Iveco Ecostralis Tricolore
Released in 2012 with three versions: from 420 to 500 HP, in the middle the 460 Eco, perhaps the most appropriate. The 420 is too underpowered for our palates, while the 500 does not have all the optimization specifications reserved for the smaller engine. However, if you do not have to climb mountains every day, 10 liters can be enough. And that the Cursor 10 is a great engine, all Trasporti has always supported. The numbers reinforce our belief: a consumption of 3.16 km/l at 80 km/h on average. A result that Iveco has achieved without too many mechanical tricks, such as intelligently operated pumps and compressors, less geared power steering or anything else.
The technical recipe that makes the Stralis an Eco model is simple: long ratios and the right tires. Keeping it in the green zone of the rev counter is the software developed with ZF, which does not provide for manual mode, nor kick-down, nor even neutral when the engine is not in gear (the Ecoroll of other competitors). In short, the EcoStralis is a normal truck, yet it works well, a sign that the mechanical base is still valid. And, beyond the drivetrain, the chassis and suspension do not seem to need any particular update. Especially since the detected tare (7250 kg) remains among the lightest in long-haul trucks. In any case, the Eco package includes three years of full warranty. Speaking of the downstairs, an external analysis of the cabin highlights a fairly soft aerodynamic care: spoilers and deflectors here are standard, but Iveco does not eliminate the sun visor, nor does it advise against the horns on the roof, thus leaving more freedom than the competition. However, it charges separately for the side skirts, which are not included in the more than 12 thousand euros that separate the price list of the EcoStralis 460 from the standard 450.
Climbing on board, all the limitations of the Stralis emerge. On the dashboard, already composed of parts added to the structure (the basic one is still that of the Eurostar), now also appears the display of the fleet management system/navigation Blue&Me Advanced (standard on the Ecostralis). It is screwed between the instruments and the central console, but with the reflection of the window it is very difficult to read. Speaking of visibility, even the fixed deflector on the door is a sign of old age. It is true that there are even older cabins around, but they have managed to keep up in a more elegant way than the Italian one. Leaving aside the finishing details (such as the protruding guides of the curtains or the creaking armrests), there are no compartments that can be reached while driving: those above the windshield are too high or moved to the right; the refrigerator, then, is far behind the seat. The switches are similar: the ACC adaptive cruise control is under the three gear buttons, while the LGS lane control is so far to the right that the passenger would get there first (moreover, its sensor sometimes "reads" the service area entrance arrows).
As anticipated, the Ecostralis is good. And it doesn't pay the price in speed, despite the 85 km/h limiter. After all, there are few places left where trucks can overtake: better to make peace with it and challenge the flow meter rather than the speedometer. We knew that the Cursor 10 was very lively at high revs, now it's surprising that it also works well on the other side of the rev counter where the Eurotronic gearbox forces it to work. The lack of a semi-automatic function has no contraindications, also because it allows you to manually correct the set ratio; just seeing the climb that is about to end, perhaps, you would want to leave a gear in; and, instead, it changes down. Perhaps in those situations it would be useful to lock the selector, but the Ecostralis makes sense if it does everything by itself, and in 90% of cases it succeeds very well. The other 10% can be improved, perhaps with a more flexible cruise control: if you lose a few km/h compared to the set speed, there is no point in making the turbo whistle to pick it up again immediately. More than a less geared power steering (which not everyone likes), the Stralis would need a more communicative steering around the neutral position.
