1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172 
Although firmly established in the UK market — and increasingly
Page 42
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
selling into other tough operations, such as mixer, brick and block and timber transport chassis — the Hino 700 Series can't match the other two trucks tested in terms of technology.
Drivers will quickly notice that compared to European cabs, there's less shoulder space, the trim tends to be on the tacky side, and the right-hand indicator stalk is a minor annoyance. However air conditioning, electric windows and mirrors and engine tunnel tray all come as standard, not extracost options. But factor in a less-than-cutting-edge slap-across range-change box and the whole concept looks a little dated.
Which, Hino may argue with some justification, is the basis of its rising sales figures. The market wants strong, simple and unbreakable.
With a big, unstressed engine, uncomplicated driveline technology — direct-injection rather than common-rail — an absolute minimum of electronics and a dealer network used to Fodens and the construction sector, the Hino is increasingly popular with owner and own-account operators. Hinos are already proving reliable — always a Toyota group strong point — with keen pricing and almost instant availability; four to five days, according to the Harris group. which assembles them in Ireland from imported kits. Contrast this with the long lead times from European competitors.
On the road, the Hino rolls a little more than the MAN and Volvo on corners, and the steering is nowhere near as precise, although it does have a good turning circle. Tried and tested components come at the price of less-than-thoroughbred handling — but depending on your operation, other factors such as the possibly fuel-saving Eco button (reducing the horsepower to 360 on motorways and A-roads) and whole life cost may be more of a consideration. However, it's a little early to see how residuals will hold up.
With a lighter truck range making its debut this year, we might soon see more all-Hino fleets.