• Home
• Used vehicles
• Product news
• Dealer news
• Compliance
• Buying advice
• Archive

Only the best

It's back to luxury for CM's 2010 Cab Test as the call goes out to the seven Leading manufacturers: "Give us the best you have."

Words: CM test team Images: Tom Lee and lep van der Meer There's no question that times are as hard in truck manufacturing as any other aspect of our industry, but all seven manufacturers came up with the goods. We wanted top-of-the-range tractors and that's what they provided. Once again, DAF's contribution was sourced direct from the factory in Eindhoven, but there are no worries about its unnecessary carbon footprint — it brought a load of mangos to Birmingham's Balti industry, and returned with a load of mail.

The Germans provided the well-established MAN TGX XXL and Mercedes-Benz Actros Megaspace. Offering its unique perspective on the sector, Renault's contribution was the evergreen Magnum. and lveco's Stalls came as the Active Space Super3, looking surprisingly curvaceous among its squared-off rivals.

Curiosity

The Volvo FH is now familiar to all, but the most curiosity was reserved for our first proper real-life test of Scene's latest R-Series.

Joining our usual road test team this year were the editors of Commercial Motor and Motor Transport, as well as the group's deputy news editor, all gaining a slightly sweetened first taste of life on the road

The name Super Space Cab says it all. There is 'superspace in nere. DAF's biggest cab may not be the youngest. but it certainly is still one of the biggest!

Even more important than its size is the practicality of its interior. You don't have to move the seats forward to get enough space on the wide bunk, and there is plenty of storage space.

The largest of the lockers above the windscreen will easily house a microwave ideal for warming up your home-cooked meals out of the fridge.

Very convenient as well is the drawer underneath the bunk, which is next to the fridge.

Here you can stash a weekend bag with enough clean clothes for an entire week.

Another useful fitting is the table that is found in the centre console. Sitting on the bunk, you can work a laptop easily. Also, there is a handle on the upper bunk where you can hang a towel to dry. The flat area above the dash will also comfortably house a modest-sized TV.

It's fast becoming a cliche, but the quality that DAF puts into the interior of its trucks is on a par with many quality cars, and the XF Super Space Cab only reinforces this view.

Nothing feels cheap and everything fits perfectly. The curtains are good enough to keep the daylight out of the cab. and there is enough space to get dressed or undressed on the low engine tunnel.

The dash-mounted parking brake and AS-Tronic gear controls help make a clear, uncluttered central floor area.

This DAF had a tougher test than the others, it had to provide three nights' accommodation during the return trip from Eindhoven, so any potential faults would have been found, but you'll be pleased to know that there were very few.

Well, DAF could try to mount light dimmers such as Volvo and Mercedes-Benz have done in their cabs; it will create a bit more atmosphere in the cab.

Also. the DAF could have done with a few more switches next to the bunk for the radio, windows and other items.

But having said all that, the DAF is the only cab that can be ordered with nightlocks. and that is a very safe feeling when you are sleeping or parking near the highway in a strange country.

lep van der Meer First impressions of the lveco Stralis cab are good. It has a spacious layout and pleasantly muted styling; there is ample room to stand upright on the flat central tunnel, and with the steering wheel titled forward, access across the drivers seat is also easy.

The passenger seat swivels through 90 degrees to offer a more comfortable alternative to sitting on the lower bunk, although using the seat means it is impossible to see a TV (if you bring your own) sat on the purpose-built, pull-out shelf and using the 12V socket on the left-hand bulkhead. The driver's seat doesn't swivel, so the only place to watch TV would be sat on the lower bunk against the right-hand wall.

Access to the upper bunk has been improved with a proper ladder, as well as the pull-out step, which doubles as a useful small table when ensconced in the lower bunk, Storage space for nick-nacks is plentiful, with bins above the windscreen and around the upper bulkheads, but larger items are less well catered for. The bunks are spacious even for six-foot plus drivers, provided you don't mind a firm mattress, very comfortal

There are plenty of options to light the cab interior, ini ing two bright high-level lights that are more than aciec for reading, and which can be switched to a soothinc. 'night vision light.

The heater works well, although it is a little noisy on up. The heater control, including temperature setting nine-hour timer, is via a luminous multi-function panel three easy-to-use buttons but that is located high or rear bulkhead and is only accessible with the top bunk p right down. That means either lying on the bunk or star on the step and reaching up to punch the buttons.

It would be a nice touch if this control pad was data ble and so could be used anywhere in the cab, as it controls a host of other functions and is much easier tc than the dashboard rocker switches.

The side window curtains complement the pow windscreen blind to give a pretty good blackout, althi some Velcro on the curtain edges to close the gap bet% them and the bulkhead would be welcome.

