Will Shiers gets a closer look at the new XG+ on a 400km drive from Frankfurt, Germany, to DAF’s head office in Eindhoven, in the Netherlands.

When I was a child, we had a ginger cat called Tiddles. He was as hard as nails and loved nothing more than getting into a good scrap. But as tough as he was, all this fighting took its toll, and he carried plenty of battle scars. Most prominent of these were his two missing ears. As I stand in a German aircraft hangar, looking at a line-up of the new DAF XF, XG and XG+ trucks, deciding which one I want to drive first, I’m reminded of Tiddles. The only difference is, unlike him, the lack of side protrusions rather suit the New Generation DAFs.

Before starting my 400km drive through Germany, Belgium and on to DAF’s HQ in Eindhoven, I take a good look at the exterior. The Digital Vision System, which replaces conventional mirrors with external cameras and screens (see sidebar), is one of many fresh design approaches on this latest family of trucks. In fact, everything about the cabs is new, with no carry-over features at all. But the fact that it doesn’t pay homage to its predecessor is no bad thing. After 34 years, an entirely fresh start was needed.

Automotive designers often talk about ‘clean sheets of paper’, but in reality, such a thing rarely exists in the world of truck design. Most are forced to adapt an existing body, while even those with entirely new cabs must work within the strict confines of long-established maximum dimensions. DAF’s designers, however, did start with something resembling a clean sheet. Several years ago, the European Commission announced that it would be introducing new mass and dimension legislation, allowing slightly longer cabs to improve fuel consumption, safety and driver comfort. The new DAFs are the first trucks to take advantage of these changes.

Ron Borsboom, director of product development at DAF Trucks, tells me: “We couldn’t take our existing cab and make it longer, so we started from scratch. This was a unique opportunity for us – to design and build a completely new class of truck.”

At the start, almost nothing was ruled out. DAF even built a working prototype with an exaggerated protruding nose, reminiscent of a high-speed train. But this was dismissed when it was discovered that the aerodynamic gains were barely any better than when using a more subtle bulge. It was also less manoeuvrable and heavier. The final design, on the front of all three New Generation trucks (XF, XG and XG+), is a 160mm tapered protrusion. It boosts aerodynamics by 19%, equating to a 6.3% improvement in fuel economy compared with the current XF (which remains in production). Meanwhile, the XG and XG+ both get an additional 330mm of length at the back of the cab, while the flagship XG+ also has 200mm of extra roof height.

I make a beeline for an XG+.

Inside story

Access is via three steps, which although not all progressive, are easy to climb. They’re aided by a door that opens through 90 degrees and well-positioned grab handles.

There is some debate over the origins of the phrase ‘no room to swing a cat’ and whether it refers to an unfortunate moggy or a cat o’ nine tails whip. What is for certain is that either one could be successfully swung in a voluminous 12.5m3 XG+ cab. Don’t get me wrong. I know that this isn’t big by Antipodean standards, but in Europe, it’s considered cavernous.

Floor space is impressive, and uncluttered, and is enhanced further in this truck by the optional fold-away cinema seat on the passenger side. It makes 100% sense for one-man operations.

Storage is good too, for both large and small items, but it’s disappointing that you can’t delete the upper bunk in favour of rear wall-mounted lockers.

The dashboard is completely new, featuring a 300mm digital display. Drivers can choose between modern or classic settings, tailoring them to show as much or as little information as required. The steering wheel is largely unchanged, although now the speed-related buttons are grouped on the left, and the audio controls on the right. It’s part of DAF’s ‘hands on the wheel, eyes on the road’ philosophy.

What driver would complain about these living quarters? (No, that’s not Will… – Ed.)

I like the liberal sprinkling of wood and brushed aluminium, which improves the overall ambience. Despite being a preproduction model, it all feels very well screwed together. DAF has definitely upped its game in this respect.

As you’d expect in a flagship tractor like this, creature comforts are abundant and include a pair of fridges, and an electronically adjustable 800mm wide bunk, which is larger than a standard European single bed.

On the rear wall, there’s a comprehensive control panel. From here you can operate the lighting (with no less than 16 colours to choose from), windows, roof hatch, temperature, and even turn on the camera surveillance (and, if necessary, sound the panic alarm). Then there’s DAF’s new infotainment system, with an optional 260mm display, which incorporates Apple CarPlay.

Visibility is outstanding, helped by a low beltline and dashboard. You can also specify it with an optional ‘vision door’ – a window cut into the bottom of the passenger door.

On the road

Although there aren’t any more horses on offer, DAF has eked out a bit more torque from its MX-11 and MX-13 engines. While the top-rated 395kW (530hp) version gets an additional 100Nm in top gear, unfortunately, there’s no more for the 355kW (483hp) truck I’m driving. Peak Torque figures are 2350Nm at 900-1400rpm (2500Nm at 900-1125rpm in the highest gear).

Given how steep some of the hills are in this part of Germany and Belgium, I could definitely do with a bit more oomph. On more than a few occasions, I find myself overriding the Eco-mode by planting my foot firmly on the floor. But on regular climbs, the 12.9-litre engine copes perfectly well at 40 tonnes.

There’s certainly no complaints with descending hills, though, thanks to the uprated MX engine brake, which now delivers 20% more torque at lower revs. Working in conjunction with the Predictive Cruise Control, it keeps the speed in check on all but the steepest of gradients.

The ZF TraXon 12TX2210 gearbox comes as standard, and a manual ‘box doesn’t even appear on the options list. Apparently, just 3% of its European customers were still demanding three pedals.

New Generation DAF has a high-class interior.

Improvements to the Predictive Cruise Control and EcoRoll functions and other engine and driveline enhancements have resulted in a further 3.9% improvement in fuel economy. So, when combined with aerodynamics, the new trucks are up to 10.2% more efficient than the current XF.

The New Generation trucks are also significantly quieter. Not only is there less road and engine noise, but of course, there’s no wind circulating around the non-existent mirrors.

In terms of ride and handling, again, I am pleasantly surprised. It absorbs light bumps with relative poise and serenity, gliding along, successfully ironing-out potholes and other small disturbances. But, because I’m sitting higher than in the XF, any significant movements are magnified. DAF says that cab roll is no greater in this than in the XF, it simply gives the impression of being more significant due to the elevated driving position.

While DAF is the first truckmaker to take advantage of the new European length laws, it’s safe to say that it won’t be the last. However, for now, it has a massive competitive advantage, especially in terms of driver retention.

Europe is currently suffering from a shortage of truck drivers, and the XG+ can only help to alleviate this. In fact, not many drivers will complain about being given the keys to anything in the New Generation range. What’s more, if the claimed 10.2% fuel economy improvement is to be believed, European operators will also be grinning like the cats that got the cream.

*DAF says it has no timeline for when the New Generation trucks will be available in New Zealand.