The Swedish entry — which won the same award when it was first launched in 1994 — beat Iveco's Cursor 10 models, EuroTech and EuroStar, into second place with just six points to spare.

Both were well ahead of the rest of the field in this year's competition which had six entries in total.

It's the fifth time that Volvo has won the international Truck of the Year award which is voted on by truck journalists in 18 countries.

Volvo took the award with a total of 62 votes out of a possible 126. Iveco polled 56 while the Nissan Atleon took 31.

Fourth place with 26 points went to the Daf 95XF 530 which wasn't expected to poll as strongly as it did given the small market segment it sells into and surprised many by beating Scania's 124 entry into fifth place with 21 points.

Although taking the wooden spoon for their Single Cab version of the Premium, sixth-placed Renault might take some consolation in the knowledge that — at 16 points —their cab interior scored considerably better than Scania's version in last year's award which secured just three points.

The formal presentation of the International Truck of the Year award took place at the Amsterdam international truck show in February.