Fleet Truck of the Year shortlist profiled

Daf CF

Narrowly beating its more upmarket cousin the XF to make the long list, the Daf CF has been a frequent winner of this award over the past 12 years ago. Unsurprisingly it remains popular with operators in both its tractor and rigid guises, offering excellent cost of ownership, fuel economy and driver acceptance. Daf offers the best all-round package for the fleet operator, with top customer service, market-leading after sales support and consistent pricing.

Iveco Stralis

Described as a 'good workhorse', the Stralis scores highly in all the key criteria of driver comfort, fuel consumption (especially the Eco Stralis), after sales support, dealer network and reliability. Its drivetrain enjoys a reputation for robustness while the cab is one of the most spacious available. While other trucks can handle extended lives, the Stralis was however felt to be only good for four years hard graft, though for that period it was cheap to buy and run.

Volvo FH

The FH got the nod over its smaller FM stablemate, being described as a good 'all-round truck'. The panel felt Volvo's I-shift remains the best automated gearbox while the truck lives up to its reputation for complete reliability. Volvo and its dealers offer a good service to fleet operators, drivers like the FH, and prices can be very competitive for the right buyer.

Mercedes-Benz Actros

While the smart money would have been on last year's Fleet Truck of the Year winner the Axor making the shortlist to represent the three-pointed star, the panel gave the nod, narrowly, to the tried and tested Actros. Though not without faults, the Actros has proved a willing servant for users and Mercedes' strong performance in the fleet sector indicates there's a combination of keen pricing and decent support on offer.