SECTOR Large van LOAD VOLUME 10.8–19.6m3 GVW 3.5 –7.0 tonnes POWER 106–205hp
The home delivery boom has seen a massive increase in the number of 3.5-tonne vans on our roads, bridging the gap between high street store, distribution warehouse and domestic driveway.
There are plenty of good reasons to use a 3.5-tonne van, not least that almost anyone with a car licence can get behind the wheel. There are however plenty of times when the 3.5-tonner’s rather limited payload, as little as 1,100kg in some cases, makes it less efficient transport.
Historically this has been the playground of the 7.5-tonne truck, but few companies want to be seen in urban areas with trucks. The answer it seems could be the face of a van, with the carrying capacity of a larger vehicle.
Enter Iveco’s largest Daily, with a 7.0-tonne gross weight. Even with the firm’s biggest integral van body, offering an incredible 19.6m3 of volume, the 7.0-tonne Daily tips the scales at little more than 3,027kg, leaving almost 4.0 tonnes of available payload. In a vehicle that takes up no more road space than a large 3.5-tonner, that is impressive indeed.
Unsurprisingly the biggest Daily relies on the firm’s larger 3.0-litre diesel engine for motive power, available with 146hp, 170hp or 205hp in Euro 5b+ form or with 146hp and 170hp in Euro 6 trim. You can even order the big Daily with a 136hp natural gas engine at Euro 6. All engines can be ordered with a six-speed manual gearbox, while the diesels can also be had with the new Hi-Matic eight-speed automatic transmission tested last month.
Even with the manual gearbox the big Daily is as easy to drive as a regular 3.5-tonne van. Apart from the tachograph and limited top speed, there is little to indicate the higher weight from inside the cab. It is not difficult to see why larger vans like Daily are becoming increasingly popular.