26 OPERATIONS GROUP TEST

TRACTOR UNITS 27

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The contenders
Daf XF Space Cab
Iveco Ecostralis Hi-Way
MAN TGX XLX
Mercedes-Benz Actros
BigSpace
Renault T 460
Scania R450 Highline
Volvo FH Globetrotter

With a host of fresh new designs and ideas,

tractor unit cabs have moved on and up
since we last compared them five years ago

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28 OPERATIONS GROUP TEST

TRACTOR UNITS 29

When CM last carried out a comparison of cabs

in 2009, we focused on compact fleet tractor units like the
Daf CF85, Mercedes-Benz Axor and Volvo FM. But this
time, we moved upmarket. Resisting the lure of top-ofthe-shop palaces, we have instead evaluated those
designed for regular nights out but still within a prudent
fleet budget. Broadly speaking, we are talking about
full-width (2.5m or so) cabs that provide sufficient space
and creature comforts for the average driver to stand
upright and spend a reasonable night. This is a highly
relevant and competitive part of the market, made even
more so by the fact that five of the seven cabs have been
either renewed or significantly revised within the year or
so as part of Euro-6 upgrades. We were looking for
evidence of progress and new ideas.

long-legged drivers; Renault and MAN give least. Scania

and Iveco seats had the greatest range of travel, and so
should be able to satisfy more extremes than others. Being
able to push the seat a long way forward also means the
seat-back is not so oppressive when using the bunk.
Taller drivers are also likely to have longer-thanaverage thighs that need seat squabs that provide support
under the knee. All seven trucks have movable squabs
that can be pulled out to extend their length, although we
are not sure how many drivers take advantage of this.
We found a huge variation in how manufacturers
approached passenger seats. The optional leather seat in
the Iveco, for example, has a swivel action so the seat can
be turned 90 to face inwards for a change of scenery in
off-duty hours. The seat-back can also be folded down flat
so it isnt in your face if you are sleeping with your head at
that end of the bunk. There is also a pocket on the
seat-back. Both Scania and Mercedes have passenger
seats that fold to create extra space: the squabs fold up or
the backs go down. Scanias seat-back also serves as a
bedside table when it is folded. Passenger seats that lack
these folding functions are an opportunity missed.

The space race

With the exception of the Iveco and the Renault, you can
get higher versions of each of these cabs, so absolute size
is not the be all and end all. As we cant ignore interior
space, we evaluated three key dimensions. We measured
interior height directly above the centre of the engine
tunnel; width across the door pillars at headrest level, and
cab length from just above the dashboard to the rear wall.
Multiplying these dimensions gives us a feel for the core
gross volume of the cab.
Mercedes new Actros BigSpace offers the most internal
height and the second most width and length and so is the
biggest overall package. The Stralis doesnt look nearly so
big from the outside but comes second, a whisker ahead of
the MAN and then the Volvo. Dafs Space Cab is the
smallest, purely because it provides less headroom than all
the others. If that is an issue, take the Super Space, offering
an extra 370mm or so of internal height.
It is customary to assess the size of flats by reference to
floor area, so we did that too. The only genuinely usable
part of a cab floor is the engine tunnel, so we measured the
largest unimpeded rectangular area, discounting areas
obscured by a projecting central console, for example.
Automated gear-shifting frees up floor space, and nearly all
park brake levers are on the dash these days, so there is
more floor area than there used to be. The exception is
MAN, which keeps both park brake and the rotary control
for AS-Tronics mode selection on the floor, stealing a little
space. Nor does MANs cooler box an option retract
fully under the bunk, so it too encroaches on available floor

Good evening?

Daf XF Space Cab: its nice, but not super. Top bunk is intrusive,
but at least Daf provides a decent rest for the left foot

Before they turn in for the night, drivers need cabs to

function as a living room. Weve mentioned standing
room and folding passenger seats, but the bunk
arrangement also plays a part. Our pet hate is a top bunk
that is slung too low and/or hanging at 45 when stowed.
Anything that prevents the average driver from sitting

space. Consequently, the usable area on the TGXs engine

tunnel is about 30% smaller than most. Scanias tunnel is
fractionally smaller still, being both narrow and short. Dafs
engine tunnel has the largest surface area, with Ivecos
exceptionally wide the next biggest. Strictly speaking,
there is no tunnel in the Actros BigSpace because any
2.5m-wide Actros has a flat floor, but the area between the
Actros seats is no bigger than average.
Finally, we measured the width of the footwells. Deleting
the clutch pedal makes cramped footwells a thing of the
past for the majority of tractor units. We noticed that in
most cases, footwells on the passengers side are wider than
those on the drivers side, presumably a function of design
for left-hand drive. Our initial reaction was that UK drivers
are getting a raw deal but, on second thoughts, maybe that
isnt the case: if they swap seats when off-duty, they end up
with more room.
We also checked for the presence of a footrest for the
drivers left foot. Daf, Mercedes, and Renault all tick that
box, while Volvo has what looks like a rather half-hearted
attempt. Scania and MAN dont bother at all, while Iveco
has thoughtfully included one such a shame its on the
passengers side

Asleep on the job

Are you sitting comfortably?

