DAF XF 530: Launch review

The DAF name is more popular in Europe than it is here. In fact, DAF was the biggest selling heavy-duty truck brand in Europe in 2018. But according to PACCAR execs at the launch in Queensland last week, the latest versions of the CF and XF will spell a new lease of life and significantly increased sales volumes for the Dutch brand.

The XF, which is the focus of this review, is the big brother of the DAF fleet and the XF Super Space Cab is the flagship. It comes in a 6x4 configuration with a GVM of 25,200kg with a split of 7100kg front and 18,100kg rear and a GCM of 70,000kg.

The XF comes in three cab configurations, the Comfort Cab which is a low-roof version, the Space Cab which is taller and more roomy and the Super Space Cab which is roomier again and features a nearly-flat floor and heaps of features to keep the line-haul driver happy on those long overnight trips. But more of that later, first let’s look at some of the new mechanical features of the XF.

With this update, DAF has increased the output from the PACCAR MX-13 engine. It’s now up 30 horsepower to 530hp (390kW) and torque is up to a hefty 2600Nm. This is no doubt to better stack up next to 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 had the DAF execs excited at the launch. The new DAF has a claimed economy improvement of up to 10 per cent. 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 downspeeding’ actually slowing the engine down using the new transmission and diff ratios.

Mr Rubio explained that the current or ‘old’ model XF had a diff ratio of 3.4:1 and used the AsTronic transmission. It had an engine speed of 1452rpm at 100km/h while the new version of the XF has a diff ratio of 3.09:1 and uses a new, more modern ZF TraXon 16-speed automated transmission and cruises at 100km/h at just 1304rpm.

Related reading:
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According to Mr Rubio, the new TraXon transmission has better clutch actuation, quicker gearshifts, is quieter and offers less traction loss (meaning it’s more economical) than the AsTronic transmission it replaces.

The new MX-13 also has a new HE500 variable-geometry turbocharger that gives higher boost at lower engine speeds, allowing for the maximum torque to be delivered at lower engine speeds.

Also adding to the overall economy of the XF is a redesigned cab that offers an aerodynamic advantage over the old cab. It has more rounded edges and corners, a new sun visor, a new air deflector on the Super Space Cab, and an all-round smoother finish.

The standard safety package has been revised on the XF and now includes radar cruise control, automatic emergency baking, lane departure warning, stability control and forward collision warning.

Another good standard feature is the Side View Camera that gives the driver a view down the left-hand side of the truck so you can spot bicycles or Suzuki Altos hiding out of view of the mirrors. The Side View Camera is integrated into the new PACCAR audio visual system to the left of the driver.

Other improvements include the vision from the driver’s seat which is enhanced by a larger windscreen and more vision between the A pillars and the mirrors. There are also LED lights all round and clever cornering lights to enhance night vision.

Getting into the XF is easy thanks to three big steps and well-placed and sturdy hand rails. Once in, you’ll find new air suspension seats that offer heating and ventilation. I found them really comfortable with the added bonus of an arm rest on the inboard side.

The ergonomics have been improved with everything within easy reach of the driver. As with most trucks these days, especially the Euro ones, there’s more emphasis on controls on the steering wheel, and with the DAF the right-hand side of the wheel has the buttons for cruise control and lane-departure warning while the audio and phone are taken care of on the left side of the wheel.

As mentioned, the camera is in the locally-fitted audio and nav system which is in the wrap-around section of the dash and that’s where we found the USB socket as well. There are also 12-volt and 24-volt sockets so you’re not short of somewhere to plug stuff in.

We were told that the switches are customisable so you can swap them around to suit where you’d like them to be.

The big speedo and tacho flank a central screen that can give the driver all manner of information, even the weights on each axle – very trick! And in the screen you can customise the Driver Performance Assistance (DPA) feature that offers constant feedback to the driver of his/her driving style. It’s effectively positioned so the driver can easily see how the driving is affecting fuel consumption.

The info screen is controlled by a quite intuitive circular mouse-type pad to the left of the steering column. The column itself is multi-adjustable so it’s easy to get a comfortable position with a commanding view of the road.

On the right of the steering column is the wand for the retarder. This has been changed from a single-position retarder to three position with the third position giving maximum stopping power – it worked a treat on our drive.

Between the seats are two large drawers – one is for storage of clothes and the like and the other is a very generous fridge that you could easily store enough tucker in for a few days on the road.

More storage is available above the windscreen but there is little in the way of storage in the sleeper.

The bunk is comfortable. It’s a full two metres long and 810mm wide – if you opt for the upper bunk, that’s 700mm wide. I climbed into the sleeper and found it quite cosy and comfortable. There’s a reading light in there and some storage for books and paperwork etc but no hanging lockers and the like that DAF’s stable-mates at PACCAR get in their big sleepers.

For ventilation in the cab there is an electric sunroof that has a screen to keep the light out if you’re having a nap during the day and a flyscreen to keep the mozzies out at night.

As we mentioned earlier, the floor is almost flat and there’s no trouble standing up in the Super Space Cab. The floor is also insulated and padded so it’s nice to move around on in your socks or bare feet.

Unfortunately, our drive for the launch was limited to the Mt Cotton Driver Training Centre just out of Brisbane, so we couldn’t get a real-world feel for the DAF XF. We couldn’t realistically do fuel figures nor test some of the features like the radar cruise control and the like.

We did, however get a basic grounding in how the truck performs, as all the trucks were loaded and there are a few hills and twists and turns to run them through their paces.

The XF I had for the purposes of this story was a Super Space Cab with a B-double set and loaded to around 50 tonnes.

The first thing I found about the new DAF is how quiet it is. I could have a conversation with my co-driver at normal levels without rising my voice at all. I could also test out the new audio system with great accuracy – it’s terrific.

The new seats are great. They’re very supportive and yet comfortable. Vision is good from the driver’s perch and the ergonomics are first-rate. I found I could reach everything without bending or stretching.

Getting going is easy. Turn the transmission dial to D and release the dash-mounted park bark brake and we were off with a slight burble from the MX-13. The TraXon transmission shifts quickly and skip-shifts to the desired gear effortlessly.

From takeoff, the transmission will default to Eco mode but you can switch to Power mode at any time. There’s a button on the end of the retarder stalk which, if you push it once, will knock off Eco mode and change the shift pattern to allow more engine revs between shifts. Push it again and you’re in Manual mode. Push down (away from the steering wheel) for downshifts and pull up for upshifts. Simple.

I found that leaving the XF B-double in 10th gear in Manual mode climbing up one of the grades on the track, it’d lug up the hill at around 1000rpm with no problem at all. The torque down low is great in these revamped MX-13s.

And the retarder is a bonus too. Drag it back to the third position and it’ll hold beautifully down the grades or wipe off speed coming into a corner. PACCAR says that the MX-13 offers up to 360kW of braking power which is an increase of up to 30 per cent – and it really works a treat.

The beauty of the DAF XF 530 is in the ease of driving. I left thinking that virtually anyone could drive one of these trucks. Everything is laid out so that it easily falls to hand – and if you don’t like it, you can change it! The truck steers beautifully and rides smoothly and above all, it’s quiet.

I can’t wait to get one out on the open road and really live with it for a day or two…

Specifications:
DAF XF 530
Engine: MX-13 530
Capacity: 12.9 litres
Power: 530kW at 1600rpm
Torque: 2600Nm at 900 to 1125rpm
Exhaust emission: Euro 6
Transmission: ZF TraXon 16-speed automated
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 system, Vehicle stability control, protective cab suspension and construction, driver airbag, seatbelt pretensioners.