Iveco Massif Campagnola (2008) CAR review and video

The new Massif is (truck maker) Iveco's passenger 4x4 and the company is aiming for 20 percent of the 4000-strong utility 4x4 sector that Land Rover dominates. It’s interesting because the Massif used to be a Santana which, long ago, was a Spanish-built Series III Land Rover, using a production line shipped over by Solihull. Think of the Iveco Massif as the Defender’s long-lost cousin.

This Iveco Massif doesn't look too bad.

Yes, that’s because Fiat, which owns Iveco, got Giugiaro to redesign it. Peer up close and you note the amount of plastic addenda concealing a Land Rover-look shell (in steel, not aluminium). Fiat Powertrain also donated a 25.4mpg, 176hp 3.0-litre turbodiesel (with variable geometry turbo tech) and a six-speed gearbox. With 295lb ft at 1250rpm, it makes the Defender’s 122hp 2.4-litre Transit engine look puny. Towing will be a breeze. Fiat even showed the Spanish plant how to build them properly (obvious quips apart, this took longer than it thought…).

Does it feel as old as it looks?

Heavens, it dates back decades. Inside, there’s a narrow cockpit and shallow dash, plus a huge truck-like steering wheel (it probably is). Plastics are low-rent, driving position splayed.

The short-wheelbase version copies the new Defender in its two individual rear seats (long wheelbase versions are also offered) but getting to them is tiresome. It’s fairly flexible, particularly the LWB, but you have to duck down to see outside: despite a modern-ish dash, it’s aged. It really is oddly Costa Del Solihull, this.

It’s got to be pretty punchy with that engine, though?

Oh, it easily surpasses the Land Rover. Smooth and punchy, the engine makes the Massif. Torque spreads from tickover to 3000rpm, and it only becomes truly raucous above that. What’s more, off-road, it might actually surpass the Defender as it has retained leaf springs all-round. Land Rover switched to coils in ’85.

But off-road bounce doesn’t stop on-road, alas. This Iveco is rough and prefers running straight to tackling corners. The steering is also vague, everything is pretty noisy… not unlike a Defender with a worse ride but smoother engine, really.

Scroll down the page to the embedded player to view video of the Iveco Massif

Click 'Next' below to read more of our Iveco Massi first drive