ETS2 Top Trucks Review – which is best?
Euro Truck Simulator 2 Best Top Truck Mega Test
First off there is a lot of smoke and mirrors with all this, as the seating position, the right engine sound, visibility, accessories, dashboard and so on seriously influence what are essentially trucks that no matter what you buy are all able to pull wagons – even if some require a parking break start on a hill with high revs.
The Tests
The Trucks are all Standard SCS unmodded vehicles. In other words you can create all these straight out of the box, and drive them in ETS2mp (Multiplayer) as well where most mods are disallowed. Sure you can mod them to perform differently but that is not what this review is for.
Testing was done by purchasing the very best of everything available, cosmetically and mechanically and all these trucks were identically ‘tricked out’ (as near as possible design permitting) with the best accessories, engines and gearboxes, top of the range axels, tyres and all being top of the range trucks in each class unmodded as they comes from SCS. The only change was to turn off the ‘speed limiter’, this test will therefore be usable as a way to drive for ets2mp where mods are not allowed.
The Trucks
The Top of the Range in each class – just go to any garage, look for the best truck and this is what we have here. The go to the Repair Shop and upgrade everything! And I added my preferred paint-job and Bullbars and lights so all are the same. As all this may affect physics.
Scania
Scania is a very popular model of choice in the game. It has rugged good looks, sounds very nice, and has a pretty good all round feel. It is as pretty solid truck and not ‘twitchy’. It does feel quite heavy when compared to say a Volvo of any class. For long distance motorway driving this is up there. A good all rounder.
Driver’s notes – Big Mirrors (too big really and obscure traffic). Good front visibility, great sounding engine if you like raw grunt!
Volvo
Volvo – I really do like the Volvo range. I choose London as my base of operations as always. London has the Volvo dealership. The FH base model is perhaps the best first buy in the game, even with all these trucks in this review in my garages, that basic Volvo Will tug anything, turn on coin, and is so quick to accelerate in low gears, bouncing shock absorbers, and without a trailer it is scary – and easy to get a speeding ticket. The top of the range model has much of its younger sibling’s traits, as although it feels more stable on the turns thanks to 6 wheels and has a longer wheelbase. I would not be without it. The Top of the Range model here is definitely a contender. The main reason is it feels light, is very quick to turn, it just is much lighter and bouncier and has a high driving position couple with good visibility.
Driver’s notes – Best around town fast acceleration, high driving position bouncy suspension.
Renault
Renault – If you are in Paris then this is the obvious dealer of choice, and Reanult do have a pretty good racing style truck here for their flagship (pictured). In fact probably the best custom paint skin that is available in the game as standard with the truck. This truck is actually pretty nice to drive hard, a big dashboard instrument set that is easy to read. It feels very modern and edgy and is a ‘looker’ that Will turn heads, especially as most drivers that have Scania can’t use this skin (without mods). So this Will catch the eye and pay off if you want to be noticed. The only downside is it is very ‘tractor-like’ in its performance. The engine sounded like it needs a pint if oil, but that growling sound may really appeal to those again looking to be noticed in the crowd. That aside it is a nice vehicle straight off the bat.
Driver’s notes – Good visibility, noisy engine (sounds like it was nicked from their tractors in their farming simulator), looks modded but is not by default.
MAN
Man is not a great truck, it is quite dull to drive. A bit like driving a big taxi, sure its built for the job intended, but just lacks soul. Not very exciting.
Driver’s notes – Man best passenger window size of the lot! Great for pulling out onto busy roads. Best for visibility. Boring engine sound, and very bland to drive. A bit like a London Taxi. Just does the job and thats about it. Shame though as the passenger window and all round visibility is great!
Iveco
Iveco – In tests at the exact same speed and exact same route on the exact same curve was a massive let down! This is the only truck that I manged to roll. For me this is not good at all. This is a shame as it has pretty good visibility.
With looks only a mother could love, something just is not right with this tractor, and hopefully in time this will be rectified as the game’s physics improve. Avoid! Unless you drive very carefully and slowly. But if you drive multiplayer, and turn over it will annoy people and or trolls could probably tip you over more easily than the others – just sayin’.
Driver’s notes – Iveco has small dials (hard to read speedo), but nice big passenger window. But it is unstable on corners. Windscreen wipers miss half the screen. Terrible slow plodding indicator sound.
