Iveco Daily 4100 Business Exclusive 2.2

The Iveco Daily van hasn't changed much in the looks department since an update in 2016, but 2019 saw the Italian heavy-duty van brought up to date with cleaner engines, an improved interior, select mechanical changes and a full suite of active safety and driver assistance systems.

The Iveco Daily remains one of the only vans on the market to use seperate chassis and body construction – rivals like the Mercedes Sprinter use unibody construction and so are typically only rated to carry much lighter payloads. The Daily can manage anything from 3.3 to 7 tonnes, depending on specification and body style; by contrast, the Sprinter is rated from 3.5 to 5.5 tonnes.

Although Iveco is affiliated with the wider FCA group that includes Fiat and Jeep, its underpinnings are unique and are not shared with any other brand. The running gear has been around for a while, although the last update to the Daily attempted to fix what its customers had asked for: improved driver comfort, fuel economy and technology – both in the cab and in the safety and driver assistance departments. Up-to-date connectivity comes courtesy of Iveco’s Daily Business UP system, which can provide in-depth telematics, remote diagnostics and even over-the-air fixes for a range of potential issues.

The Daily is powered by a choice of large four-cylinder diesel engines. A 2.3-litre option with 116, 136 or 156hp is offered in light duty versions, with heavy-duty models limited to the latter two power outputs; all are available with a choice of eight-speed automatic or six-speed manual gearboxes. A 3.0-litre diesel in 160, 180 or 210hp format is also offered with varying gearbox availability. This engine is even available modified to run on compressed natural gas (CNG) – with 136hp and 350Nm of torque – in the Daily Natural Power model. 

A range of headline-grabbing driver assistance systems was added as part of the Daily’s 2019 refresh. These include Iveco’s Advanced Emergency Braking and City Brake PRO, adaptive cruise control with queue assist, active lane-keep assist and crosswind assist. An electric parking brake is another new feature, as are (optional) LED headlights, hill descent control, City Mode steering and Traction Plus – a system that helps find grip on loose surfaces.

One of the biggest mechanical changes to the latest Daily over its predecessor is its electric power steering – added to improve fuel economy and to allow for the adoption of modern active driver assistance systems. The new steering dominates the driving experience and will be what most owners moving from older models will notice first; it feels lighter, a little faster and – thanks to a smaller steering wheel – makes the Daily feel much more car-like than before.

The latest Iveco Daily takes a familiar recipe and improves upon it – owners were happy that the previous model’s combination of torquey engines, good automatic gearboxes, a commanding driving position and rough-and-ready, separate chassis character and all these attributes are present and correct here. The Italian brand has focused on improving efficiency (by around 10%), technology (especially in the infotainment and safety stakes) and adding modern telematics with over-the-air update functionality to keep up with the best in the business.