Introducing the Mack Pioneer: bold design and more
Mack has just unveiled its latest highway truck. The Pioneer offers improved fuel efficiency, advanced safety features, and enhanced driver comfort. It’s a bold step forward for the brand that still stays true to Mack’s iconic identity.
As part of its 125th anniversary celebrations, Mack Trucks is introducing a brand-new model for long-haul transportation.Eight years after the launch of the Anthem, known for its bold design, Mack is looking ahead with a refreshed truck. The Pioneer features a redesigned cab, a new powertrain, and technologies focused on comfort and safety.
“The Mack Pioneer reflects our ongoing commitment to innovation and performance in the highway segment,” said Jonathan Randall, President of Mack Trucks North America. “This truck tells the Mack story—it’s bold, iconic, rugged and timeless. It captures our DNA while pushing ahead with a forward-thinking design that focuses on driver experience and operational efficiency.”
The Pioneer features the largest cab Mack has ever built, with nine extra inches of width and an interior height of up to 99 inches, depending on the sleeper configuration. The exterior has also been reworked with a more curved windshield, a lower hood line, sculpted fenders with integrated headlights, tighter panel gaps between the hood, bumper and cab, and newly styled side fairings.
The truck’s sleek, aerodynamic shape—made possible in part by the use of camera-based mirrors in place of traditional side mirrors—combined with powertrain updates, delivers up to 11% better fuel efficiency compared to the Anthem.
Inside, the cab has been completely revamped. It now includes a sleek new dashboard with a fully digital display, more seat options, and a sleeper setup that can be configured with a foldaway bed and a built-in work table.
Mack’s new engine includes a variable geometry turbocharger that cuts fuel consumption by 3%. The engine’s name has also been updated: the MP8 becomes the MP13, reflecting its 13-litre displacement rather than its truck classification.
The Pioneer also benefits from the latest technology developed by Mack’s parent company, the Volvo Group. It features the new MaxRide air suspension, which uses four air springs per axle instead of two, and debuts Mack’s new Command Steer system—an electronically assisted steering system designed to minimize road shock, reduce driver fatigue, and improve control during critical situations like a front tire blowout.
Mack has also expanded its suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) on the Pioneer. These systems assist with braking, acceleration, and steering to help prevent collisions and lane departures. The Pioneer is the first Mack truck to feature a mirror camera system—offering partial replacement of conventional mirrors while regulations in North America still require physical mirrors. Full replacement, as allowed in Europe, may follow once permitted.
Pre-orders for the Mack Pioneer are now open. For now, Mack will continue to produce the Anthem alongside the new model.
Look out for more details on the Mack Pioneer in the next issue of Fleets & Mobility.
