David Meredith•2 Jan 2015

REVIEW

Feature: Japanese giants

David Meredith puts Australia's top-selling Japanese trucks under the microscope to unlock the secret of their sales success…

In the Australian truck world, there are cliques of owner/drivers and fleet operators who are dedicated and loyal followers of a single brand – these are the ambassadors manufacturers cannot buy.

Some stay with the chosen brand because of performance – because of a truck's basic load-carrying capacity and its on-the-road behaviour. Others buy because of reliability – a track record of minimal down-time translates to kept promises and happy customers. Finally, some are just loyal to a dealer that never lets them down – a dealer who is always on the phone to keep a transport company running, and earning.

However, underpinning this loyalty is one simple fact of which every truck manufacturer and distributor is acutely aware: one bad blue and that customer could be lost forever.

In more ways than one, the four Japanese truck manufacturers that dominate the local light and medium truck markets mirror each other. All have basically three overarching model series; all have overlap in models across their respective series; and all change as little as possible during the run of any given model.

Isuzu uses letters to identify its three series. In Hino’s case, it’s numbers – 300, 500 and 700 Series. Fuso uses names, while UD uses a combination of both.

In this review we'll look at the models that outsell their stablemates – the heroes of the Aussie truck industry's sales charts – and examine why these models attract the majority of support for their respective nameplates.

ISUZU NPR 300

Isuzu’s NPR 300 and its 4x4 derivative, the NPS 300, are not the big sellers they used to be mainly because of changing market conditions, but they are still very strong and they still dominate Isuzu’s sales charts.

In 2013 the NPR/S represented 17.1 per cent of Isuzu's sales volume, with customers buying 574 4x2s and 591 4x4s (TIC T-Mark data). To the end of November 2014, that share had slipped to 14.9 per cent, with Isuzu selling 574 4x2s and 403 4x4s – probably a reflection of market shifts within the mining and construction sectors.

But despite trends in the market, and in spite of the wildly successful introduction of a new model line to the Isuzu range, the NPR and its spin-offs still represent the core of the Isuzu fleet on Australia’s roads, and look to remain so for some years to come.

The 4x4 version is now as important to the Isuzu line-up as its 4x2 brothers, and in fact one dealer told me that it’s actually stealing business from the market occupied by Nissan’s cab/chassis Patrol, as it not only outperforms it in terms of cargo space and axle loadings etc, but is more comfortable to boot.

The NPR can also be ordered from the factory with specs that allow it to be driven on a standard car licence, instead of with the full three-tonne payload.

As the best-selling model of Australia's best-selling truck brand, the NPR is well established as the benchmark in the three-tonne payload market, but derivatives of it are also starring in the top end of the car licence mob as well as with off-road contractors. Isuzu’s feature list is extensive and the NPR incorporates many of these features in a small truck, giving the light delivery brigade a level of comfort and functionality unheard of in trucking just a few years ago.

The NPR’s glasshouse-look cab provides excellent vision for those close city deliveries but it has an air-conditioning system that's powerful enough to handle the wealth of Aussie sunlight flooding in. The doors open to a full 90 degrees and oil-filled cab mounts help you settle in, while an air suspension seat provides further insulation from road impacts.

There’s a top-notch audio system accessed via a 6.2-inch touch-screen. The digital radio unit includes a CD/DVD player, Bluetooth with voice recognition and 4Gb of storage for music files, plus a slot for your CB.

Isuzu’s 5.1-litre SITEC Series 3 diesel generates 114kW of power and 410Nm of torque, and it's a thoroughly proven entity. The emissions system uses cooled EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) and a now-reliable diesel particulate filter, which functions with little impact on the driving task.

Either a six-speed manual transmission or Isuzu’s six-speed automated manual are available. I admit I’m not a fan of Isuzu’s AMT – I'd much rather a full automatic in this weight range.

The NPR 300 also appeals to the rental market, where weekend wannabe removalists can be satisfied they’ve saved big money on using professionals (before having to explain to their wives why most of the furniture and crockery is chipped, scratched or busted!).

HINO 300 SERIES

Hino’s 300 Series is the manufacturer's biggest range in terms of volume, but because of the wide variance in wheelbases and specs it’s difficult to identify a single configuration that outsells the rest.

In fact the range is so diverse, if any one dealer wanted to stock one of each there’d be 36 trucks on the lot before the ordering clerk turned the page to the 500 Series!