Seat comfort is a subjective issue, so we chose to adopt a
more objective approach by measuring the amount of knee
room, determined by maximum and minimum length
between drivers seat-back and the nearest point on the
dashboard. With the seat in its rearmost position, Mercedes
and Iveco respectively give the most knee room for
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comfortably on the lower bunk is a pain in the neck.

The Volvo FH assessed here has three lockers on the
back wall instead of an upper bunk, neatly avoiding the
compromises associated with providing two beds.
Conversely, most Daf XF Space Cabs are specified with
only one bunk, but this particular example had two. There
simply isnt sufficient height in the cab for this
arrangement to work comfortably. The top bunk which
also hangs down at an intrusive angle is far too low,
seriously encroaching on the living space.
The Renault is probably the best of the rest, with an
upper bunk that folds almost flat against the rear wall and
a reasonable amount of headroom between bunks. Whats
more, the upper bunk has a novel longitudinal folding
arrangement that turns it into a thickly lipped shelf.
Renault also has come up with a simple reclining device
that is little more than a mat anchored to a rail mounted
on the sidewalls above the lower bunk. Your backside
anchors it at whatever angle of recline you choose.
However, Renaults bottom bunk is only 425mm above
the engine tunnel about 100mm less than most so
sitting on it is like using a childs chair.
Ivecos upper bunk also folds flat against the rear wall,
and you will probably want to keep it stowed for as long
as possible because it is low-mounted, leaving relatively
little headroom when on the lower bunk. Behind the
passenger seat, the lower bunk has a three-position
reclining mechanism akin to a sun lounger. Another nice
touch in the Iveco is a small drop-down table recessed
into the side wall on the passenger side.
Scania, Mercedes and MAN all stow their upper bunk
at 30 to 50 to vertical. Of these three, Mercedes is
probably the most liveable because it offers the most
headroom between bunks, boasting a multi-position
reclining arrangement for the lower mattress. MANs pullout cool box, which refuses to slide all the way, impedes
your calves when sitting on the lower bunk.

Iveco Ecostralis Hi-Way: does most things pretty well, particularly if you prefer to use the
upper bunk. Its hard to see anything in the dark lockers, though

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When its time to bed down we think the driver should

choose which way round he sleeps, not the truck
manufacturer. We know one driver, overnighting in a
lay-by, whose cab was crumpled by a bulldozer blade on
the back of a low-loader that passed too close. He never
slept with his head nearest the roadside again.
So full marks to Volvo, Scania and Renault which all
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30 OPERATIONS GROUP TEST

provide over-the-shoulder flexible snake lights for reading
at both ends of the bunk. Iveco and Daf reading lights are
at the drivers end only; Mercedes and MANs are at the
passengers end only.
On paper, Scanias bottom bunk is the biggest: long, with
a 170mm pocket-spring mattress. Its wide too, but only if
you use the clever pull-out arrangement that expands
mattress width by 150mm once the seats are pushed
forward. Volvos pocket-sprung mattress lacks the pull-out
trick, but is almost as wide anyway. Dafs lower bunk
mattress is foam in the Space Cab (interior-sprung in the
Super Space) and loses out to the two Swedes because the
cut-outs behind both seats are deeper, making it
substantially narrower at the ends. MANs lower bunk,
with a foam mattress, isnt particularly wide (790mm) but
has only one small cut-out against the back wall on the
passenger side, so more of its full width is usable. The foam
mattress on Ivecos lower bunk is marginally wider
(800mm) but has a bigger cut-out behind the drivers seat.
That configuration, plus the reclining mechanism
mentioned earlier, lends itself to sleeping with your head
on the passenger side, so it is annoying to find the reading
light on the side wall at the other end.
By the time you get to the Renault, the foam mattress
width is down to 770mm in the middle and 650mm at
either end, so it feels restrictive around the head. Renault
offers an extending-width mattress la Scania, but not on
right-hand-drive models. Mercedes approach is different
from the rest, opting for a straight (foam) mattress
without any cut-outs. At a constant 750mm, it is narrow in
the middle but loses nothing at either end.

