I got a chance to drive the new Cascadia over the summer near Portland, OR for about 50 miles Just this week, I’ve had the privilege to drive the new Cascadia a few thousand miles from Phoenix, AZ to Maine.
I quickly noticed the tighter steering that the engineers have greatly improved by lengthening the steering shaft among other things. I could almost drive with my thumb and forefinger as the steering was tight and didn’t require much movement to keep it centered in the lane.
The cab is tighter and can be felt when shutting the door. The doors on the new Cascadia are steel and allow the new design lines to be implemented. The added door seal on the top of the door makes the truck more aerodynamic and gives it a quieter ride.
I noticed the improved insulation of the cab on my first night in the truck. I went to bed around 9pm with no heat on. At 1am I finally woke up cold and checked the outside temperature and I was surprised to find that it was 12 degrees. I was surprised that I stayed warm that long with no heat in the cab. I then fired up the ParkSmart system and quickly got the interior warm for the rest of the night.
I also enjoyed the one piece windshield that allowed me a full, unobstructed view of the road ahead. The wipers cover more area of the new windshield thereby improving visibility in wet weather.
The improved dash display was very simple to use and gave me access to just about everything I needed to monitor or adjust right from the easy to use buttons on the steering wheel. The dash cluster is easy to see and can be easily read while driving.
I am writing this blog from the comfort of the new Cascadia dual seat and table that folds down to allow the Murphy-style full-size bed to fold down in about 15 seconds. It's so nice to have a work station for a change instead of using the driver seat and steering wheel or sitting on the bed and trying to work.