Majestic
Majestic (Mercedes) This was a pleasant surprise. And as good as it gets, if not better than the Scania. Stable, quick and like a Volvo at low speeds without a tracker-like weight. It is also by far the fastest on the motorway without the governor (speed limiter) on. It Can easily reach 85mph+ (137+ km/h with a heavy load – which is fast enough to be sensible in stopping distances and treat this game seriously – this is a keeper! The name Majestic always put me off until I tried it so the re-branded Mercedes just sounded budget… I will drive it again. The sound of the engine and high revs whistle that will please the US truckers, as it is a similar too the Peterbilt or Kenworth T800 that cannot be used without mods and definitely not usable in multiplayer. Try it. The only downside is that I can see is that it is not the prettiest truck out there, and quite standard looking. But don’t let that put you off. After all it is a bit like that famous Frenchman who ate his lunch on top of the Eiffel Tower every day, why? Because that was the only place in Paris he couldn’t see it 😉 This is like that. You cannot see the exterior when driving without exterior cameras so at least consider it.
Driver’s notes – Majestic has pretty good visibility, mirrors are not as large as Scania so improved visibility on driver side as a result, less blind-spots, sounds good, somewhere between the Scania and Volvo (nice), Not too bad looks-wise, performs well at all speeds – with or without trailers! Dashboard attractive. Small steering-wheel again does not block screen. By default much further forward in driving position. Good indicator sound, nice and quick pleasant clicks.
Daf
Daf – Daf is a nice truck and has very good all round visibility. The side windows, especially on the passenger side and the windscreen frame are narrow, so less blind-spots making pulling out of junctions that much easier. I felt it was a bit sluggish towing at low speeds and took a while to get going.
Driver’s notes – Daf has good visibility, narrow window and door frames. Terrible orange padded dashboard texture, but easy to read dials, stick with the silver dash (lower cost option) needs a new orange quilted texture from SCS. Very tractor-like engine audio. Horrible indicator sound.
Conclusion
First Place – Top Prize
1. Majestic (Mercedes)
The Best Truck was actually the Majestic (Mercedes) which surprised me, only let down by its average looks, but this plain Jane in every other sphere from stability to power, from acceleration, to engine sound trumps the others, and when not towing it just felt nicer than the lumpen Scania. The physics are just better with this than any other truck. This maybe accidental or a program glitch but they just are better! Maybe it is just a better balanced vehicle?
2. Volvo and Scania
Equal Second, as I just could not decide is the Volvo and Scania. The Scania and Volvo were equally as good but in different ways. The Scania looks (very imposing stature see top of this page for the image of mine) good has a gnarly sounding engine, and is real work-horse. A while ago. I took it from Manchester to Krakow in Poland in one hit and it was great! (I drove back in a Majestic and it was better!) However, off the motorway the Volvo is so much better than the Scania. if you do as lot of small road or urban driving (short hauls or Scandinavia/Iceland etc) take the Volvo. If you drive mainly autobahns take the Scania (or Majestic) although the majestic does both pretty well! Just not as pretty as these two!
3. Renault
Third goes to Renault. It is a real looker and buzzes around town great. It has a great interior, and high visibility. Helped by small door frames allowing for more glass than metal and mirrors, this is more useful than you might think, especially if you are a left hand (UK) driver who does not like right-hand drive vehicles on the continent, as you need to be able to see better through the passenger’s window. Plus in France its a no-brainer you simply just must drive this if you are French it is the law ;)!
4. Daf
Forth place goes to Daf. Daf is OK, but the indicator click speed sounds like it broken…. clunk!……………..clunk!………….click???!!! No offence but wtf? Daf you need to fix that seriously! Sounds like some Trabant you would find in a Russian scrap yard somewhere!
5. Iveco
Finally Iveco! It rolled over on a bend! That has never happened to me until I drove this. And I hit nothing and took it smoothly. Not happened ever with any of these others in the test, or even past basic Volvos, and all the other trucks took it faster. The Majestic took the same turn 20mph faster! I went back and tried it – twice! Still… nuff said on the Iveco. Perhaps in real life this is better! Although tbh the Volvo felt equally as light on turns but never even left two wheels, it coped and soldiered on! Iveco is a death-trap LOL!
Summary
So what do you buy for your first truck?
Well for your first it has to be thee €100,000 Euro Volvo FH base model in green.
This is a great truck, beautiful and upgradeable. When you have amassed more cash then it is toss up between the Majestic and the Scania/Volvo. Most Will probably opt for the Scania, sheep! ;).
Majestic Best Buy for Advanced
But drive a few Majestics (top of the range models) on ‘Quick Jobs’ for others, and see what you think, although, you don’t get to see what they drive like without trailers that way of course. The Volvo is a real cat in towns and maneuverability and turning circle is bouncy fun, it is beautiful to look at, high off the ground has the most beautiful, warm gentle, modern (not like as tractor), authentic engine sound around. Only equaled by the Majestic which is similar. Daf and Iveco? I just didn’t enjoy, but spare a thought for thee top of thee range Renault, just because it looks like a F1 Racer and cool. It is probably the most sporty looking of all the trucks currently available without mods and has a great interior – check it out!
Surfwidow