TRACTOR UNITS 31
Most of the top bunks are narrower than those beneath
them. The two exceptions are Mercedes and Iveco, both
of which are the same width top and bottom. The Actross
upper bunk has a clever ratchet system on its support
straps, allowing the bunk to be levelled if the truck is
parked on a slope: there is even a spirit level on the bunk
frame to get it spot on. Iveco has apportioned the space so
that the upper bunk gets more headroom than the lower
one, suggesting that Iveco gives more priority to the upper
bunk than other manufacturers. The aluminium ladder is
cleverly stowed within the bunks base. Our vote for the
best ladder goes to Dafs, which sports wide treads for
comfortable use with bare feet and slides along between
the frames of upper and lower bunks.

Storage hunters
The driver with everything needs only one more thing
somewhere to put it. Looking first at the big storage
lockers under the bunk, Mercedes offers plenty of volume,
largely because its bunk sits higher than the others, so space
beneath is deeper. Volvos cunning idea is to use lift-out
trays on the top of the two big under-bunk lockers so if you
dont need their full depth you can add a second tier of
storage for smaller items. There are a couple of additional
smaller lockers too, accessible only from the outside. Iveco
opts for a pair of small external lockers to complement the
main lockers that are illuminated and accessible from
inside and outside. Most of the units offer the option of a
pull-out fridge replacing the centre drawer. MANs
troublesome cool box once again rears its head, wasting
space behind it under the bunk.

Mercedes Actros BigSpace: it has lots of space, a flat floor,

good storage and some nice touches

All seven trucks have three lockers above the

windscreen, mostly with a couple of open-fronted
cubby-holes beneath for paperwork, etc. The most
common failing is the lack of an appropriate space
suitable to keep a big floppy road atlas easily accessible.
Plaudits go to Volvo, Daf and Renault for using lightcoloured interiors for their lockers, making it easier to
find things than in the black holes of MAN, Iveco,
Mercedes and Scania. The row of lockers on the back wall
makes the single-bunk Volvo FH a winner on storage.
As well as integrating pull-out tables, Mercedes and
Dafs dashboards offer more substantial storage space
than most: the others mainly have multiple small niches
for pens, glasses, credit cards, etc. Iveco finds additional
novel storage opportunities, such as bins beneath the seats
and a cubby-hole beneath the hinged cushion pads on the
door arm-rests. Either cargo nets or pockets are found on
nearly all the side walls above the doors and on the back
walls too. Ivecos rear-wall storage isnt particularly
accessible because it is above the upper bunk.

visible to a driver of average height in each of the trucks,

without using mirrors. Shorter measurements indicate
smaller blind spots. The cone was placed centrally in front
of the truck and at 90 to the centre of the side windows.
Our results (see table) show some big differences
between the trucks. Floor height appears not to be a
causal factor: the Mercedes has the highest floor but the
second smallest blind spot area, whereas the Iveco has the
lowest floor but the second largest blind spot area. The
size and shape of the windows, and the position of the
drivers seat relative to the glass, seem to be the critical
factors. The fashion for an upswept line at the bottom of
the side windows has an adverse effect on visibility,
increasing the width of the blind spots as the window
depth decreases towards the rear. This was particularly
noticeable with the Renault.
Scania comes out best in our assessment overall, with
MAN, hampered by poor views through its relatively
shallow side windows, in seventh place. While much of the
debate surrounding blind spots focuses on cameras and
ultrasonic proximity sensors, maximising direct vision
through windows is a good starting point. A downwardfacing kerb (class V) mirror picks up the area closest to
the nearside of the truck, but we found a significant gap
typically around 2m to 3m between the edge of that
area and the point at which direct vision begins on the
nearside, so those trucks with the smaller measurements
undoubtedly offer a safety advantage.

Feel-good factor
As well as measurable factors, we sought to take account
of the softer, aesthetic elements of the cab designs too. We
would have welcomed a splash of colour to escape the sea
of black, grey and beige. Mercedes makes a strong
statement with its sharply contrasting light beige and
black interior. The Renault also stands out, with a rather
weird combination of dark brown leather for its steering
wheel and top-of-the range seats with integrated red
seatbelts amid the predominantly grey interior. Iveco
has made huge strides with its interior, notably with
soft-touch plastics around the dashboard, and carpeting
that lifts the interior. Of the others, most have a carpet
insert for the engine tunnel; only Renault and Scania
choose rubber/vinyl.
Daf, Scania and Volvo interiors are all safe and
restrained in their choice of interior colours. All three

