Hino 500 FE Standard Cab: Review

Following our launch reports on the new Hino Standard Cab models in April, Trucksales grabbed a top-line FE version for a few days for a full review.

Our test truck was a 14-tonne-GVM FE model, powered by the top-spec, series-turbocharged AO5C-TC engine, rated at 191kW (260hp) at 2300rpm, with peak torque of 882Nm at 1400rpm.

Like other AO5C engines the 260hp version boasted a proper Jake Brake and exhaust brake for retardation. The Jake is a basic version, but for info on the enhanced Jacobs brake lineup, check out our story here.

The transmission was an Allison 2500 six-speed, double overdrive automatic (0.737 and 0.643), driving through a 4.875:1 final drive.

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The evaluation truck was fitted with a 12-pallet curtain-side body, loaded to 11 tonnes GVM. Front suspension was taper leaves and the rear was Hendrickson HAS 200.

In addition to Hino’s impressive, class-leading list of primary-safety-related equipment – vehicle stability control, ABS, pre-collision system (safety eye camera, autonomous emergency braking and pedestrian detection), traction control, lane departure warning, proximity warning, adaptive cruise control and reversing camera – the test truck was fitted with optional lane-change cameras and tyre pressure monitoring. Phew!

Purists may scoff at these electronic driving aids, but in today’s traffic-plagued distribution environment it’s handy to have additional eyes and alerts.

In the course of my three-day test I had occasion to use all of them, excepting VSC and ABS.

The FE’s low forward entry cab made entry and exit safe and easy, with three points of contact possible at all times. Getting comfortable behind the multi-adjustable steering column, sitting in the new ISRI multi-adjustable seat was also very easy.

The Allison selector can be a trap for young players, however, because there’s no ‘P’ (parking pawl) detent in its range of movement. Where ‘P’ is in a car or ute auto is actually ‘R’ (reverse) in the Hino’s Allison. Lever-operated spring brakes take care of the park-brake function, making a ‘P’ detent redundant.

Steering-wheel buttons operated cruise control and the display choices, but some dashboard controls weren’t as logically positioned and the settings were difficult to see. The new multi-media display was clear, but its touch screen was found to be difficult to operate intuitively on bumpy roads.

The big four-cylinder kicked into life happily and there was an idle-up button for cold mornings and to help build up air pressure.

There’s no hill-hold function on auto-equipped FEs, but torque converter ‘drag’ stopped all but minor roll-back on steep hill starts.

The test truck seemed a bit noisy when upshifting and then, suddenly, all went deathly quiet as the cooling system fan cut out. Hino told us the new fan is no noisier than its predecessors, but the contrast between ‘fan on’ and ‘fan off’ is now much greater.

Acceleration was brisk and the loaded Hino FE auto had no trouble keeping ahead of most truck traffic. My initial driving stint was in hilly south-Sydney traffic conditions and driving the Hino through this mess was quite relaxing.

I loved the lane-change-assist cameras that showed the vehicle’s left and right sides on the multi-media screen whenever the indicators were clicked on. An additional reminder to use the blinkers was sharp beep from the lane-change monitoring camera, if the truck veered out of its lane without the driver’s signalling.

The side-view cameras were a boon at traffic lights, letting the driver check near-side blind spots, as backup for the ‘down’ mirror on the left hand side.

If the pre-collision system didn’t like approach speed to banked-up traffic it displayed a warning and beeped loudly, drawing the driver’s attention to the truck’s closing speed. Hino assured me that it would also brake autonomously, but I didn’t have the ticker to try!

When the road surface changed to secondary rural bitumen I appreciated the taper-leaf front and leaf-air rear suspensions. Ride quality was very good and the excellent seat suspension eradicated any bumps that got through.

I headed for the hills and found the big four quite a strong performer on climbs. One benefit of having an automatic-transmission test truck was the fact that an auto box always tries to have the engine operate in its optimum rev band and I was surprised that the engine was almost always running in the green 1000-1500rpm band.

With a manual box I’d probably have been a gear lower, using more revs and that would have meant more fuel consumption.

Speaking of fuel consumption, the 11-tonnes-GVM truck averaged between 4km/L and 6km/L, depending on grade and traffic. Best was flat country freeway cruising at an indicated 100km/h, with only 1850rpm on the tacho.

To put those fuel figures into perspective I have mates with 200 Series LandCruiser diesels towing caravans – GCM around 6.5 tonnes – and they don’t get any better than 5km/L.

Adaptive cruise control worked effectively on freeways, automatically maintaining a pre-set gap between the Hino and the vehicle in front. In cruise control mode the display showed the gap in metres.

In cruise control with the wipers working, cruise was cancelled if the wipers were switched to high-speed. This is a great safety initiative, because if it’s raining hard, that’s time to get out of cruise control.

When the vehicle in front slowed, the Hino engine backed off and employed the engine brake if necessary, to maintain a safe gap.

I set the downhill cruise speed at 107km/h and the Jake maintained that speed on typical freeway grades.

The Jake also worked well on steeper descents, once the shifter’s overdrive button was pressed to drop it a slot. Optimum revs were around 2200rpm, at which point the truck held desired downhill speed on all but very steep descents.

Unlike ‘big truck’ Jacobs brakes that have variable settings, the Hino’s had a single operating position that engaged the Jake and the exhaust butterfly at the same time. It’s only a five-litre, remember, not a 15-litre, so there’s a lot less compression braking available.

My criticisms were confined to the fan noise and minor ergonomics issues, so that’s relatively small beer. The Hino Standard Cab 500 FE’s plusses more than outweighed any shortcomings.

Performance, retardation, primary safety and economy were outstanding, so Hino has certainly raised the medium truck bar with this release.

Specifications:
Hino 500 Series FE 1426 Automatic
Engine: Hino AO5C-TC
Power: 260hp/191kW at 2300rpm
Torque: 882Nm a6t 1400rpm
Displacement: 5,123cc
Transmisison: Allison 2500 six-speed with Hino T-Bar cable shift and MID geasr display
GVM: 14,000kg (12,000kg option)
GCM: 21,000kg
Wheelbases: 3.8m, 4.3m, 4.9m, 5.5m, 6.5m
Fuel: 200 litres
AdBlue: 19 litres
Suspension front: Taper leaf spring with shock absorbers and stabiliser
Axle limit: 5000kg
Suspension rear: Hendrickson HAS 200 with shock absorbers and mechanical ride height valve
Axle limit: 9000kg