Iveco Daily E6 70C: Review

Launched in February this year, the Daily range covers some 22 model variants including vans and cab chassis with GVMs of between 3.8 and 7.2 tonnes. Within that range is the 70C that we’re reviewing today.

As the name suggests, the 70C is a cab chassis with a GVM of 7.2 tonnes. And of that, you’ve got over 4700kg of payload.

The engines for the new model remain fundamentally unchanged with the exception being that they now meet the stringent Euro 6 emission standards.

On offer are three engines starting with a 2.3 litre turbo diesel that produces 100kW and 350Nm; then there is a three litre which is available in two forms including the one in our test truck that develops a market leading 155kW (210hp) and 470Nm.

There are also multiple wheelbase choices allowing owners to fit a wide variety of body choices. Our test truck had the 4350 wheelbase and was fitted with a lovely 5.0 metre dropside tray with tool boxes on either side.

The tray weighed in at around 1500kg and we were carrying a further 1920kg of weight giving us a total of 3420kg in payload.

Transmission options for the Iveco Daily are either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed full automatic. Our test vehicle was the auto or Hi-Matic as it’s called.

Towing capacity across the range is 3500kg except for the smallest van which has a towing capacity of 3200.

With the move to Euro 6, Iveco employs SCR tech that uses AdBlue and Iveco is claiming an increase in power and decrease of up to 10 per cent in fuel use compared to the previous engine.

The latest release adds to the safety equation with the inclusion of AEB, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, crosswind assist and what Iveco calls ESP9 stability control.

ESP9 is a standard package that includes anti-lock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, electronic stability program, anti-slip regulator, drag torque control, enhanced under-steep control, adaptive load control, trailer-sway control, hydraulic rear-wheel boost, hydraulic fading compensation, roll fading compensation, roll movement compensation and roll-over mitigation.

Other safety features include hill descent control, hill hold control queue assist and traction plus and LED lights.

Inside, there is a new hi-res TFT instrument cluster, that’s easier to read and features seven menus providing over 100 points of information for the driver.

There’s also a Hi Connect multimedia and navigation system with both Apple Carplay and Android Auto plus GPS.

Related reading:
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The new Daily also has an electronic park brake to make more space in the cabin and for easy operation. The park brake has an auto function that engages the brake when you turn off the key. It will also disengage once the driver has his belt on, the key is on and the vehicle is in Drive.

A heated and suspended driver’s seat is now also standard and optional for the passenger, although it’s standard for the passenger in Dual Cab variants.

There’s heaps of storage inside too. Everywhere you look there are nooks and storage compartments, overhead, on top of the dash, in the doors… it’s all over the place.

The Daily now comes with optional packs to further enhance the vehicles and tailor them to the owner’s needs. There are three different packs covering business, comfort and technology.

The Hi-Business pack includes the multimedia system and GPS, open storage with inductive phone charging plus USB charger, fog lights and a reversing camera in the van only.

The Hi Comfort pack gets auto air-conditioning, leather covered steering wheel, tyre pressure monitoring and auto wipers and headlights.

Hi-Technology gives you Queue Assist for automatic transmission only, lane departure warning, City Brake, Traction Plus and Hill Descent as well as auto high beam.

Fortunately, our test vehicle had the lot which made for a very highly specified truck indeed!

Climbing aboard the Iveco Daily you don’t really get the feeling you’re in a seven-tonne truck. The Daily feels light and airy, its interior ambience doesn’t feel truck-like – and it doesn’t end there.

It’s obvious that this vehicle is a far cry from what we’re used to. It’s European, that’s for sure. But it’s sensible European. Everything is well laid out and easy to find. The steering wheel controls for the central screen are easy to use, as are the buttons for the cruise control.

The suspension seat is a beauty and is heated for those chilly winter mornings. There is also an adjustable arm rest on the left and you can rest your right arm on the door sill on the right. It’s a very comfortable setup.

Hit the key and the diesel rumbles into action; it’s subdued and not intrusive. The transmission shifter for the auto ‘box lets you choose Eco (normal) or Power modes, or you can choose to shift it yourself, I didn’t bother and just left it in either Eco or Power and let the transmission’s smarts do their thing.

The shift patterns are really good and it doesn’t matter what mode you’re in, the shifts are smooth and positive with no ‘hunting’ for gears.

The power delivery is great and it certainly wasn’t fazed by the load on board. In fact, it drove as though it didn’t have a load at all.

With the eight-speed auto, it seems that the engine is always in its sweet spot with plenty of power and torque on hand no matter what the load or conditions. Just set the new radar cruise control and let her rip.

The suspension was great too. Ride and handling were car-like and apart from its length, I could have driven it everywhere as my personal drive vehicle.

Manoeuvrability was another area that favoured the Daily. I found I could do U-turns in the space about the same of that of a dual-cab ute. Vision is very good. The low waistline and deep, broad windscreen ensure good forward and peripheral vision and the big mirrors give a clear view aft.

If there is one area where I think the Daily 70C is let down it’s the lack of a reversing camera. For a vehicle of this calibre and with safety and comfort enhancements of this model, I think the inclusion of a reversing camera in all models is a must. The van gets one so why doesn’t the cab chassis?

If I was buying a Daily, I’d be off to the aftermarket to have a reversing camera fitted.

That said, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the Iveco Daily 70. For a truck with a GVM of over seven tonnes, it’s a belter. It does everything easily and with the aplomb of a sedan car.

The ‘Packs’ add to the Daily’s appeal with the ability to tailor the vehicle to your specific needs or to run it as a ‘bare bones’ truck – and even then, it’s quite well specced.

In terms of price, it’s not over the top. The base truck will set you back around $72k. Then you have to add the engine upgrade ($2805) and auto box ($4565); the three option packs ($6050); the longer 4350mm wheelbase, up from 3450mm ($1320) and LED lights ($715) and you come in at $87,455 for a fully tricked-up long-wheelbase truck with a 7200 GVM, which I reckon is a pretty good deal.

Specifications:
Iveco Daily E6 70C (as tested)
Engine: 210EVIO FIC 3.0-litre diesel with direct injection, electronically-controlled variable geometry turbocharger (e-VGT) and intercooler
Power: 210hp (155kW) at 3500rpm
Torque: 470Nm at 1500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed ZF torque-converter auto
Suspension Front: Independent with adjustable steel torsion bar
Suspension Rear: Parabolic spring (optional ECAS air suspension)
Rear axle ratio: 4.30:1
Diff lock: Driver controlled diff lock (opt)
Fuel capacity: 100 litres
AdBlue: 20 litres
Wheelbase: 4300mm
Brakes: Four-wheel disc