Mack Anthem Test Drive Highlights Driver-Focused Cab

HDT puts the new Anthem on track

Heavy Duty Trucking took the redesigned Mack Anthem around Mack's test track in Macungie, Pennsylvania, focusing on whether the truck's driver-centered redesign shows up from behind the wheel.

The source video is not a full spec-sheet launch. It is more useful than that for fleet buyers: a close look at the cab, visibility, controls, camera views, hill-hold behavior, and road feel that drivers will notice during regional and vocational work.

Cab details fleets can measure

HDT highlighted controls and gauges that are easy to see and reach, plus steering-wheel buttons large enough to use with gloves. The truck's sightlines were a clear focus, as was the rear-view camera system, which adds panning and wide-angle views to help drivers monitor surrounding traffic.

On a steep grade, HDT also tested the Anthem's hill-hold capability. The review called out a quieter cab, precise steering, and smooth transmission performance, all details that can affect fatigue, driver acceptance, and consistency on repeat routes.

Why it matters for fleet specs

For fleets evaluating Class 8 equipment, the Anthem story is less about a single comfort feature and more about how OEMs are competing for driver retention and uptime. Visibility, camera coverage, control placement, and hill-start confidence are operational features when trucks spend their days in traffic, yards, jobsites, and tight delivery points.

That makes the redesigned Anthem worth watching for regional-haul, private-fleet, and vocational operators that need a truck built around frequent stops as much as highway miles.