Iveco Daily vs Hyundai Iload

What's the difference?

There’s a school of thought that says you should always use the biggest hammer available. That’s the view of more than one van and truck manufacturer, who will point at the dual-cab utes Aussies are currently consuming at a frightening rate, and politely suggest a light truck or full-sized van might just be more appropriate.

It’s a hard argument to ignore, and for those who use their commercial vehicles to the max, perhaps a committed truck or van might make sense. After all, having the ability to tow 3.5 tonnes AND still have some payload left over for passengers and fuel is a hard argument to ignore. It’s also a line European maker Iveco is keen to push, along the lines of never taking a knife to a gunfight.

Iveco’s volume-selling light van offerings are the 42S and 50C models; vans that cross from recreational to professional user thanks to their overall size, capacity and the fact they can be driven on a normal car license in Australia.

Now revised for greater buyer reach, the 42S gains a 350kg payload boost over the 35S model it replaces, as well as more power and torque from its engine. It also boasts improved safety credentials with the addition of a range of driver aids which we take for granted in passenger cars, but are increasingly important in the commercial vehicle world thanks to a renewed focus on OH&S.

So, what else is new? Starting in the cabin, there’s now a 10-inch digital driver display unit, improved wireless and wired charging rates, changes to the chassis rails for better crash performance, an improved warranty and a pair of feature packages designed to target the end user market.

In Europe, the Daily van has plenty of competition, while in Australia, the major opponents are the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, VW Crafter, Fiat Ducato and the emerging Chinese van threat, the LDV Deliver 9.

The current generation iLoad was launched in 2008. With only minor upgrades during its first decade on sale, it was recently given its first facelift with a new grille design plus new comfort and convenience features.

These updates don't change the fact that the iLoad is now stretching beyond the usual 10-year generational lifespan for LCV models, yet it continues to generate strong sales in a softening market.

It currently commands more than 23 per cent of the mid-size (2.5 to 3.5 tonne) commercial van segment, topped only by Toyota's dominant HiAce with a 33 per cent market share. The closest competitor behind the iLoad is Ford's Transit Custom with only 11 per cent.

We recently spent a week with the iLoad, to find out why this venerable Korean workhorse maintains its popularity in a mid-size van market packed with hungry competitors.