SAFER CLEANER CONNECTED HEAVY THE HITTER

THAT’S ANOTHER HINO

Competition in the Heavy Duty sector between Japanese truck brands has been instrumental in all of the OEMs’ making serious efforts to outdo each other as each wave of new model is planned and subsequently released. This results in the current situation where the decision of one over another can be a difficult choice. The buying decision has recently become even more complicated because of the availability of the latest Hino 700 Series in which, to quote Hino Australia’s Product Strategy Manager Daniel Petrovski, “everything other than the chassis rails has been changed”.

Hino’s commitment to the Australian market is unquestioned as evidenced by the range on offer here currently standing at 178 models, with the 700 Series expanding from ten models to 19. The specifications and real world performance of this latest 700 series range show that Hino is now as serious about the heavy duty end of the market as it has previously been in its more traditional light and medium duty sectors where it has earned solid sales successes over many years.

The 6x2 truck provided for this test is the FS2632 model, fitted with a curtainsider body typical of trucks suited to short haul and metropolitan distribution applications. The Hino is loaded to a gross weight of 18.5 tonnes, well short of its 26 tonne GVM,

THE ALL-NEW 700 SERIES, BUILT FOR THE FUTURE.

but certainly enough to provide an indication of the 700’s performance with a realistic average load aboard. The 6x2 configuration is becoming increasingly popular as operators seek to maximise payload while still reducing initial and operational costs. The standard fitment of polished Alcoa wheels across the entire 700 Series adds to both payload and visual appeal. The front axle rides on taper leaf springs while at the rear Hendrickson’s road friendly certified HAS airbag suspension provides a smooth and stable ride. A sixrod mechanical rear suspension is also available as an option on this model. The test route incorporates a variety of roads and conditions ranging from the NSW Central Coast to the Illawarra area including the challenging Mount Ousley, and back up into the Southern Highlands with everything in between including braving the Sydney traffic. There are three cab heights available across the new Hino 700 Series and all meet the current ECE R29 cab strength standard and are air suspended on all corners to insulate the occupants from the road. The interior of the cabs have a Tardis effect due mostly to the additional 40mm of headroom achieved by locating the hood lining closer to the cab’s roof structure. The test truck’s cab has three bar chrome grille elements which indicate it is powered by the 9.0-litre engine (13.0-litre models have a similar designed four bar grille.)

The new Euro 6 A09C long stroke engine is a variant of 9.0-litre engine available in the Hino 500 Series Wide Cab and also shares some heritage with the all-conquering Hino Dakar Rally racing trucks. There are two power

The new Hino 700 Series rewrites the rules in safety, emissions and connectivity. It’s our safest truck ever, with an enhanced Hino SmartSafe package including Pre-Collision System, Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Warning System and Driver Monitor. Designed to meet Euro 6 exhaust emission standards, it’s the cleanest Hino heavy-duty yet. With Hino-Connect as standard, customers benefit from superior business intel and support – it’s next-generation telematics delivered in real-time. The all-new 700 Series is the truck of the future, here today. Find out more at hino.com.au ratings of 320hp and 360hp available in the 9.0-litre powered 700s depending upon the model and wheelbase. The 320hp engine has exceptionally flat power and torque curves and delivers maximum torque of 1,275 Nm between 1,100 and 1,600 rpm. It is backed by an Allison 3200 torque convertor transmission which has over drive ratios on the top two of its six-speeds. The rear axle ratio of 5.25:1 combines well with the intuitive Allison to provide a good balance of lively acceleration, hill conquering torque and all the while delivering good fuel economy. According to the HinoConnect telematics, over the test distance of 248 kilometres the Hino returned an average of 1.95 km/lt, with a high of 2.6km/lt across a 51 kilometre section of mostly freeway driving. The engine meets Euro 6 emission standards through the combination of Diesel Oxidation Catalyst, a Diesel Particulate Filter and Selective Catalytic

Reduction using AdBlue fluid. The emission system has been tweaked to the tune of using up to two per cent less AdBlue fluid then previous models which may not seem much, but in this current world of AdBlue shortages every little bit helps. The complex yet efficient exhaust system provides the added benefit of significantly reducing the engine’s noise.