DAF XG working truck review

DAF’s XG range has been with us for a couple of years now. The pioneering range of cabs is the first to take advantage of the changes in length restrictions in Europe, allowing for cabs to become longer, incorporating a front crumple zone. DAF’s clever interpretation of the rules meant that it was able to meet the safety requirements, while also substantially increasing the interior space.

DAF made us wait for the new cab, and people had been left to wonder why. The situation never grew to be a problem thanks to the enduring quality of the old XF cab. While there’s that entertaining piece of truck trivia that it shared its platform with the Pegaso Troner and Seddon Atkinson Strato, that was merely the bare shell. And while it is vaguely entertaining that the Space Cab variant found on that pair didn’t ever change shape on the DAF variant, the company worked wonders to modernise the cab over 35 years. It is just an empty box after all, and it’s what you put in it that counts. So the XF was getting on a bit, but the Super Space Cab remained very highly rated among drivers until the end.

How your XG behaves really depends on how you specify it. The default setting is aimed at long-haul economy, and is optimised for racking up steady miles. It’s very tall-geared, sitting at around 1,100rpm in top on the limiter. Most XGs tend to be specified with the top output MX-13 at 530hp. It is not an engine known for its potency, but that’s not exactly fair – as we’ll explain in a moment.

When we interview drivers, we’ll generally hear rave reports about Renault’s 520 or MAN’s 510, for example, but it’s not often we’ll hear the same about the DAF. It comes back to the gearing and the gearbox software.

DAF uses the same ZF TraXon gearbox as Iveco and MAN, each with bespoke software. Back in 2015 DAF was still using the old AS-Tronic automatic box, which was a fairly basic system, yet had been greatly refined for Euro-6. It introduced an Eco Mode system to save fuel, but it attempted to do so at the direct expense of horsepower.

Defaulting to Eco Mode, a 510 engine would operate with the performance of a 460, coupled to a gearshift strategy that sacrificed speed for the lowest possible revs, unless you pressed the Eco Mode button, which would pep it up and give you the full power for a short period before reverting to Eco, sometimes halfway up a hill. While it worked okay on flat roads without too much weight, it didn’t catch on in the UK, and many dealers had to remove it from trucks. A common question to this day is: “Do you have Eco Mode switched off?” 

The TraXon is a much more advanced auto box, but how your truck behaves and performs depends greatly on what software you have installed and which diff ratio you’ve chosen. The entire driveline was greatly refined and improved in 2017 with the Euro-6c facelift and revisions, and there were further updates with the arrival of the XG range.

The XG was worth the wait. When it comes to accommodation, it’s the one to beat. It is one thing to create more space – and there’s plenty of it – but it’s what you do with it that counts. From the windscreen back, it feels right. Visibility has been vastly improved. There’s a dashboard with practical flat surfaces and a pull-out table, drawers, cubbyholes and loads of steering adjustment. The digital interfaces are simple to work out, with essential controls logically located on traditional switches. The build quality is solid too, with a mix of walnut, brushed aluminium and piano black.

The driver environment and controls have been improved, too. Gone is the dial on the dash to select gear, as it’s all done off the left-hand stalk. There’s a button on the end to engage manual mode if you need it, and the three-stage engine brake is operated by pulling downwards. There’s a nice damped, soft touch feel to the stalks, and there’s no longer the cacophony of bonging and dinging noises associated with the previous generation. DAF’s mirrorless Digital Vision System is available, but the revised mirrors are excellent anyway. The real revelation is the Corner View camera, which does away with the kerbside and Class 7 mirrors, offering a huge panoramic view across the nearside blind spot. All trucks should really have this.

There are two main software options: your standard Eco Fuel, which as stated can return some impressive fuel economy figures on the right kind of work; and then there’s Eco Performance.

Don’t be fooled by the Performance moniker – this is nothing like the hell-forleather Power modes you’ll find on a Volvo or Scania, which are designed only to be used for short bursts. DAF’s Eco Performance is simply an excellent all-rounder. It transforms the performance and driving characteristics, making quick intelligent changes to maintain momentum, and it brings the best out of the MX-13, making it feel like a truck with 530hp. It’s relaxed and effortless, but can respond and alter its character at times when you need to get a move on, working with you rather than fighting you to get back into the highest gear as soon as possible. 

We are spoiled these days, with so many trucks around the 500hp mark, a figure which not long ago was the preserve of only the most potent and prestigious units. It’s just as important to look at the torque figure as well; the new MX-13 produces 2,600Nm with an extra 100Nm available in top gear, enabling it to dig in and hold on for longer. This is where the second potentially crucial specification choice comes in – the diff ratio. As standard, revving just above 1,000rpm in top is alright for the motorway, but when you move onto A-roads, the truck can struggle to stay in top. Select the next diff ratio, and you’ll find 12th will return just over 1,200rpm, maybe a little less if you run on 80 series tyres.

This shorter gearing, coupled with the Eco Performance package, substantially alters the way the truck drives. It’s a revelation for those that work in rural areas or need to push on at times to get things done. It’s like night and day, with the gearing and software getting the very best out of the MX-13. The communicative, well-weighted steering, powerful engine brake and confidence-inspiring handling combine to provide a well-rounded driver’s package.

It puts a smile on your face and lets you enjoy the open road in a way a DAF hasn’t been able to do, probably since the last of the manual transmission Euro-5s, which is a long time ago now. To top it all off, after a long day you have the space, practicality, and comfort of what is arguably the best designed European truck cab of all time. If Paccar did decide to bring a 15-litre 600hp Cummins-powered XG to the UK – and nobody is saying it will – it would sell them all, that’s for sure.