You’ve finally saved enough to buy your first truck in Euro Truck Simulator 2. It may have taken hours of driving, or a risky gambit in the form of a €100,000 bank loan, but the reward remains the same: buying your first truck will unlock more possibilities and higher-paying jobs, while allowing you to make a truck truly your own through customization.
Choose the wrong truck, though, and you’ll lug trailers at a snail’s pace, feel some control issues, and maybe even abandon your truck before your loan even gets paid. The right starter truck should fit your bankroll today and still make money once heavier contracts unlock as you progress through the game.
Here’s some invaluable advice: the first criterion that must matter to you is aesthetics. What’s under the hood (or cab, since we’re driving cabovers) doesn’t really matter if you don’t like the visuals of the truck you’re driving, or if the dashboard isn’t one you find appealing. You’ll be investing money into this truck, and more importantly, time that you won’t get back. Well, that’s sort of an exaggeration, given you can save-scum, but where’s the fun in that?
A Starter Truck for Starter Jobs
A good first truck has to be cheap and easy to drive, as owning a truck is a big responsibility. Budget-wise, your truck must not break the bank. Ideally, you also want to use a truck with a shorter chassis, as you really must train when it comes to your turning radius.
For a good all-rounder starter truck, I recommend the MAN TGX Euro 6 XL. The truck‘s base configuration is sufficient for most jobs you will face. For €107,355, you get a cab with a 1160 liter fuel tank, a 330hp engine with 1600Nm of torque, with an easy drive thanks to the Tipmatic automatic transmission. With this truck in its starting configuration, you can confidently haul up to 20 tons with ease.
The interior is also very clean, with a mix of analog and electronic gauges that are good for readability, and a built-in GPS that can help teach you to drive with the route advisor off, for maximum immersion. Visibility is good with a wide windshield, though the truck doesn’t look all that modern. However, as a utilitarian design, it works really well.
This really isn’t a truck for the long-term, though, as the engine tops out at 640 hp, and that’s far off at Level 20. It’s really cheap for a new rig, though.
A Future-Proof Truck
Let’s say you have a higher budget for a starter and even higher aspirations. You want a truck that you can slot progressively stronger engines and more complex gearboxes into, and you want an abundance of visual customization options. Upgrading your truck is always going to be cheaper than buying a new one, so here’s my recommendation for a future-proof rig.
For that purpose, I recommend none other than the Scania S. At €119,500, it costs over ten grand more than the starter truck recommendation, but consider it as an investment, as the real payoff won’t be around for a while.
Thankfully, the truck isn’t bad right out of the gate - it comes with a 370hp engine with 1900Nm of torque, and an Opticruise automatic transmission. The fuel tank is even more generous, allowing you to drive even longer between gas stations with a 1290 liter fuel tank.
The truck becomes much better, though, as you level up and unlock customization options. The maximum engine power you can get is a whopping 730hp, and it comes with numerous chassis options, from the base 4x2s all the way to 8x6 Midlift chassis options, for when your hauls are really heavy.
I love how you can tweak the Scania however you like, be it a generalist truck or a heavy hauler in combo with the Special Transport and Heavy Cargo Pack DLCs. There’s also the Mighty Griffin Tuning Pack, which adds numerous visual customization options for your Scania. If that’s too hefty a price, the base customization options available are more than enough for your future-proofed truck.
Horsepower, Immediately
You may be a trucker who doesn’t want to compromise. You want your hard-earned cash to go to a truck that has strong hauling power right off the bat. I’m sorry to burst your bubble - the strongest truck configurations come at higher levels, but I can recommend the next best thing.
The strongest base truck configuration comes courtesy of the Volvo FH6 Aero Sleeper. Priced at €117,410, you get a truck that’s cheaper than a Scania but provides 50hp more in pulling power.
The truck’s 420hp, 2100Nm engine is the most powerful engine you can get at the lower levels of the game, but is hampered by the base I-Shift transmission. You must understand that engine power isn’t enough, as the right transmission helps you accelerate quicker, and retarder options help you slow down much better and more efficiently.
The 835-liter fuel tank is also less than most other options for trucks, but it isn’t egregiously bad in terms of the stopovers you’ll be making. The interior is sleek and modern, and the horsepower comes paired with the FH series’ iconic streamlined design.
The horsepower situation only gets much better as you progress, though. Volvo trucks are known for their high-hp engines, and getting to level 25 grants you access to a 780-horsepower option. You’ll be accelerating fast and pulling heavier loads in no time, thanks to what’s under the cab.
Closing Thoughts
Whether you start modestly with the MAN TGX, invest long-term in a customizable Scania S, or chase raw grunt with the Volvo FH, the best first truck is the one that balances today’s budget with tomorrow’s ambitions.
Take a moment to test-drive each in Quick Jobs, picture the contracts you’ll be tackling a dozen levels from now, and choose the cab whose looks keep you eager to climb back in.
Stay tuned to racinggames.gg: the best website for Euro Truck Simulator 2 coverage.