2020 Mercedes-Benz Actros 2663: Review

We first met the current series of Actros back in 2016 at the media launch in Queensland. The truck then had gone through rigorous testing in real-life conditions on our roads.

It had already been on the market in Europe for four years and had won the 2012 International Truck of the Year, but the execs at Daimler Trucks Australia were reluctant to launch it before it was proven to be the package that was fit for purpose on our roads and in our unique conditions.

What ensued was up to 20 trucks being installed into fleets around Australia with over one million kilometres of testing and evaluation being carried out.

Changes were made, tweaks were tweaked and we finally got to the finished product, ready for our roads and conditions.

Then, at the 2019 Brisbane Truck Show, Mercedes-Benz announced it would launch an advanced new version of the Actros in Australia in 2020.

The company confirmed it had begun a comprehensive Australian validation program for the truck, which would feature a range of driver-focussed improvements including MirrorCam – a system that uses aerodynamic cameras connected to two large screens in the cabin that can dramatically boost driver vision.

It was a concept that we first saw on Fuso's futuristic Vision One at Tokyo Motor Show in 2017.

The big changes to the Actros from the model that was introduced in early 2017 can be boiled down to four main areas: a new multimedia cockpit; the 'MirrorCam' digital side mirrors; the arrival of Mercedes-Benz's Predictive Powertrain Control (PPC), which blends topographic data with cruise control to get better economy; and the latest generation of autonomous emergency braking, or Active Brake Assist 5.

Related reading:
New Mercedes-Benz Actros: First drive
2018 Mercedes-Benz 2653: Review
Australia's first mirrorless vehicle: Quickspin

Our test truck was fitted with all of the new mod cons and powered by the 630hp version of the DD16 16-litre six-cylinder Detroit engine. This is mated to the 12-speed automated transmission then to 3.5:1 hypoid rear axles.

This was the first time I’d seen the SoloStar cab in real life and as I had the truck for two days, I was going to really test it out because I would be sleeping in the truck.

The SoloStar cab is an optional new innovation in cab design from Mercedes-Benz. It is a sleeper cab but the bed folds up against the back bulkhead. The passenger seat is pushed rearward to form a ‘club lounge’ type seating position which is ideal for the driver to have a rest, eat a meal or do some paperwork. It also gives a large area in front of the seat which, combined with the flat floor, makes for heaps of room to move about or get changed.

When it’s time for bed, the driver’s seat is pushed forward, the passenger seat is folded and the bed is unclipped and folds down complete with its inner-spring mattress and bedding, and you’re ready for a good night’s sleep.

Our test truck was fitted with three big cabinets above the bed with the central one wired for a microwave. There were also two fridges between the seats that slid out from under the bed so you could stock up on food for a few days out on the road.

As stated, the SoloStar setup is optional and may not be for everyone, but it would suit some operators and drivers who want somewhere to relax during their break but don’t necessarily want to hit the rack.

On the other hand it may not suit those used to the more traditional layout of the cab, and those who just want to leave their bunk set up and climb in whenever they pull up for a break.

Our test truck was set up with MirrorCam, which is a first for any road-registerable vehicle in Australia, and it’s one of the reasons why the new Actros took out the 2020 Trucksales Innovation Award.

Again, MirrorCam is an option. It uses cameras and screens in place of traditional mirrors and for my money, it’s an option worth having. In my opinion, it gives a better view of the truck and what’s going on around it than traditional mirrors do. It doesn’t vibrate, it adjusts to the light, it doesn’t fog up as it’s heated, and even though I have used the system in various conditions from daylight, to fog, rain and at night, I have not found fault with it.

There are also a series of graduated lines on the mirrors that tell you where the end of the trailer is as well as showing 50 metres, 100 metres and 150 metres behind the truck so you know exactly how far behind other vehicles are on the road.

The cameras are easily adjustable to suit the number of trailers you have to let you know where the end of the last trailer is, and the view you get is far better for reversing than a normal mirror.

Add to that the additional peripheral vision you get due to the deletion of the traditional mirrors, and whole concept makes a lot of sense and creates a truck that’s safer than a truck with traditional mirrors.

The Predictive Power Control, or PPC as it’s known in Actros-speak, uses topographic maps in the GPS to ‘see’ where the truck is and, when the radar cruise control is on, it can predict contours in the road and so vary the acceleration needed to either get up a hill or roll off nearing the top of the hill using the truck’s momentum to get it over the top.

The PPC can also use the topography to better use the EcoRoll coasting mode that cuts power and lets the truck coast through flat areas or slight downgrades to save fuel.

Our drive program was interrupted from the start with a rollover on the highway we wanted to take out of Melbourne, so we chose an alternate route that turned out to be more a series of roadworks than a highway, with roundabouts under construction and skinny lanes where widening works were being carried out. Consequently, I got to test out the MirrorCams more than expected as I tried to negotiate the mess with my two trailers.

