Review: Hino’s new GT 1528 4x4

from Earthmovers & Excavators issue 379

by Prime Group

Event News: BTS and Civil Construction Field Days

Hino’s hi-rise

Above: Hino’s new GT 1528 4x4

Searching for a used

Hino?

With a heavier carrying capacity than its predecessor and a heap more muscle to go with it, Hino’s new GT 1528 4x4 shows a rare ability to be equally capable on long country runs or clawing through the rough stuff, says Steve Brooks

It’s more than a year since Hino announced a plan to launch its new 500-series GT 1528 4x4 model in the first half of 2020. Like its single-drive 500-series siblings, Hino emphasised that the new off-roader would be equipped with a wide range of beneficial features.

Ironically, Hino’s plan was announced at the August 2019 Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council (AFAC) exhibition. Within a month, the Australian fire season ignited with catastrophic impact.

Years of drought, furnace-like winds and searing temperatures would, however, conspire to ravage much of Australia before the new Hino could lend a hand. In the interim, the superseded GT 1322 model and the vastly upgraded 300-series 4x4 light truck would do their parts with fire and emergency services operations to eventually douse the flames of a brutal six months on the national landscape.

But now, as another summer approaches and weather watchers keep a keen eye on climatic conditions, the effects of drought-breaking winter rains and indicators for higher-than-average summer rainfall are likely to create less fire risk than the scorching conditions of late last year and early 2020.

Yet, whatever comes, Hino’s new GT 1528

QuickSearch

On TradeEarthmovers.com.au search for ‘Hino’ or by name, type or type the TA or DIY code shown here into the keyword search field.

$94,900 TA991350 $150,776 TA1058325

off-roader is at least up and running and what’s more, it won’t be just fire and emergency services being targeted by Hino. This is a truck with undeniable potential for a wide range of roles in mining, agriculture, construction and infrastructure maintenance, and as we found during several days of wildly diverse driving conditions, offers an impressive balance between on-road efficiency and off-road capability.

While Hino insists the earlier GT 1322 4x4 model was popular with a broad customer base, its successor is substantially more appealing.

For starters, the new GT 1528 runs on a front axle with a 5.5 tonne rating and a rear axle rated to 10 tonnes, delivering a gross vehicle mass (GVM) capacity of 14.5 tonnes compared to the 13 tonnes of its predecessor. As Hino’s manager of product strategy Daniel Petrovski states: “When this GVM is combined with the relatively low tare weight of the GT 1528, it results in a nominal payload of approximately nine tonnes.”

In critical firefighting situations, it simply means more water can be carried.

To haul the heavier load, outputs of Hino’s long-serving J08 six-cylinder engine have been significantly boosted. Peak power has jumped from a relatively modest 215hp (160kW) in the superseded 1322 model to a lively 280hp (209kW) in the 1528, while the increase in torque is similarly substantial, from 637Nm in the previous model to 824Nm in the newcomer. And, typically perhaps, the J08 uses exhaust gas recirculation

Above: In single cab or seven-seater crew cab form, it’s a neat and highly practical driving environment. Allison auto is superb and ride quality, for the driver at least, is much improved on previous generations

Within a month, the Australian fire season ignited.

$109,000 TA1059968 $52,900 TA1060080 $97,900 TA1059619

Above: The new 500-series GT 1528 joins Hino’s 300-series 4x4 to cap off a formidable four-wheel-drive range

Fuel consumption over the first 500km was surprisingly good.

and a diesel particulate filter to comply with Australia’s ADR 80/03 (Euro 5) emissions standard without the need for AdBlue, in addition to a diesel fuel capacity of 200 litres.

Coupled to the engine is the highly intuitive and immensely driver-friendly Allison 2500 fully automatic five-speed overdrive (0.73:1) transmission feeding into a 5.428:1 final drive ratio.

“Other refinements include a new larger capacity dual-range transfer case to handle the increase in power and torque delivered from the upgraded engine,” Hino states.

