AFAC 2023: IVECO shows off Daily 4x4

The AFAC conference this week held plenty of surprises, not the least of which was the first official showing of the new IVECO Daily 4x4 that will go on sale later this year.

The latest version of the Daily 4x4 has been available to the mining sector and various other off-road applications for some time, but it has not been available to the general public for on-road use.

All that will change later this year when it will be officially launched as a general-purpose vehicle.

The new Daily 4x4 will have independent front suspension, an eight-speed automatic transmission and a revamped interior. But enthusiasts need not be alarmed. We were told at the AFAC show that the new independent front suspension has more travel than the original leaf-spring version.

Climbing into the new Daily we were also pleased to see that the full array of diff locks will still be available, as will the ultra-low gearing for serious off-road work.

The Daily will be available in three different wheelbases, and in either single or dual-cab variants. Seating in the dual-cab will be for either six (two up front and four in the rear) or seven (three in the front on a bench seat and four again in the rear), but a spokesman for IVECO said that most will opt for the two suspension seats up front for added comfort.

The Daily 4x4 will be available only as a seven-tonne GVM truck with the car-licence version being dropped for this model. Therefore, prospective owners will have to have at least a light-rigid truck licence.

Other notable features of the Daily 4x4 include fully rated tow points front and rear and a three-piece front bumper so that if it gets damaged, owners don’t have to buy the full bumper, just the damaged parts.

The Daily will be powered by IVECO’s 180hp Euro 6 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel with electronically controlled variable-geometry turbo running through the eight-speed ZF torque-converter automatic. A six-speed manual transmission continues to be offered for those who prefer to self-shift.

It is interesting to note that the Daily 4x4 is not built in the company’s general production facility but in IVECO’s military vehicles plant.

Braking in the new model comes in the form of ventilated disc brakes all round with ABS and electronic brakeforce distribution, part of IVECO’s broader ESP9 program. The safety suite offers a range of active safety equipment including electronic stability program, anti-slip regulator, and hill hold control, among others. The safety package also includes driver and passenger SRS airbags.

We are certainly looking forward to the launch of the new-model IVECO Daily 4x4 and we’ll bring you more details and a firmer launch date as they come to hand.