We were soon heading out of town on secondary roads that really were a blessing in disguise for this road test as they showed me the true benefits of this truck. It was so smooth. I knew these roads were pretty crook, but the ride I was getting in the big ‘Benz was really amazing!

And quiet. I had the Mercedes-Benz PR guy in the SoloStar lounge chair beside me for this section of the trip and we could easily carry on a conversation without raising our voices. It didn’t matter if we were going uphill or down, or just cruising along the flat, the noise levels were remarkably low.

There’s not much to dislike about this truck on the open road. I simply hit the radar cruise button (you can go into normal cruise mode, but who’d want to?) and let it go and do its thing.

The steering was damn good too. Direct and without any slop in it, and just a bit of feel from the not overly-assisted boost.

We soon got to our destination where we had planned to leave the truck and jump into a car for a brief run to a country pub for dinner. The food was pretty ordinary so I won’t say where we went, but the local beer was cold and tasty so we washed it down with a couple of them…

Then it was back to the truck for me to spend my night in the SoloStar cab.

The Actros at night is a bit like staying in small hotel, with ‘mood’ lighting, some tunes on the classy B&O stereo and a comfortable bed to lay my head on (I’d even brought my own pillow).

Getting out in the middle of the night for an un-drink, I noticed that when you open the door, not only do you get courtesy lights on the steps, but a cute Mercedes-Benz three-pointed star lit up the dirt below my feet so I didn’t step in a puddle.

Soon my alarm was ringing and it was time to head off and pick up my travelling companion. Doing the morning checks on the truck is a breeze: there’s a button on the key fob that when pressed scrolls through all the lights on the truck and lets you know if there’s a fault.

Then the truck will do the daily level checks for you and let you know if anything’s amiss. A quick check around the truck for soft tyres or loose straps and I was off for coffee and a light breakfast in a place my Mercedes-Benz mate knew had ripper coffee – unfortunately the coffee machine was on the blink, so we continued on…

Never mind, I was feeling good after a great run the day before and a good night’s sleep in the truck so it was easy to punch out a few more miles, then loop back towards the Big Smoke before I had to hand back the Actros at the big M-B dealership in Laverton.

We weren’t overly heavy, with the total weight coming in at around 55 tonnes, so the big 630hp Detroit made easy work of it, even on the steeper grades, with the auto trans only having to drop down to no lower than 10th most of the time.

At the end of our two-day sojourn out west of Melbourne we showed an average of 50.6 litres/100kms or 1.98km/litre. That isn’t the best this truck can do, but given the roads we were using – not much freeway – and fact that we were doing a fair bit of stop-start, it wasn’t bad.

I’d really like to get one of these trucks on a really good, long run as I reckon they’d very economical on, say, a Melbourne to Sydney run where you could really get all the benefits of the PPC, EcoRoll and the other economy features.

At the end of the day, I found it to be a thoroughly relaxing and easy truck to drive for a couple of days. The modern features and tech really combine to make it a real pleasure to drive. Why some drivers push back against the modern driving aids is beyond me. I simply find them assets that make the job of driving easier.

One of the things I like about driving different trucks around the country is the interaction with other drivers. And this trip was no different. We pulled up in a small town in rural Victoria for a morning coffee after being denied one earlier, and I parked next to a Kenworth log truck whose driver bounced out of the cab to take look at our new 'Benz.

“What happened?” he asked. “Going so fast the wind ripped your mirrors off?”

“Nah,” I replied, “Some bloke on a Kenworth went too close and ripped 'em clean off!”

We got to chatting over a coffee and I said, “Go up and take a look if you like, the cameras are still on.” So he climbed up and I got a Kenworth owner’s view of the cab.

“Yeah, I like it,” he said. “I love the flat floor and all the room. And you’re right about the cameras, really good view… So this is the future, eh?”

“Yes mate, this is the future.”

Specifications: 2020 Mercedes-Benz Actros 2663
Engine: OM 473 15.6 litre
Power: 625hp (460kW)
Torque: 2213 ft/lb (3000Nm)
Transmission: 12-speed PowerShift
Axle and suspension front: 8.0t offset front axle with 8.0t three-leaf suspension
Axle an suspension rear: Two 13t hypoid rear axles with diff locks. Four-bag air suspension
Axle ratio: 3.5:1
Brakes: Disc brakes with electronic braking system (EBS), ABS, traction control, electronic stability control, electronic park brake
Fuel: 1100 litres
AdBlue: 100 litres
Safety Pack: Lane Keep Assist, Attention Assist, Active Brake Assist 5, Porximity Control Assist, auto high beam, tyre pressure monitor.
Maximum weights: OM 471 26,000kg GVM 70,000 GCM
Maximum weights: OM 473 26,000kg GVM 106,000 GCM
Warranty: Two year bumper to bumper with four-year.800,000km driveline warranty