Iveco Daily vs Mitsubishi Express

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.

It has been a while since we’ve seen a Mitsubishi Express van on sale in Australia, and the one that has just launched here is a very different offering to its predecessor.

That’s because you could cover the tri-diamond badges on the grille or back door of the new 2020 Mitsubishi Express and be fooled into thinking that you’re looking at a Renault Trafic. Because you are.

The Express is a direct bi-product of the Alliance between Renault and Mitsubishi, and just like the Trafic, it’s made in France, at Renault’s Sandouville plant. 

This isn’t a comparison - the headline isn’t Mitsubishi Express vs Renault Trafic - but the question is: why would you choose one over the other?

You’d be correct in assessing this as an exercise in badge engineering - Mitsubishi calls it “branded product” - but it could well be that you’d choose an Express because Mitsubishi has a broader network of dealers (186 at the time of writing, versus Renault’s 56), not to mention the potential for major fleet discounts and an upstream ute alternative in the Triton that helps the brand “offer the complete LCV solution”. Renault, you could counter, has a smaller and larger van for its own “LCV solution”. 

There’s more to consider, including ownership, safety and value for money - read on for all the details.