The 300 Series spans 10 4x2 models, 14 in the 'Built To Go' range, eight crew cabs and four hybrids. Within those models are eight wheelbases from 2525mm to 4400mm, two cab widths, four gearboxes (including a six-speed fully automatic Aisin gearbox), power from 110-150kW, torque from 420Nm to 600Nm, and GVMs between 4495kg and 8500kg.

The automatic transmission in particular is an excellent alternative gearbox in this weight range. This Toyota-built gearbox gives the 300 Series maximum versatility, the least torque loss under load and generally less downtime than transmissions with a clutch. The ratios include double overdrives, which ensure revs are down to 2220rpm at 100km/h. On the 920 versions, down-shifts are integrated with the engine brake.

Rental companies and big fleets with high-frequency delivery schedules love it. In fact, over the last six months, Woolworths has ordered 280 of them for its home delivery service.

Since 2012 there’s been little change in the 300 Series save for the adoption of a safety package – Hino says it's a feature that leads the market in this sector.

The standout here is Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), which is mandatory on all passenger vehicles sold in Australia and unique to Japanese light trucks. The system monitors every movement the truck makes, then applies doses of throttle or brakes to individual wheels to maintain control. The VSC computer will try and correct either oversteer or understeer, or will simply apply the brakes when it decides you’re heading for a rollover.

Since its arrival the VSC safety package has contributed to a 140 per cent increase in 300 Series sales, the surge no doubt also helped by a free upgrade to Hino’s fully automatic gearbox option – a promotion that is currently scheduled to run through to March 31, 2015.

Hino Australia Chairman and CEO Steve Lotter told me that the launch of the 300 Series 'High Horsepower' versions – the 920 manual and 921 auto – has made the Hino 300 Series the most competitive light-duty truck range in the country.

"We really believe we've got the product mix right, and combined with Hino's High Performance people and culture, we're expecting great things from this exciting addition to the 300 Series," he said.

I must admit my several drives of the 300 Series have always seemed underwhelming, not because of any faults or problems but because they’re always the same – comfortable, quiet, and efficient. Cab styling usually has a minimal effect on truck sales – Hyundai’s bog-ugly HD series a notable exception – but Hino’s new 300 Series cab is, in this reviewer's eyes, really quite attractive.

Hino feels driver comfort is being more recognized as a vital part of safety and productivity, and it cites its Woolies contract as evidence. After all, the inclusion of fully independent double wishbone coil springs, four-wheel disc brakes, twin reversing cameras, a 6.1-inch touchscreen, driver and passenger airbags and the VSC makes for a compelling package.

FUSO CANTER AND FIGHTER

Fuso, the Japanese brand owned by Daimler Trucks, has two models that grab the lion’s share of its sales: the Canter 515 and the larger Fighter 1024.

One Daimler Trucks sales manager calls Fuso’s best-selling Canter 515, "a no-frills workhorse with frills". Put simply, Fuso has identified the options most valued by its Canter buyers and included them as standard.

It's available in only two versions: a six-speed manual or Canter's party-trick Duonic Automated Manual Transmission. This unique gearbox sees the benefits of dual-clutch car transmissions adapted for truck use. However, instead of targeting rapid acceleration, the Duonic system ensures that on a hill with a full load the next gear is already engaged and waiting to work, mimicking a full automatic with almost zero torque loss and maintaining vital momentum and maximising fuel economy in the process.

Feedback from Fuso owners has been largely good, although a recent recall was issued to change the internal fluids on some units due to some contamination.

The Canter already has a reputation as a tough and reliable workhorse. It is now sold with antilock brakes, dual airbags, and in-dash touch-screen with Bluetooth and sat-nav (the latter with three years of updates) and long 30,000km service intervals.

Fuso also offers an extended five-year/200,000km warranty to the operators who do the big distances.

One customer I spoke to bought a Canter 515 in February 2014 after some web-based research showed the Fuso ticked all the boxes in terms of quality for price. Another is on order after the customer heard of a campaign on the Canter that made it even more affordable.

The bigger Fighter 1024, which sells in the cutthroat 'six-tonner' market, is another carefully tailored spec that’s the perfect size and set-up for the mid-range contractor business, where load space is important but maneuverability is just as critical.

The 1024 is not new to the market but it's familiar to many operators and has a loyal following. Although the driveline and cab are nearly a generation old now, the Fighter still provides a comfortable 'office' for both driver and passenger. In fact, appearance-wise, I'd have to say the Fighter's cab is by far the most attractive of the Japanese stable.