Room with a view

The desire to minimise intrusion of the engine tunnel
pushes up the height of the floor; we measured heights
ranging from 1,420mm (Iveco) to 1,670mm (Mercedes).
Consequently, a drivers eye line is around 3,000mm
above the ground. While that provides a commanding
view, these lofty perches also create blind spots
immediately adjacent to the truck. Using a 1,100mm-high
traffic cone, we measured the distance from the sides/front
of the truck at which the top of the cone just became

MAN TGX XLX: its a

big cab but let down by a
lack of mod cons and too
much clutter restricting
standing space on the
engine tunnel

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32 OPERATIONS GROUP TEST

TRACTOR UNITS 33

interiors are finished to what looks and feels like a good

standard. MAN steers clear of beige, with a palette of
greys and black lightened by silver trim. MANs flattish
dash is beginning to show its age and is rather a plain Jane
in this company. This years cab test shows that differences
between the fit, finish and perceived quality of interiors
are not as great as was once the case, so that tends to
focus more attention on style and aesthetics, where there
are fewer rights and wrongs its more a matter of taste.
We found evidence of more attention to audio systems
than ever before. For example, as well as the customary
multiple-speaker radio/CD unit, all seven trucks audio
systems had a USB port, plus a 3.5mm jack-plug socket
for connecting devices such as MP3 players. But while
gadgets are well catered for, there is less attention to more
mundane features such as a towel rail, shaving mirror or
waste bin. All these cabs are intended for routine nights
out, so they ought to include these in our view: not all did.
One nice touch we noticed was the coat hook at either
end of lockers above the windscreen in the Actros,
allowing a driver to hang his jacket somewhere other than
in his living space around the bunk when not driving.
Scania R450 Highline: let
down by a lack of space,
but what there is feels
good. This cab has the best
all-round visibility too

Let there be light

Multiple cab lighting options are a matter of course these
days. The best two lighting systems we found are by Volvo
and Renault. Both feature a mixture of LED and filament
bulbs, with several pre-set programmes, plus a dimmer
function. But it isnt all about fancy programmes and
coloured LEDs: the quantity of light is hugely important.
Truck cabs with black floors need plenty of light to
allow drivers to live comfortably during nights out: the
Renaults main cabin lights were the brightest.
Daf has added a multi-function panel on the rear wall
of the Euro-6 XF to control cab lighting, heating and the
roof hatch without leaving the lower bunk, which is handy,
but others do more. Once again, we think Volvo and
Renault do it best. Volvos sleeper panel on the centre of
the rear wall controls lighting, heating/cooling, audio,
locks, roof hatch and alarm clock. Renaults does all that
too but is mounted on a wander lead from the back wall,
so is even more convenient. The control boxs lighting
button is permanently illuminated, making it easy to find
in the dark. Other makes have variations on these remote
control functions, but none do it quite so comprehensively.
Ivecos remote control is high on the back wall, handy for

Renault T 460: the new design accomplishes a great deal, with

excellent control panel on rear wall and good lighting

the upper bunk, not the lower. MAN lags behind the
others, with just a detachable alarm clock in the side wall
behind the passenger seat. But at least window controls
and the main cab lights switch are next to the park brake
beside the drivers seat, reachable from the lower bunk.

Conclusions
All these cabs bring something different to the party.
Our scoring matrix shows how we ranked them on eight
key criteria.
MANs TGX is at the back of the field. The XLX cab
the second largest in MANs line-up is relatively spacious
but lacks many of the features and touches of newer rivals,
and its visibility scores are the worst of the bunch.
In joint fifth place but a long way ahead of the TGX
are Scanias R-series Highline and Dafs XF Space Cab.
That comes as a surprise, not least to us. The Scania earns
a good score for feel-good factor, reflecting its highquality ambience, but there is no escaping the fact that the

Cab visibility
Dimensions (mm)
Daf
Iveco
MAN
Mercedes-Benz
Renault
Scania
Volvo

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Right
815
940
1,050
705
920
920
860

Left
4,950
5,130
6,235
3,965
4,530
3,810
3,835

Front
2,160
2,220
2,370
2,100
1,925
1,640
2,390

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Highline Scanias second tallest cab is smaller than

most, particularly in terms of free-standing area on the
engine tunnel.
We feel sure that this test has come at the wrong time in
the cab life-cycle for both MAN and Scania. The other five
cabs have all been renewed or refreshed to some extent for
Euro-6, whereas the TGX and R-series are essentially
unchanged inside and arguably due for revision.

