Australasian Truck of the Year contenders announced

There are five contenders for the coveted Truck of the Year Australasia 2026 award, with the winner to be announced at the NZ Road Transport Hall of Fame in September.

This year’s finalists for the prestigious annual award include the Iveco Eurocargo, Mercedes Benz ProCab, UD Condor, Fuso Shogun 530 and Isuzu F Series.

"All of these trucks bring something new to the party and have been received well by the ToYA judges but, more importantly, by the truck buying public," explained regular Trucksales contributor and Truck of the Year Jury Chair, Tim Giles.

"Each of the five are taking their brand into uncharted territory and offering a broad set of choices to the Australasian truck buying public. All five are a serious move forward for their brand and all of them should make a significant improvement to safety, efficiency and productivity."

Giles said this year’s shortlist contenders do not include an electric pioneer, as the Australasian truck market is hampered by a dire lack of infrastructure, and is not as advanced in low-emissions transport options as other markets including Europe, the USA, China and Japan.

Last year's Truck of the Year Australasia Award was presented at the Brisbane Truck Show and went to the Volvo FH16 780.

Related: Volvo takes out top truck award

In 2026, Giles said the fourth annual ToYA will be awarded to the truck that meets criteria based on those used globally by the International Truck of the Year (IToY), and associate regional awards already in existence. At the same time, judges will also take into account any specific regional characteristics, determined by the regional judges.

Giles said the current truck market is forcing truck buyers to balance productivity and efficiency against changing regulations around emissions and emerging technical developments like electric power and hybrids.

"It’s been said many times that there are no bad trucks on the market anymore, and the speed of technology development for the past quarter of a century has been hard to keep up with," he continued.

"In this century, we have been through emission rule changes from Euro 3 all the way to Euro 6, quantum leaps in automotive electronics, plus all of the abbreviations: EGR, SCR, ACERT, ABS, EBS. ACC, AEB and now there’s electric power and AI arriving fast."

Related: TruckShowX outlines the clean road ahead

Giles said that all trucks that fulfil the criteria and have a gross vehicle mass of 4.5 tonnes or above are eligible to be in the running to win the award.

"The truck must contain considerable technological improvements; a minor facelift etc. does not make a truck eligible," he explained.

"The truck nominated must be reasonably new to market, must be produced in series, and able to be ordered according to an official price list."

The ToYA Jury or judging panel also comprises Dave McCoid (editorial director of New Zealand Trucking Media and IToY Associate Member for New Zealand), and Charleen Clarke (IToY representative; editor-in-chief of Focus on Transport and Logistics magazine in South Africa).

There are two additional jurors; industry experts without brand affiliations, with one chosen from Australia and another from New Zealand.

Fuso Shogun 530

"Japanese truck manufacturers have never, in the past, been able to offer a credible, genuinely heavy-duty prime mover to the truck market in Australia and New Zealand, but this has changed in recent years.

"Following the Shogun 510 experience, and with more engine development dollars, we now have a suitable candidate, with 530hp, plus 2600Nm of torque, enabling a 70 tonne GCM rating. On road tests this model has demonstrated it does have a rightful place in trucking fleets." - Tim Giles

Related: Fuso Shogun 530 2026 Review

UD Condor

"The UD brand has struggled at the lighter ender of the rigid truck market.

"Now, the introduction of this latest Condor, a product of working with the brand’s new partners, Isuzu and Cummins, UD gives us a truck design derived from the Isuzu F Series with a well designed cabin, and great visibility.

"The driving experience is further enhanced by the torquey DB6A engine and an Allison 3000 Series auto transmission on the 4x2 and 3500 Series on the three axle options." - Tim Giles

Related: UD Condor 2026 Review

Mercedes Benz Actros ProCabin

"The introduction of the ProCab into the Mercedes-Benz range, results from the 2022 change in prime mover length laws in European regulation.

"The extra 80mm brings us a design which lacks the usual front grille. Replacing it with a large solid front panel across the front, some smart airflow engineering, alongside the state-of-the-art in Daimler safety technology, and this creates an offering which is also electric and hydrogen power ready." - Tim Giles

Related: Mercedes-Benz presents new aerodynamic Actros

Iveco Eurocargo

"The trump card for the Eurocargo is not visible on the sophisticated information and operating screens, or in the enhanced driver friendly interiors from the Italian truck maker...

"It's more about what the driver feels in the seat of their pants. It’s the quality of torque, coupled with a smart ZF eight-speed auto, which offers a higher ratio at the top end of its range and a lower one at the bottom end of the range, compared to the still optional Allison auto, further enhancing the flexibility of this engine/transmission combination." - Tim Giles

Related: Iveco launches revamped medium-duty Eurocargo range

Isuzu F Series

"The Isuzu F Series range of trucks brings to the table a number of aspects which have been on the agenda for a few years.

"Collaboration with Cummins on engine technology means a useful torquey DB6A engine with improved engine braking. Isuzu now have a fully integrated set of safety and driving system across all models: Advanced Emergency Braking, Full Speed Adaptive Cruise Control, and much more..." - Tim Giles

Related: Stretching the Isuzu F Series legs in the Outback

The International Truck of the Year (IToY) was launched in Europe in 1977. It was the brainchild of Pat Kennett, then editor of British magazine TRUCK and a legendary commercial vehicle journalist of the era.

The European jury comprises 24 members from publications throughout Europe who award the IToY annually, alongside an additional innovation award.

Today that organisation has been joined by associate members in the expanding truck markets of Australia, Brazil, China, India, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the USA.

Altogether, the combined truck operator readership of the 24 IToY full jury members’ publications and those of its associate members, exceeds 1.1 million.

The expansion of the IToY membership through its associates has seen the initial IToY concept extended, with the addition of Truck of the Year Latin America, and Chinese Truck of the Year.

In 2023 the concept made its way down under, with the first Truck of the Year Australasia trophy awarded to the Kenworth K220. The presentation venue of the Australasia award alternates between Australia and New Zealand on a yearly basis.