Like its single-drive counterparts, the new 500-series double-diff derivative is also equipped with Hino’s multimedia system, based on a multi-touch digital screen in the centre of the dash, which encompasses a first-class radio, Wi-Fi connectivity and what Hino describes as “the latest version of Bluetooth tethering, which enables enhanced call handling and improved speech-to-text functionality”.

However, arguably the most beneficial feature of the multimedia system is the standard fitment of a reversing camera, which automatically displays on the touchscreen when reverse gear is selected. In tight and difficult environments, its safety and operational value are immense.

Also standard in the off-roader, which comes in both single and crew-cab configurations, are anti-lock brakes, a driver’s airbag, heated and electrically adjustable side mirrors, cruise control and a good quality Isri air-suspended driver’s seat with an integrated seat belt.

TAR AND TRACK

Before delving into the on- and off-road performance of the GT 1528, it’s only fair to explain that long experience has taught me not to expect too much in the way of ride comfort or road handling finesse from Japanese off-roaders. All too often, the experience on-road and off has been one of jarring bumps and bounces, and trucks with only moderate steering and handling abilities at highway speeds.

The new Hino 1528, however, went a long way to diluting that assessment after an extensive test drive ranging from a demanding day of off-road rambling on fire trails and steep, heavily rutted forestry tracks, to an 800km country run on highways and secondary roads where the truck’s fuel efficiency was surprisingly good.

With a tad more than 3,500km under its belt and loaded to a gross weight of 12.25 tonnes, the seven-seater crew-cab test truck was first pointed into the bush where the introduction of long parabolic leaf springs on the front axle, rather than the multi-leaf packs of the past, did

Above: Off-road capability was impressive during a tough day in the bush. Cab entry, however, is something of an issue for ‘vertically challenged’ individuals

You’d need to be a bloody mountain goat.

a respectable job of lessening the jolts. Sure, it’s not a car quality ride and what four passengers jammed together on the rear bench seat might endure is unknown, but from behind the wheel it was certainly far better than what I’ve come to expect, helped in large part of course by the Isri seat.

Similarly, the sure-footed performance of the truck on rough sections of loose rock was particularly pleasing, with no noticeable losses of traction or rock-spitting episodes, due in no small part to a no-spin rear diff. Indeed, the Hino’s ability to walk over steep, rocky ledges rather than bounce and bump its way over obstacles was an uncommon pleasure, enhanced by almost no kick-back through the steering.

It could, of course, be a different story with no load on the back, but in this exercise, it’s easy to contend the new Hino sets a class standard for off-road ride and handling.

Selecting four-wheel-drive mode is as easy as pressing a dash-mounted switch and, likewise, it takes only the flick of a switch to engage low range, but of course, low range cannot be engaged while the truck is moving.

The great majority of our off-road run was in low range and, with the engine’s healthy torque peak spread across a relatively wide band, the Allison auto wasn’t forced into constantly swapping gears to keep momentum on the boil.

At no stage was the powertrain found wanting, even when the truck was purposefully stopped on a particularly steep section of track with the front tyres butted up to a short but blunt rocky step. Without any fuss or apparent strain, the Hino simply pushed its way forward, which, given the weight on its back and the sharpness of the hill, was an undeniably smooth and capable effort.

In fact, the only distinct negative is one that perhaps goes with the territory of a dedicated off-road vehicle with high ground clearance. Put simply, climbing into the Hino is a distinct challenge for anyone less than lanky. As the stumpy driver of a Kenworth K200 who pulled up beside the Hino at a country fuel depot said with a wide grin: “Bloody hell, I thought it was hard getting in and out of this thing. I reckon you’d need to be a bloody mountain goat climbing in and out of that.”

He was, of course, exaggerating a tad, but even so, mounted on 11R22.5 tyres it’s certainly a high climb and for anyone short on stature, it’s a long lift to the first step and a very long reach to the grab handle on the A-pillar.

Hino, however, might argue the chequered steel rim on the driver and passenger side wheels is to aid entry and exit, but as anyone who has