In summary the Straiis cab is a comfortable pia spend the night, with plenty of room to move around spacious bunks. Small detail improvements such as e access to the multifunction control panel, moving th shelf so it can be seen from the passenger seat and SI where to stow bulky items other than the seats, footw top bunk would complete the package.

Steve Hobson

Anyone who has :o spend one night or more in the MAN rGx XXL can be thankful for spacious, comfortable and straightforward conditions. The MAN was easily 'liveable-in' for the single night this tester spent in the cab.

There are two bunks attached to the back wall; so if you are on your own, there are cavernous conditions overhead, which immediately reduces any feelings of claustrophobia caused by spending the night in a glass and metal box.

Similarly, there is more than enough room for two people to stand upright on a low engine tunnel, and if you are on your tod, there is plenty of space to slip into something more comfortable before bedtime. I had more than enough storage space for two bags (and, yes. my fellow testers teased me mercilessly for having so much stuff) and a cool box comes in handy for the trio of two-litre bottles of drink just don't confuse your water with your 'trucker's shandy'.

54.8 The bed itself is more than comfortable for one night's 66.6 sleep, although I would worry about wear and tear corn

pressing the material if it was used consistently over a long period. It doesn't promise much in the way of back support which, if you are on the road for a long time interspersed with any manual handling, would be vital to your comfort.

The curtains provided more than enough protection from the light. They would be fantastic if you found yourself having to sleep during daylight hours before a night shift and they plunge the cab into total darkness.

Once in the dark there are plenty of interior fights. Two large ones above the windscreen give plenty of illumination for you to go about your business, and there is a handy bedside light before you doze off. One handy feature can be found next to this light: a built-in, detachable. alarm clock within easy reach of those in a deep sleep.

One slight grumble is the lack of any bedside storage. You can raise a table, but it would block off access to the cool-box for drinks and block your exit out of bed if you find yourself caught short in the night giving you every chance of spilling glasses. wallet and mobile phone under the bed. My table had been slightly damaged during delivery so I didn't bother with it, but it would have been handy to have a little bedside space. Similarly, why are there no coat hooks?

Finally the cab itself retains heat, and heats itself up very quickly. Call it global warming, or spring, if you like, but I didn't even need the heater on overnight, and once it kicked in on the timer early :n the morning, it could only be described as chuffing hot. Putting heating controls near the light and alarm clock would have saved a trip out of bed. Christopher Walton While last year's Cab Test featured the sporty looking Axor X, this year it was the turn of the luxury Actros MegaSpace. Despite the extra step, climbing in and stepping past the steering wheel and the driver's seat proved surprisingly easy; and what hits you first is the completely flat floor, ensuring easy and full cross-cab movement. The centre console is a little more intrusive than desired. The passenger seat folds virtually flat (so you can place a kit bag on top of it) and has the greatest range of legroom adjustment.

At six foot, I was easily able to stand at full height, but when folded away at 45 degrees the top bunk looms large. However, within a day or two, anyone would get used to the bunk's presence. That top bunk does have a benefit, though when it is opened out, it can be adjusted to be level on uneven ground. so you don't have to sleep at an angle.

However, this slim tester slept on the narrower, bottom bunk with just enough space to spare: although more fully proportioned drivers will need the top bunk.

The mattress is typically German: firm upon hit acquaintance, but over a night provides enough of the ri,c support (thanks to its orthopaedic design) such that a tester had his best night's sleep for a while.

The all-round black-out curtains were effective at nigh no headlight beams will get through them and by dam they let in just enough direct sunlight to help me wake L Ideally, you need to sleep with your head to the left, as tIr places you next to the bedside control panel, which fE tures a light, and controls for the heater and radio, as well a detachable alarm clock.

The glass roof hatch comes with a full black-out blind a a mosquito net that still lets in some light, although we ca vouch for its mosquito-resistance. The hatch can be op ated from the bunk as well.

The night heater comes on with a vengeance. whetyou simply hit the switch behind your head or whether pl gramnned via the dashboard computer. Using the lat method, the heater came on at 6am; the noise wasn't ft intrusive and I dozed happily until nature called.

Fit and finish throughout is lop-nolch, and while the pli tics wilt no doubt prove to be hard-wearing, the dull gr could become oppressive over time. The comfortable se are in a dark cloth that will show less wear and tear.

The Actros doesn't lack for storage space, includi plenty of lockable boxes.

Whatever cab this tester sleeps in next year, it will have go some to beat the Actros.

Justin Stanton Car designers use the phrase "surprise and delight" when comes to ingenious features, and the Magnum certainly packs more than its share.

