MAN 22.422 6X1
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For the second year running an MAN emerged from our handful of standard sleeper-cabbed artics as being the easiest on a driver's anatomy
Based on front parabolic and six-bag air suspension, the twinsteer MAN's top-of-the-range Roadhaus cab also ensures that when the wheels stop turning and the driver turns in he or she is well catered for.
With the steering wheel moved forward it's not too hard to reach the centre of the cab from the driver's seat, but the civilised route is from the passenger seat.
There are three steps up to a standing area that, with the second seat slid back, provides over 2.1m (6ft 10in) of headroom. With limited room in the footwell and an intrusive arrangement of overhead lockers, the best position for changing clothes was found to be standing up on the engine cover.
However, there's an abundance of stowage space with lockable cabinets in the head. er section,
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lockers under the bunk and a hanging zipper-bag for a change of clothes.
Door pockets make room for odds and ends; documents can be stored away tidily in the large glove box.
The top bunk is set above the driver's seat-back height so it can remain down during driving hours, although lose items should be secured.
Both beds are 1.97m long hut the upper one is only 600mm wide by 70mm thick, compared with the more comfy 700x110mm mattress below.
Cab trim is a pleasant mix of greys with yellow flecks in the seat covers and wrap-around curtainsThe double-glazed and tinted top-floor side windows have small roller blinds for full privacy.
Ensconced in either bunk, reading light switches are within easy reach and if the top occupant wants fresh air a button on the back wall operates the tilt-andslide roof vent.
With the prospect of many nights away a radio-cum-tape or CD player is a welcome companion, so why position the switches so far away? Remote controls are old hat as far as videos are concerned so fitting them in cabs is surely not beyond the wit of manufacturers.
The Roadhaus is said by MAN's marketing people to have a luxury automatic cab heater— but it still took 84 minutes to lift the inner temperature to 23°C and it was noisy into the bargain. Thanks to the warm cloth trim, the inner carpeting, thick rubber matting and cab insulation, it never dropped below 6`C throughout the night.
MAN's Roadhaus may have been eclipsed recently by Daf's Super Space cab as far as outright cube goes, but judging by our experience it remains one of the best all-round packages on the market. .