Iveco Daily Review & Buyers Guide

Iveco Daily Review & Buyers' Guide

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£23,200 – £37,540

Available as	Engine options	Volume (m³)	Payload (kg)	MPG
Van, Chassis Cab, Minibus, Chassis Double Cab, Dropside, Tipper, Box Van, Refrigerated	2.3TD 96/106/116/126/136hp 3.0TD 140/146/170/176hp 3.0CNG/P 136hp, Electric	7.3 - 17.2	1,005 – 4,140	TBA

Our Verdict
Daily is without doubt an enormously impressive vehicle with much to commend it, including a comprehensive range, highly competent diesels and greatly improved build quality.

Iveco updated the Daily at the beginning of 2010, with new diesel engines courtesy of Fiat Powertrain Technologies, a mild facelift and a shift up into a higher gross weight category. Starting at 3.2 tonnes, it now grosses at a maximum 7.0 tonnes as both a van and a chassis cab compared with a previous maximum of 6.5 tonnes. Top payload capacity ranges from 1,005kg to a hefty 4,140kg while van load space runs from 7.3m³ to an echoing 17.2m³.

The engine line-up now embraces a 3.0-litre Euro 5 fitted with twin turbochargers that pumps out either 140hp or 170hp. Peak torque output is 350Nm and 400Nm respectively.

Two new versions of the established 2.3-litre Euro 4 engine have joined the range offering either 106hp/270Nm or 126hp/290Nm. The 2.3-litre can still also be ordered at 96hp, 116hp or 136hp; the last-named variant is equipped with a variable-geometry turbocharger.

Still available are the 146hp and 176hp 3.0-litre Euro 4s. The more powerful of the duo gets a variable-geometry turbocharger too. The 3.0-litre Euro 5 meets the EEV (Enhanced Environmentally-friendly Vehicle) standard as does a 3.0-litre 136hp/350Nm version of the rear-wheel drive Daily that can run on landfill gas.

All Euro 5 and EEV-compliant models are branded EcoDaily. An electric Daily (£67,000) is available as well with a range in excess of 80 miles depending on how it is driven and the number of batteries fitted.

More stress is being placed on safety, with ABS, Electronic Stability Programme, Hill Holder (it stops you rolling backwards when you try to move away on an incline) and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution among the packages fitted. Load Adaptive Control takes the position, dimensions, and weight of any load being carried into consideration and adjusts any ABS and ESP interventions accordingly.

As for the aforementioned facelift, the most noticeable change is the arrival of a honeycomb-style front grille. Internally the dashboard and instrument panel have been reworked and it’s worth noting that a Blue & Me hands-free system developed by Fiat and Microsoft (Iveco is of course part of the Fiat group) is an option across the range.

Daily rides and handles well, the more powerful models in the range offer plenty of performance and build quality is streets ahead of where it was a few years back. What’s more, the optional AGile semi-automatic gearbox is one of the best in the business. If you don’t specify it you get a standard five- or six-speed manual ’box.

Services intervals are set at 25,000 miles while Daily is protected by a three-year/100,000-mile warranty. As well as a panel van, Daily is also up for grabs as a chassis cab, a chassis crew cab, a Combi and a window van. It’s marketed as a stupendous 4x4 too, and sister company Irisbus can supply it as a minibus. New, updated range launched in the UK November 2011; see Launch Report.