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Performance: Like the MAN the Atego tested here is the
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outgoing model and some of the criticisms levelled here have been addressed in the next version. A closer inspection around the cab revealed a few scuffs on the nearside mirror and on the bumper, but overall its appears that this truck has got off lightly.
Out on the road the driver's door, which seemed ill-fitting, caused a lot of wind noise and at motorway speed the top edge sucked out enough to let in a small amount of daylight and rain.
Overall, the level of wear and tear surpassed that of the lveco, and even though the Atego had done fewer miles it felt older, Its 150hp engine — the same as two others on this test—was aided and abetted by a six-speed gearbox. It closed the gaps associated with a five-speeder and helped get up to speed, albeit in a more leisurely fashion than the rest of the field. But with that high-sided and slightly longer body it struggled in headwinds regardless of engine power, especially out on the dual carriageways and motorways.
Operating efficiency: The figures don't look good for Mercedes-Benz as the Atego finished bottom in three of the four categories. Fuel, speed and the second hill climb on the route all brought down the score. In fairness the fuel
consumption figure was not lagging behind by a large margin, but despite having 150hp on tap it was also beaten for average speed and on the extended hill climb by the lower powered MAN.
Braking and handling: The Atego struggled when it came to braking: it felt spongy. The brakes did their job but when transferring from one vehicle to another the difference was clear,
Handling was good and the vehicle coped well with a strong headwind as well as side winds. It also felt commendably smooth around the A-road test route and was a clear winner in this section of the test.
Driver COmfort The Atego has always scored highly on driver comfort and its high-back seats were a marked improvement over the lveco Eurocargo's diminutive seats. However, over the rougher sections a relative lack of suspension gave a harder ride than out on the dual carriageways.
There was plenty of legroom. even for the lankiest of our drivers, although the decision to include a third seat on the engine cover rather than spec a two-passenger bench seat made for a cramped interior.
The Atego scores well for its idiot-proof controls, although the delay when starting up while the diagnostics do their stuff was irritating and might cause an unfamiliar driver to believe it has a fault.
While a full handbook was provided, hiding the mirror adjustor behind the park brake was one initiative test too much. The quality of the interior was only tarnished by a cigarette burn on the centre seat, several missing or loose switch blanks and a badly worn seal by the driver's doorstep.
SPECIFICATION Engine type Mercedes 0M904LA Maximum power 150hp (112kW) Maximum 1orque 580Nm (428Ibft) Transmission I1A-B G56-6 6-speed synchromesh Rear axle ratio 3.64:1
Cab type S-Type day cab
Body manufacturer Richard Wilkinson
Fuel tank size 125 litres