As sister companies in Volkswagens truck business,

perhaps MAN and Scania will unveil new cabs before too
long possibly variations on a common theme?
We found lots to like about Dafs XF but the elephant
in the room is the upper bunk. The Space Cab isnt tall
enough to accommodate it comfortably, so the upper
bunk impinges on precious living space. It was hard for
Daf to justify major internal revisions for Euro-6 and so

Cab dimensions (mm)

Manufacturer
Floor height
Internal height on tunnel
Internal width
Internal length
Heightxwidthxlength (m3)
Tunnel height
Tunnel width
Tunnel length
Tunnel area (m2)
Driver footwell width
Passenger footwell width
Dash-seat back (max/min)
Lower bunk width (max/min)
Lower bunk length
Lower bunk headroom
Upper bunk width (max/min)
Upper bunk length
Upper bunk headroom

Daf
1,500
1,750
2,220
2,045
7.94
150
1,000
700
0.70
620
615
815/600
810/690
2,215
565
600
2,035
535

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Iveco
1,420
2,020
2,180
2,030
8.94
220
1,150
580
0.67
580
655
840/610
800/670
2,205
630
800/670
1,945
710

MAN
1,460
1,870
2,200
2,150
8.85
105
1,000
450
0.45
545
620
805/625
790/700
2,175
690
670
2,100
550

Mercedes
1,670
2,045
2,215
2,095
9.49
0
1,070
595
0.64
625
600
845/645
750
2,175
710
750
2,180
550

Renault
1,445
1,930
2,155
2,050
8.53
205
1,000
620
0.62
515
600
800/590
770/650
1,900
760
680/635
1,900
590

Scania
1,470
1,850
2,125
2,055
8.08
150
910
455
0.41
540
540
835/595
850/730
2,250
660
540
1,940
510

Volvo
1,600
1,950
2,170
2,070
8.76
90
1,050
600
0.63
530
630
830/605
820/720
1,980
970
n/a
n/a
n/a

27/2/14 COMMERCIAL MOTOR

34 OPERATIONS GROUP TEST

we feel the XF Space Cab hasnt made the progress of the
others. It was penalised in our test more for size and
packaging issues than for quality.
In fourth place, just a single point ahead of the Scania
and the Daf, is Renaults new T range, with Ivecos
Ecostralis Hi-Way a further point ahead in third. We found
it hard to split the Iveco and
the Renault. Both are huge
improvements on their
predecessors and bring some
nice new touches. The extra
space just tipped the balance
in favour of the Iveco. But we
feel that both could be
improved by attention to their
sleeping arrangements.
We found Renaults lower
bunk rather narrow at both
ends, while we are not sure about Ivecos apparent
prioritisation of the top bunk ahead of the lower bunk.
That leaves just Volvos FH Globetrotter and
Mercedess Actros BigSpace. This pair is well ahead in our
judgement, with the Actros taking the top slot. The clue is
in the name BigSpace. Although absolute size was not
the be all and end all of this test, and bigger versions of
both cabs are available Volvo has the Globetrotter XL,
Mercedes the Actros GigaSpace it is impossible to
overlook the fact that the Actros offers more room than
the FH. In contrast to Daf, Volvo made the most of its
space by providing us with a single-bunk arrangement
that works well and should be more popular across the
industry as a whole, we feel. Both Actros and FH scored

consistently well across all our criteria, emerging as strong

all-round packages.
Reviewing the outcome, it strikes us that investment in
cab updates definitely pays dividends as far as drivers are
concerned, with newer designs doing well. It is apparent
that two of the all-new cabs, the Actros and the FH, do
indeed deliver tangible advantages.
The other all-new cab, Renaults T range, is aimed at
a broader audience and strikes a pretty good compromise,
we reckon. Iveco carried out a root-and-branch revision
of its interior, resulting in what now looks like a far
better environment. If this pattern of development
continues, we can surely look forward to MAN and
Scania raising the bar even higher with their next
generation of cabs. n
l CMs testers also spent the night in each of the seven
cabs. Their impressions are recounted in the March issue
of our sister title Truck & Driver.

Volvo FH Globetrotter:
the one-bunk layout in this
FH proves less is more,
providing a spacious feel
and unrivalled storage

Test results
Category
Gross space
Floor area
Use of space
Bunk(s)
Living convenience
Storage
Feel-good factor
Visibility
TOTAL

COMMERCIAL MOTOR 27/2/14

Weighting
10
12
14
15
13
14
12
10
100

Daf
5
10
10
9
9
11
10
5
69

Iveco
7
9
10
11
10
11
9
4
71

MAN
7
6
10
11
8
9
8
3
62

Mercedes
9
8
11
12
11
12
11
7
81

Renault
6
8
10
10
10
11
9
6
70

Scania
5
5
10
11
9
10
11
8
69

Volvo
7
8
11
12
11
13
10
6
78

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