Everywhere you explore, you stumble across another little novelty to make life easier for the serious long-haul driver. For our night out, we kept the layout of the Multi-Pass cab in its intended role — as a two-storey bedsit Indeed. there are staff at Reed Towers who are said to live in smaller properties in south London. Interior decor is a cheery mix of red and grey.

Once you keep in mind the potential to absent-mindedly plunge to your death, access is surprisingly easy thanks to the outside ledge. In off-duty mode, the downstairs comprises a dining table-cum-desk with one very comfy chair and one slightly less opulent upholstered bench. Facing the best seat the padded headrest of the second seat drops down to form a sturdy shelf for a modestly sized TV or DVD54.6 playing laptop. Beneath the first seat is a largo locker, and 69.6 beneath the second is the fridge. The main storage is found above the screen, with a set o lockers, including a lockable roller-fronted one in the centre We probably didn't find allot the various assorted erns, nett and coat hangers around the cab, but we did find the hang. ing wardrobe hidden in the wall on the passenger side.

We chose to pass on assembling the four-piece Iowa bunk, keeping the office layout intact overnight and sleep ing upstairs. Although the Magnum's top bunk provides thE narrowest bed of the assembled company it proved per fectiy adequate. Headroom was reasonable, and after yot have whacked your melon on the aircraft-style drop-dowr locker a couple of times, you'll soon learn.

The bunk area has flexible reading lights at each end switches for roof hatch and main interior light and a simpLE heater thermostat. The shallow shelves between the wind. screen and main storage lockers are just about withir reach of the bunk, but if you sleep with your head to the left the radio Is a stretch too far.

Keeping the darkness In is a set of electric roller blinds featuring the ingenious slot in the instrument panel. There'5 a little light ingress around the slightly gappy edges, but thE actual material is extremely opaque.

The floor covering is practical, although a square of nicE carpet in the middle would lessen the early morning shoot on bare feet. Once on the floor, there's room for 99% of driv ers to move around unhindered, although If the floor-mount ed park brake lived on the dash, moving around would bE even easier.

Colin Barnett Scanias track record .at the annual CMCab Test isn't pretty. Multi-piece mattresses mirroring Meccano sets, bunks over the dashboard with no safety net, and dodgy ladders all spring to mind when charged with sleeping in the Griffin.

Despite, or maybe because of, our constant haranguing, the Swedes have finally devised a bottom bunk that works. A simple pull-out and retractable mattress provides the aching, worked-to-the-bone, driver a night's sleep they hopefully will be too busy snoozing to recall.

The maximum width of the bottom mattress is 710mm, and this extends 220mm, to provide a bunk fit for a king. To accommodate the extension, both seats slide forward.

Our test vehicle arrived with two luxury leather seats, which meant access out of the passenger door from the fully extended bunk is tight. The standard passenger seat also slides forward, but the part where your derriere sits lifts 48.0 up, so a trip outdoors for ablutions isn't impeded.

65.3 The back wall houses a phone-like remote control for, among other things, the night heater, alarm and radio. a there is a switch for the hatch and lights. The same contn sit on the dashboard to the left of the steering wheel.

In front of the passenger seat, the lid of the dash lifts up reveal a foldout table designed primarily for laptops, thE are 12V and 24V sockets to its right and In the centre I: connection for an iPod.

Above the windscreen are three lockers, and underne them are three trays, which provide sound storage. TherE additional space above both the driver and passenc doors. More storage sits behind the driver's seat on sidewall and a smoke alarm. The top bunk, however, is 1€ exciting. Access is gained via a slightly over-engineer ladder that unclips, slides and extends into place.

If your driver tramps, the temptation is to do away with I top bunk and set up storage and space for a flat-screen and/or a microwave. Under the bottom bunk is a slidedrawer, which can be a fridge if you tick the right box.

A neat clip holds the curtains and they do a good job keeping out the light. With the cover drawn under the si roof, you can create an almost perfect blackout.

Criticisms are few, The luxury passenger seat I: required, and the curtains, while blocking light, remain afterthought as they stutter around on the runners.

They also take up a lot of space when stowed, and 1 curtain that slides across the edge of the bunks doesn't pear to take into account the bottom bunk's ability to sli Overa.,1 full marks to Scania for a vast improvement. Kevin Swallow

With an early choice from the seven-truck line-up. I elected for the big Volvo FLI with its Globetrotter XXL cab and no, it was not purely based on the fact it was the only one with a flatscreen TV [Yeah, right. We believe you ed].

After a very long day testing and measuring every conceivable inch of the cabs, we were spent, so by 8pm, the Volvo was starting to resemble the penthouse suite at what's claimed to be the worlds most luxurious hotel. Burj-al-Arab.

