IVECO S-Way 6x4 AS 2023 Review

We got a bit of a feel for the IVECO S-Way at the official launch back in March, and while that test-track drive did give us a bit of an idea of how the truck drove and felt, a track drive is no substitute for a real drive in real-world conditions.

So when the IVECO execs offered us an extended drive, needless to say we jumped on it. We were given an open book of options of where to go, and we chose Australia’s most popular truck route, up the Hume.

Now, some may think that a run from Melbourne to Sydney might sound a bit boring, but it does have a lot going for it. It’s a good long run, it has some hills to really test the truck and, on this particular journey, it also had all the seasons in one day, plus a bit of night driving just for fun.

I really wanted to get an early start on the run and get out of town early, but the best-laid plans came a bit unstuck and I didn’t get going until about 9am. But at least the traffic had died down and I got a good start.

Our test rig for the trip was an IVECO S-Way 6x4 AS prime mover with a B-double set weighing in at 55 tonnes. It was a standard setup for what IVECO reckons these trucks will do – intrastate or interstate transport.

The cabs available in the S-Way range are Active Day, Active Time and Active Space. Ours was the Active Space (AS) cab which is the largest and, as the name suggests, has the most space. It’s a big cab with a flat floor and full standing height so you can move around in the cab and get ready for a good night’s sleep in the ample sleeper.

IVECO offers three engines in the S-Way – 9-litre, 11-litre and 13-litre – and we had the biggest, the Cursor 13, with the optional 550hp and 2500Nm of torque. Standard is 530 and 2400Nm. That is mated to a 16-speed Hi-Tronix automated-manual transmission through to a 3.09 diff (a lower 3.4 is an option).

As with all modern European trucks coming in to this country, the S-Way is fitted with a full complement of safety equipment. Standard features on our test truck included AEB, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, electronic stability control, anti-slip regulator, and hill-holder function, along with Driver Attention Support and Drive Style Evaluation (DAS and DSE).

However, I did notice the absence of a driver airbag. That said, from a safety perspective, it is a fairly comprehensively equipped truck straight from the manufacturer.

Climbing up into the cab, the driver is greeted by a lovely multi-adjustable, heated suspension seat – great for morning starts from Melbourne in winter. And just for good measure, the passenger gets one too.

The steering wheel offers heaps of adjustment too, so it’s easy to get a comfortable driving position whatever your size.

Our truck was fitted with an accessory phone cradle and I had no trouble pairing my phone and plugging it into one of the USB ports, which also gave me Apple CarPlay connectivity.

Once I was settled and fuelled, I was on my way through the morning traffic of Melbourne which gave me a great appreciation of the vision from the driver’s seat. Big, solid mirrors with no vibration are a feature as is the expansive windscreen and excellent peripheral vision.

I know we harp on about this with the modern European trucks, but they’re really quiet, and the S-Way is no exception. The Cursor 13 is a really civilised engine, and the operation of the transmission is unfussed, smooth and direct. The combination leads to a truck that is not only quiet, it’s refined in the way it goes about it business.

I found I could sit back with some music on and, even in city traffic, be relaxed and be confident with the truck. It did, however, take a while to figure out that the controls for the audio were on the underside of the steering wheel…

Rolling through the traffic, I also got used to the engine braking which is through a five-stage stalk on the right-hand side of the steering column. The first three stages are the engine brake and the final two are the transmission intarder. The system works a treat and once used to it, you can basically work with this rather than the service brakes.

That said, the service brakes were terrific. It’s big ventilated discs all round and when I did need them in the Melbourne peak hour, they more than adequately answered the call.

We were soon out onto the open road and this is where the S-Way impressed. Even though the engine only displaces 13 litres – 12.9 to be exact – it puts out plenty of torque and that’s evidenced by the way it will hang onto tall gears over moderate hills.

A seamless downshift on the steeper hills to 14th or so and the torque just drags the 55 tonnes over the top. Sure, on the really steep hills we were down into the lower end of the box, but it still hauled us over the hills with minimal fuss.

On the flat stuff, it would bowl along at 100km/h with the engine running at just over 1600rpm, where I could flick in the adaptive cruise and let the vehicle smarts do their thing while I dove into the screens from time to time to check the truck’s systems: fuel economy, tyre pressures and the like.

Looking at the power and torque curves, at this engine speed, the Cursor 13 is still putting out maximum torque and is just about to reach maximum power, so it is the ideal cruising speed for the engine. After about 1700, the torque drops off, although the maximum power is still there even though the truck is limited to 100km/h.

Heading up into New South Wales and the weather kicked in; this is where the full sweep of the wipers was noticed and the sure-footedness of the truck and the accurate and tight steering was welcome.

As darkness descended, the LED lights came into their own. The spread of the light both forward and to the sides was terrific, and when I flicked back from high beam to low, it didn’t feel like I was driving into a tunnel – there was still plenty of light to drive by. It’s amazing how far lighting has come in recent times with LEDs getting better and better, and it’s a welcome change from the crap we’ve had to endure in the past.

Rolling into Sydney I was pleased to have the navigation system guiding me into the dealership which I hadn’t visited before, and as I eased the big IVECO into the yard, I couldn’t help but think how easy these trucks are to drive and actually what an enjoyable drive it’d been.

For my Melbourne to Sydney trip, my average fuel consumption was 2.04km/litre, which is pretty good for a B-double loaded to 55 tonnes and with an engine that has only done a few thousand kilometres, proving this is not only a capable truck but an economical one too.

There’s no doubt, the S-Way is a thoroughly modern, powerful and capable truck. It’d be a versatile addition to any fleet for work around town, intrastate or even a bit of linehaul work. It’s biggest challenge and the challenge for the IVECO execs is to get it onto the shopping list for operators looking for a 6x4 prime mover.

Once the operators get into the S-Way, the truck should do the talking.

Specifications:
IVECO S-Way 6x4 AS Prime Mover
Engine: Cursor 13
Displacement: 12.9L
Max power: 550hp at 1600rpm (std: 530hp at 1700rpm)
Max torque: 2500Nm at 1000rpm (std: 2400Nm at 980rpm)
Transmission: HiTronix 16TX
Type: 16-speed automated manual
Tare weight: 8701kg
GVM: 27,600kg
GCM: 70,000kg
Front suspension: Parabolic spring with hydraulic dampers
Rear suspension: Eight bellow air bags with ECAS
Front brakes: 432mm ventilated discs
Rear brakes: 432mm ventilated discs
Fuel: 1010L (630L RHS, 380L LHS)
AdBlue: 80L
Warranty: Three years/750,000km, whichever comes first (optional: Up to five years/1,000,000km)