Iveco Daily (2021)

The Iveco Daily has undergone a number of revamps in recent years and the latest one for 2021 has boosted driver comfort and added technology. The Daily looks essentially the same as when it was launched in 2016, though the interior is much improved, and the engines are cleaner. The Italian van maker has also added driver safety assistance systems.

One of the big differences for the Iveco Daily van is that it is one of the few to use a separate body and chassis construction. This means the Daily is able to carry between 3.3 tonnes and 7 tonnes – depending on the body style and specification. One downside is that the running gear has been in place for a while and the latest refresh delivered what customers asked for with better fuel economy, more technology and better driver comfort.

IVECO SAYS

The latest evolution of the Daily family of light commercial vehicles breaks new ground, introducing new adaptive and intelligent solutions that take interaction and collaboration with the driver and owner to a new level, turning the vehicle into a true companion in business success.

Thomas Hilse, Iveco’s president, said: “With the new Daily we move to the next level and go smart. It offers a level of innovation with no equivalent on the market. It brings on board best-in-class comfort and safety, extraordinary flexibility and mission focus, together with a substantial TCO reduction and a constantly expanding portfolio of Iveco On services. For us at Iveco, improvement is a never-ending process – when we reach one goal, we immediately start working on the next one. We never stop.”

The key trends in the commercial vehicle industry have driven the latest evolutionary push of the new Daily. It builds on its core values of versatility, robustness, durability and performance, which have made it a favourite in its segment for more than 40 years. It introduces innovative, customer-centred solutions that make it a supremely adaptive, interactive, collaborative and connected vehicle – the most innovative LCV in its generation and the customer’s smart companion.

The new Iveco Daily anticipates customer demands in a commercial vehicle industry that is changing fast. The last-mile delivery sector has experienced a boom as consumers dramatically increase their reliance on e-commerce and delivery services during lockdowns.

Reasons to buy

There’s a lot to like about the Iveco Daily and rather than have a specific trim, the firm offers a range of option packages to meet the individual needs of customers. Essentially, there are more than 7,000 variations of the van on offer in what is a diverse range of vehicles that take lots of punishment.

If you like the Iveco Daily, then consider the Ford Transit or the Renault Master.

Running Costs

The Iveco Daily has a 2.3-litre diesel engine with four cylinders producing 116 HP, 136 HP or 156 HP. The engine is mated to either a six-speed manual, or an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Alternatively, there’s a 3.0-litre diesel engine producing either 160 HP, 180 HP or 210 HP. Businesses can even spec the Daily to run on compressed natural gas (CNG) in the firm’s Daily Natural Power versions. The engine produces 136 HP.

There’s also the Daily Electric which is a battery-powered offering and worth considering particularly for those firms delivering in cities.

The engines return around 41mpg though the heavier and larger versions will return around 28mpg.

Other benefits to running the Iveco Daily is a total cost of ownership with extended servicing intervals – the oil needs changing every 37,500 miles, and the firm offers extended warranty options.

Load Space

While the payload is smaller than some rivals, businesses have the choice of load volume that ranges from 7.3 m³, up to 19.6 m³.

And while the range of sizes and bodies can cause confusion, there are essentially five body lengths and three wheelbases – plus three roof heights.

This means the short wheelbase Daily is 5,080mm long, with a load length of 2,610mm.

The load space is accessed by a sliding side door that is fitted by Iveco as standard and payloads range from 900kg to 1,400kg, depending on the body type, gearbox and engine.

Technology & Safety

The Iveco Daily has much better safety equipment and drivers now get city brake which operates at low speeds to prevent unnecessary accidents, plus there’s emergency braking that is activated at speeds of less than 35mph.

The Daily also gets lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control. Also fitted as standard is side wind assist.

There’s also a new electro-mechanical steering system that boosts lane keeping and works with the automatic braking offering and adaptive cruise control to improve driver safety.

As part of the latest 2021 refresh, the Iveco Daily gets a new 7.0-inch touchscreen that incorporates telematics if required. There’s also a rearview camera, voice recognition and satnav plus the infotainment system is smartphone compatible.

With so many variations, potential buyers should know that the top end versions come with cruise control, heated door mirrors and air-conditioning as standard.

Performance

The engines for the Iveco Daily are robust and offer great performance and meet Euro-6d regulations.

It helps too that the new steering system delivers agility and makes the van feel more connected to the road than it has been previously. Even in the largest van, the steering is precise, and the turning circle is impressive.

The firm also listens to customer feedback and the steering column is now adjustable for reach and rake which helps to make driving the Daily a much more comfortable experience.

This is also a smooth ride with an excellent suspension, particularly for the rear with less bounce.