Standard equipment includes an ISRI driver's air seat, in-dash touch-screen as per the Canter, cruise control, driver's airbag, and Euro 5 SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) six-cylinder engine. The service interval is an impressive 30,000km and many operators seem to hold the opinion the Fighter 1024 strikes the right balance of comfort and operating cost.

One scaffolding contractor recently bought three of the new Fighter 1024s because of the service interval. The business doesn't cover many kilometers – around 15,000 a year – but each truck is a self-contained work station, carrying all the specialist tools and components needed for each job. The single annual service means work stops just one day a year – a big selling point for the operator in question.

Fortunately for Fuso, its best sellers are aimed at markets that are in constant need of support. As a result, they are least affected by the mining slow-down, so demand has remained strong.

UD PK 16 250

The arrival of UD Trucks in the Australian market in 1972 was accompanied not by fanfare, but rather more practical assurances of a capacity for hard work and a high tolerance of abuse. Some old-timers used the early UDs in the outback, pulling unrealistic loads over surfaces that were roads in name only, and where the first examples of other Japanese truck brands feared to tread.

Today UD still has a loyal customer base, although it is by far the smallest of the Japanese nameplates. Increased pressure of profitability has required truck makers to trim tare weights and make engines lighter and more efficient. That was something UD couldn't afford – it needed a big parent to achieve that.

Nearly two years ago I attended a low-key release of the latest PK range at UD's test facility in Japan. The big news then concerned engines. The old UD engine range, which could not hope to meet the latest emissions regulations even with major surgery, was transplanted by quieter and cleaner Volvo Group engines that developed more power and torque and that were at the beginning of their development cycle.

The difference on the road between the old and new was massive. Since then, medium-duty operators who have experienced the latest UDs are pretty much unanimous in their praise.

But no matter how small a brand's volume may be, there's always a best-seller. UD's headliner is the PK 16 250, a medium-duty 4x2 184kW distribution truck that is built within a very narrow band of specs.

Analysis of the customer base revealed that this truck spends almost all of its time exclusively in the metropolitan area on back-to-back distribution runs, so it needs to be driveable and comfortable, while its 16-tonne GVM rating is essential.

The fine tuning of the spec meant dropping the manual gearbox option and replacing it with the tried-and-tested Allison auto. UD picked the 2500 version, which doesn't allow for a towing capacity.

I asked UD about the wisdom of that move but the factory maintained that none was necessary in this application. Not only that, but with the most regular criticism of Allison boxes being the up-front cost, the smaller Allison saves capital and weight, optimising the PK range's work capacity. However, if a customer has a wider application for their 16-tonner, they can option up to the 206kW version of the PK, which opens up the options list to include either a six- or nine-speed manual box, or the upgraded 3000 series Allison.

UD dealers say the Allisons are a big factor in sales growth, reducing manual sales to less than 10 per cent. Additionally, UD appears to be the only Japanese builder that offers the option of either steel leaf or airbag rear suspension across its entire medium-duty range.

Volvo's influence has taken the essentials of a tough chassis and dramatically refined the driving experience. The result has been to widen the available market for Japan's most underestimated truck brand.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Perhaps the simplest conclusion to be drawn from this brief overview is that you really can't go wrong with any of these most popular Japanese models.

Three of them – the Isuzu, the Hino and the Fuso Canter – are in direct competition with each other, but they can also often find themselves in separate niches. For example, the rental operators often favour Fuso and Hino on a price basis, while Isuzu has by far the lion's share of customers that use the truck in their own business.

The Fuso Fighter and the UD are in their own segments and do not compete with each other. But the brands – and the dealers – continue to target these buyers with trucks that are more carefully honed for their respective tasks than ever before.

My parting words then are reserved for warranty – a crucial piece of the buying-decision puzzle for small and large operators alike.

Isuzu warrants the N-Series for three years/100,000km, but you can buy an extra year for $1320. Roadside assistance is also provided for three years. Hino also provides three years/100,000km of coverage with free roadside assistance, while Fuso offers three years/150,000km or 2000 hours, whichever comes first. The UD warranty provides three years/200,000km of coverage, which includes the Allison transmission and roadside assistance for one year/unlimited kilometres (where the vehicle is disabled due to a warrantable failure).

For more information on any of these models, and indeed on the Japanese manufacturers' full ranges, visit www.isuzu.com.au, www.hino.com.au, www.fuso.com.au or www.udtrucks.com.au.

Feature: Japanese giants

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