Climbing into the cab. this mobile Swedish boudoir has a distinctly classy feel, and the flat floor and high ceiling mean plenty of room for manoeuvre. You also get plenty of extra storage space and any driver lucky enough to have one of these as their 'office' will not be wanting for luggage compartments, gloveboxes and lockable holdalls.

The cab is also pretty versatile, which makes living in it for more than two consecutive nights less of a chore. The pas

Tickovor 54.9 senger seat can be rotated 90 degrees to face the driver's

80krn/h 66.7 side of the cab, and once in position, there's enough space to stretch your legs and watch terrestrial TV or your favourite DVD box set.

One problem with a rotating passenger pew is that it blocks the sliding under-bunk storage compartments and rninibar, which can be slightly annoying, especially once you've settled in for your evening telly. The entertainment doesn't end there because with the Volvo you also get a USB and auxiliary input for iPods and MP3 players.

Retiring to the bunk, we liked the fact that both driver and passenger seat backs can be pushed almost flat to give more space to stretch out on the six-foot-plus bed.

The foam mattress is thick and supportive and can be tilted upwards if the driver wants a spot of light reading. Light controls are close-to-hand with the switch for the nightheater and electric sunroof also within arm's length.

Despite the Globetrotter's overall flexibility, it was still handicapped by the sloping front windscreen, which does push the overhead storage lockers further into the cab. This became even more evident when examining the other trucks, which, on the whole, had more upright boxy cabs.

Se. all the ingredients for a good night's rest are there; comfy mattress, adjustable seating for added space. conveniently placed switches, but we're forgetting the curtains, These are dark blue in colour and wrap-around the whole front of the cab and they're thick too, which means little light gets through.

In summation, the Globetrotter XXL is a more than adequate home away from home.

Ian Tonkin Trying to pick a winner is like choosing your favourite cider. There can't be a driver in the land who wouldn't grin when offered the keys to any of the seven. That's not to say we've found the perfect truck, though that search continues.

'DAF provided a quality product, and is to be commended for its bandit-resistant door locks, but there are still issues with its bunk.

If we were of Continental stock, the Iveco would have found more f4nds, but putting the TV shelf on t e wrong side is unforgivable.

The MAN lacked bed-time s rage and coat hooks. The Actros is harder to fault, but it's far too grey for us. Despite the extra step, it was voted to have best access.

The Renault Magnum is a strong contender in the accommodation stakes, but as soon as you start driving, the noise and harshness betray the age of the design.

The worst bit on the Scania was shoddy curtain runners. Volvo's FH is a great all-rounder. and its attention to the little details impresses.

Night heater testing

We were badly let down by the weather this year. Despite our best efforts with the calendar. the ambient temperatures on the test day were so unseasonably high that the heaters would have had little to do. so that test was shelved this time around. However, none of our test team reported any significant issues in operating the heaters during the night.

Dynamic testing

Ride: Once again, MIRA engineer Graham Hardwick was on hand to carry out the objective testing of ride vibration, and CMS tester at the wheel for the subjective viewpoint. Unfortunately, one of the vibration accelerometers failed before the test. so the test considered least significant, seat back vertical, was omitted this year.

During both the rough and smooth track tests, the DAF gave exceptional cab ride in comparison to any of the competition.

However, some caution must be employed as this was the only LHD vehicle in the test, hence the ride inputs may be slightly different at that side of the vehicle, although the subjective view agreed with the computer.

At the other end of the spectrum. the Iveco and Renault had the poorest cab ride, although this was slightly mitigated by the performance of their driving seats. The Volvo used coil over spring/ dampers for its cab suspension, but still ache a good ride over smooth roads, however, its r over rough roads was poor.

Subjectively the DAF MAN and Scania gE the best relative ride, with the Renault and IvE impressing least. One incidental aspect of new Scania R-Series was the impressively smo quality of the latest Opticruise transmission. 1 MAN was marred by the transmission of steer' column vibrations, and also demonstrated ci siderable cab roll during cornering.

Renaults big Magnum suffered from poor r during impact events, while the Iveco had a lo secondary/high frequency ride inputs.

The Mercedes' only real fault was that it slightly under-damped with shake while recor ing from single event bumps.

Noise: Once again, Scanias legendary ticko noise suppression was demonstrated by a ric level of 48d13(A). Next best at 51.5dB{A) was Stralis. The remainder were all broadly sim apart from the Renault Magnum, whose lay could be expected to produce the best res rather than the worst.

Once under way at 80km/h, things got rat closer as the Mere beat the Scania by a sr margin with most of the rest not far behind. Sa the Renault let itself down again, even after A allowed it plenty of time to warm up, it being r ticularly loud while the engine was cold,