DAF CF 530 Sleeper Cab: Review

Following an extensive validation program and numerous fleet trials, the new generation of DAFs were finally released in early 2020 with the line-up spanning both rigid (4x2, 6x2 and 6x4) and prime mover (4x2 and 6x4) formats.

Of the host of next-generation variants on offer, the DAF CF 530 is arguably the most versatile.

It's the model you'd have in your fleet as a backup to do just about anything. From running around town with a single trailer to interstate trips as a B-double, the CF 530 can do the lot.

Granted, you probably wouldn't do the interstate runs on a daily basis, but it is rated to 70 tonnes and it is very comfortable. So, for the times when your big banger is in for a service, the CF 530 could be a capable stand-in.

And that's probably why this truck is proving to be the most popular of the DAF line-up, accounting for around 60 per cent of CF sales.

The CF range comes with two ratings – 480hp and 530hp. You can also get either ZF's 12-speed or 16-speed TraXon automated manual transmission, which take over from ZF's old AS Tronic gearboxes.

Three cab configurations are available in the CF: Day Cab, Sleeper Cab and Super Cab. Our test vehicle was a Sleeper Cab with a 16-speed box and a 3.09 diff ratio.

The 530 is the new version of PACCAR's MX-13, which is a 13-litre straight six diesel with outputs of 530hp (395kW) at 1600rpm and 2600Nm of torque between 900 and 1125rpm.

Undoubtedly this is a move to help it better stack up against the other European 13-litre sixes – think Volvo with the 540 and Scania with its 500hp and 2550Nm.

But it's not just the increased power and torque that has everyone excited. The new DAF has a claimed economy improvement of up to 10 to 12 per cent over the truck it replaced. How this was achieved was explained by DAF Australia MD, Felipe Rubio, at the launch.

Mr Rubio said it was due in part to 'engine down-speeding' – actually slowing the engine down using the new transmission and diff ratios.

The previous model had a diff ratio of 3.4:1 and used the AS Tronic transmission. It had an engine speed of 1452rpm at 100km/h while the new version of the CF, with its diff ratio of 3.09:1 and more modern ZF TraXon 16-speed automated transmission, cruises at 100km/h at just 1304rpm.

With this upgrade, DAF has made all its safety features standard equipment. This means the CF gets adaptive (radar) cruise control, lane departure warning, autonomous emergency braking, ABS, stability control and even LED lighting throughout as standard equipment.

There's also telemetry and a nifty driver's score you can reset for each trip to see how well (and efficiently) you're driving.

Safety features are becoming higher up on operators' lists of reasons to buy certain trucks and these days it's great to see them as standard fitment to the trucks rather than being optional extras.

Climbing up the three steps into the DAF CF, I noted the steps are wide and offer good grip but more than that, there's a really good grab handle setup that seems ergonomically designed to really help entry and exit. It might sound like a little thing, but if you're getting in and out multiple times a day, a well-designed grab handle is a godsend.

Once inside, the new dash is clean and the layout is functional and easy to read. If you're not familiar with the truck, it won't take long to figure everything out.

Related reading:
Renewed DAF range targets new markets
DAF XF 530: Launch Review
DAF begins local assembly

Similarly, if you're used to the old model, then this one, although different, has enough similarity to be, well, almost familiar.

As with most modern trucks, the daily checks are done for you on the screen and you really only have to check under the grill for your windscreen washer fluid, to top up your oil, or for the cab air filter.

The HVAC or climate control unit stands out for its user-friendliness. It features one-touch defrosting and automatic air recirculation. It's really easy to use and even features a park heating function with timer, so you can park the truck and it'll stay warm for you while you have a break or a meal.

The rear wall includes a temperature control unit, which allows the driver to access the system from the bunk.

There's a roomy fridge under the bunk and between the seats, which you can access while driving to grab a cool drink or a snack, and there is also storage under the bunk for your clothes.

The dash is sensibly laid out and the central screen or Driver Information Panel, as DAF calls it, is controlled by a single knob next to the steering column. There is heaps of info to access here from the axle weights and tyre pressures to all manner of truck data and trip info. It's here you can get your driving score and economy figures too.

DAF's upgraded engine brake is a three-stage affair on the right-hand stalk. This, we're told, can offer up to 360kW of braking force, and it works a treat.

Switch gear is well laid out, and if you don’t like it you can change it so that the functions you use most are closest to hand.

We left PACCAR's Bayswater facility in Melbourne and headed for the hills (well, the Yarra Valley, to be precise). It might sound a bit clichéd these days, but I was immediately struck by how smooth and quiet the DAF was. I could quite literally hold a quiet conversation with my co-pilot without having to raise my voice at all.

Vision from the driver's perch is excellent. The windscreen is deep and wide, the A pillars are fairly slim and even the vision around the mirrors is good. The designers have somehow given the driver a view forward as well as behind the mirrors, so they somehow seem slimmer than they are…

We were pretty much on full load for a single trailer, which shows the confidence the DAF guys have in their product. The 16-speed TraXon transmission did a great job with quick, smooth shifts, and skip-shifts where necessary.

There's a button on the end of the engine-brake stalk which, if you push it once, will introduce power mode (eco mode is the default). Push it again it'll put you in manual mode. I found I couldn't quite master this – until we realised that the power mode was disabled… Never mind, we did just fine in eco mode and manual.

It's fairly common for operators to disable power mode and considering this truck was destined for a rental fleet, it was quite understandable.

On the road, the DAF felt stable and confident. The steering is light but with good 'feel' and it was direct, so I found it easy to put the truck exactly where I wanted and it didn't bother the lane-departure warning much at all.

With the air-suspended cab and the comfortable air-ride driver's seat, the ride was a real treat – even on some of the pretty ordinary roads we encountered around the back of the Yarra Valley.

Hauling the fully loaded trailer up hills, the engine with its 2600Nm of torque pulled well while the transmission lugged down to around 1000rpm before kicking back a gear or two to get us up.

I could feel the long-legged diff ratios here but, on the flat bits, the trade-off was low engine speeds at the speed limits. Speaking of which, the ride and handling were that good, and the noise level so low, that more than once I had to check my speed for fear of getting nabbed.

I reckon that with light loads this configuration of the 530hp and 16-speed could be quite a rocketship. No doubt one of the reasons it's the best-seller in the range.

DAF has taken a while to gain acceptance in this country, unlike in Europe where it is more of a household name. However, the brand is on the up and up, especially with this new generation of trucks.

And the fact that it is built here adds to the appeal. The local construction not only means shorter lead times but, like its stablemate Kenworth, also easier customisation of the trucks for different applications.

From what I could see from this drive and at the launch back in February, these DAFs are well-put-together trucks and the components are first class.

The pricing is pretty sharp too, so I reckon if you're looking for a good, versatile truck that can cover many bases, the DAF CF would definitely be worth putting on your shopping list… or at the very least, the demo list.

Engine: MX-13 530
Capacity: 12.9 litres
Max Power: 530hp at 1600rpm
Max Torque: 2600Nm at 900 to 1125rpm
Exhaust emission: Euro 6
Transmission: ZF TraXon 16-speed automated manual
Axle ratio: 3.09
GVM: 25,200kg
Max front: 7100kg
Max rear: 18,100kg
GCM: 70,000kg
Brakes: Ventilated discs front and rear, dual circuit air system with electronic control, ABS
Fuel tanks: Aluminium, 600 litre and 400 litre
Safety: Adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, advanced emergency braking, stability control, protective cab suspension and construction, driver airbag, seatbelt pretensioners, LED lights.