holders found over the engine tunnel. The cab itself is finished Benz's 'Style Line' trim, a metal-look trim that differs from the more traditional 'Home Line' wood-look trim also available.

The dash essentially replicates what is now found through much of the Mercedes-Benz range so drivers can move from one truck to another with ease, even when those vehicles span widely differing GVMs. The instruments are modern and, dare we say it, classy – not a word we'd readily attribute to the commercial vehicle world – and the colour TFT display between the analogue tacho and speedo is easy to read brings up a wealth of info via the intuitive menu system. That info spans everything from fuel economy and trip data to the driver's 'eco performance', the truck's ride height, service status and more. There are separate analogue clocks for both fuel and AdBlue levels, too.

The various buttons, rocker switches and dials are all clearly marked and easy to reach, thanks to a dash that angles around the steering wheel to face the driver, and the steering wheel itself – with air adjustment for tilt and reach – has integrated controls for audio, Bluetooth telephony and cruise control (or speed limiter).

There's also a remote control unit to adjust the rear airbags – it's located next to the driver's seat adjustment controls, and has a coiled cord to allow use when out of the cab.

Unfortunately our test truck had not yet been fitted with Mercedes-Benz's standard multimedia unit, with stereo, Bluetooth telephony and satellite navigation, so we couldn't assess those features, but we know from driving other 'Benz vehicles, both passenger cars and commercials, that this company does these things well. The sat-nav was produced in collaboration with a local specialist too, so it's not just something that's been repackaged from Europe.

Inside the cab

There's a little bit of engine and wind noise in the cab but it's nothing problematic and it's still quieter than most medium-duty trucks we've sampled, despite the fairly prominently raised engine tunnel. Our truck was fitted with an accessory top air deflector and a raft of mirrors including front bumper mirror and kerb mirror, although a traditional rear-view mirror was absent, which seemed a little odd in a cab with rear windows looking out over the tray. In any case, inputs for up to three external cameras are provided to aid reversing and address blind spots.

This truck's cab feels really very spacious. There are a number of little storage areas (including a bit of room behind the seats) and we like the grippy dash-top tray, complete with two cup holders. The door side pockets are generous, each able to accommodate a bottle, and there are overhead storage compartments and DIN units for the CB and multimedia systems. There's also a hatch to aid airflow on warmer days, not that we have any complaints about the effective heating and cooling systems.

While not exactly cramped, we would have appreciated a dead pedal for our left foot. In its absence you simply leave your foot flat on the floor, but the shape of the engine tunnel means that foot is turned in a little towards the steering column – a minor annoyance.

Power and drivetrain

On the road the new 7.7-litre straight-six turbo-diesel gets the job done without fuss or fanfare. It's a Euro6 engine and it relies on a mixture of EGR, SCR and a DPD to meets its emissions standards, and Benz says the auto DPD burns are faster and fewer than before. It's no problem to shut the truck down and key off mid-burn, either – the truck simply picks up where it left off the next time you fire it up.

The OM936 engine pumps out maximum outputs of 299hp and 1200Nm (a 354hp rating is also available), and here it's hooked up to Daimler's eight-speed Powershift 3 transmission (both manual and Allison transmissions are also available on selected models). The Powershift 3 is an automated manual transmission and it changes smoothly and cleanly, with a crawler gear to aid manoeuvring in tight spaces (just take your foot off the brake for it to creep forward) and an EcoRoll function that, under certain circumstances, allows the truck to coast along at idle (600rpm), thereby saving fuel.

The truck takes off in second and then lets the AMT do all the thinking. There's a power mode to better deal with heavy loads or inclines and a manual mode that turns the right-hand stalk into a shifter. But in auto mode it's pure child's play – twist the collar forward for drive, back for reverse, or to the centre for neutral. There's a kick-down detent built into the accelerator pedal to drop the engine back a cog when conditions demand – it's all too easy.

At 100km/h in eighth gear the 1630 is rolling along at 1700rpm – still in its green eco band and with the engine purring along nicely (and quietly).

The five-tonne load on the back helped deliver a smooth ride from the front springs and rear air suspension, and never posed any problems even up some steep-ish, prolonged climbs. We never encountered any gradients that reduced progress to less than fifth gear and 50km/h, and on the flat the 1630 is positively sprightly, never having any issues in keeping up with the flow of traffic.

Now with asymmetric turbocharging and Benz's 'X-Pulse' high-pressure direct-injection technology, which Daimler says aids low-speed driveability, the 1630 drives well at all speeds, and if the trip computer is anything to go by its fuel burn will keep operators smiling too. After a couple of days it was reading 4.0 kilometres per litre, with an overall economy over its entire life of 4.0km/lt. They seem like winning numbers to us.

Anchors away

We found the service brakes required a fair amount of input at the lever to provoke strong braking response. That's not to say they're weak, because that's far from the case. Rather, they lack much in the way of initial bite, instead producing progressive power that continues to build the further you depress the pedal.

Not that we used the service brakes much anyway, as the multi-stage Jake brake is a real winner. Said to deliver up to 340kW of braking force, there are two levels of assistance available, with the stronger one really hauling the rig down from speed at a fair old pace. As such we only needed to give the service brakes the odd dab here and there – something that will help keep on-going running and maintenance costs down.

Vision is excellent. The A-pillars are quite skinny and the spot mirrors give quite a wide field of view, while the front bumper mirror actually gives you a bit of a view back up the vehicle's nearside, effectively eliminating that blind spot. A reversing camera is standard.

As for safety, the 1630 comes with electronic braking and stability control, the latter incorporating traction control and a hill holder, among other features, while dynamic systems like autonomous emergency braking are reserved for models with a GVM of 18 tonnes or more.

There's a locking rear diff for slippery work sites and the truck has been pre-wired for a rear work light – a little thing that makes life that little bit easier for body builders.

Mercedes-Benz is currently offering complimentary 'Best Basic' servicing on key new-generation medium-duty rigid models for two years or 250,000 kilometres, while the standard factory bumper-to-bumper warranty for medium-duty on-highway models is four years or 500,000 kilometres.

Summing up

The 1630 does everything it needs to do, but from the driver's perspective perhaps it's the ease with which everything is accomplished that's most impressive. It's just a near-effortless drive, and that's a testament to the depth with which Daimler's engineers and designers have carried out their roles.

If you have to spend five or six days a week in a truck carrying out multi-drop, metro distribution-type work, there are far worse trucks than the new 1630 in which to get the job done.

2017 Mercedes-Benz 1630 specifications:

Engine: Mercedes-Benz OM936 7.7-litre six-cylinder turbo-diesel

Output: 299hp/1200Nm

Transmission: Mercedes-Benz Powershift AMT

GVM: 16,000kg

GCM: 20,400kg

Drive: 4x2

Axle limits: 6100kg (front) and 10,500kg (rear)

Front suspension: Parabolic leaf springs

Rear suspension: Air suspension

Cab: Extended Short Cab, Style Line finish

Safety: ECE R29 cab, EBS, stability control with traction control and hill hold assist, driver's airbag