Hino 500 Series GH 1828 Auto Wide Cab: Review

Name: Hino 500 Series GH 1828 Auto Wide Cab: Review
Brand: Hino

At the upper end of the medium-duty segment, Hino's next-gen GH 1828 Auto blends true workhorse utility with near passenger car comfort

Hino is currently shouting the benefits of its new 500 Series Wide Cab range from the rooftops, and for good reason. The new line-up, spanning FG, GH, FL and FM models, has been under development since 2009, and Hino says it's one of the most significant product updates in the Japanese manufacturer's history.

Now, six months after its introduction, the new range has also gained plenty of recognition, from the many positive media reports to scooping the accolade of Best Light to Medium-Duty Truck at the recent 2017 Brisbane Truck Show.

Here at Trucksales, we were mightily impressed with our first taste of the range at its national media launch in February, that positive sentiment only reinforced later be spending a week in the largest 500 Series Wide Cab model, the FM 2635, in April.

Smaller sibling

With its 26-tonne GVM, the FM falls into the heavy-duty bracket, but here we're taking a closer look at one of its smaller siblings – the GH 1828 Auto. Its 18-tonne GVM puts it at the upper end of the medium-duty spectrum, while the '28' refers to the least powerful of the three engine choices on offer in the 500 Series Wide Cab range – the 8.0-litre JO8E-WA, good for a claimed 280hp (206kW) at 2500rpm and 883Nm at 1500rpm.

The GH falls smack in the middle of metro distribution work, but it's well equipped for intercity work and a broad array of other roles.

Our test vehicle's engine has been mated to an Allison 3000 Series six-speed automatic – a Hino's six-speed manual is also available – while the 4x2 vehicle rolls on taper leaf springs up front and Hendrickson HAS 230 airbags at the rear.

Emissions control is via SCR, meaning there's an AdBlue tank to fill periodically but no messing around with DPF burns.

Our truck came to us loaded to around 75 per cent of its GVM, which gave it a good workout as we drove it in and around Melbourne over the course of a week.

Hopping into the cab is easy and safe thanks to the low and generous foot plate, and finding just the right driving position is easy courtesy of the adjustable steering wheel (adjustable for tilt but not reach) and the ISRI air suspension seat.

Vision is excellent. The A-pillars are narrow and the side mirrors offer a good view to the rear, although only the standard mirrors have electric adjustment (the spot mirrors have manual adjustment only).

In the cab

The cab itself is spacious but there isn't much in the way of concealed storage space, which is limited to the twin overhead shelves. There is, however, a heap of space in the 'rest area', which serves better as a storage area than anywhere you'd want to overnight. The surface is quite firm and its dimensions are modest – it's no sleeper, but it's fine for a quick powernap.

On the road, the airbag suspension delivers a remarkably smooth ride and the truck, even is this, its longest wheelbase at 6400mm, has a reasonably modest turning circle – 21.6 metres kerb to kerb, says Hino.

It's no more difficult to drive around town than a large passenger car really, with the Allison transmission making light work of the both the load and the gradients encountered. Shifts are smooth and fairly swift, and you can always select a ratio manually if desired.

The 280hp engine didn't feel too much down on the 350hp we'd sampled previously, by seat-of-the-pants feel anyway, because the auto transmission shifts through the gears so cleanly it negates any loss of momentum potentially incurred through a clumsy manual shift.

The truck starts off in second gear and then skip-shifts its way through the gearbox as required, with 100km/h in sixth equating with roughly 2100rpm, putting it just above the truck's 'eco zone' as defined by the green band on the tacho.

Speaking of which, the instrumentation is new. Two large digi displays between the analogue tacho and speedo bring up a heap of trip info, and are a nice complement to the multimedia display. The latter can be hooked up with the optional truck-specific sat-nav, but a digital AM/FM radio and DVD/CD player are standard, while pairing a mobile phone is easy.

The Bluetooth telephony comes with voice commands, which generally work well and are a neat safety feature. No integrated buttons on the steering wheel though – something that should invariably flow through to medium and light-duty trucks in years to come.

The multimedia screen also displays the rear camera, which is now a standard inclusion across Hino's 500 Series Wide Cab range. It gives a clear view and it can also be accessorised with a further two cameras if desired.

Power to please

The 280hp horsepower engine punches above its weight, offering dependable urge from right down low in the rev range and through a fat torque band to just shy of its indicated 2500rpm redline. The powerplant produces a fair roar in the cab under acceleration but it's actually very quiet on a steady throttle.

The truck handles the bends nicely and the ABS-backed brakes offer adequate power and feel. The exhaust brake offers reasonable retardation too, and when braking, the Allison auto shifts down through the cogs to add engine braking to the mix. It's an intelligent unit.

Hino was the first to bring stability control to the light-duty market with its 300 Series in 2014, and it was first in the medium-duty market when this range launched in February.

Iveco has since followed suit, its new Eurocargo E6 models also fitted with this potentially life-saving technology, and let's hope more manufacturers will get on board soon.

The stability control uses a variety of sensors to detect an impending loss of control, the 'brains' behind the system then cutting engine output and/or independently braking wheels to restore order.

The impact of stability control on heavy vehicle accidents in terms of lives saved and injuries avoided, plus the costs of repairing or replacing a truck and/or other vehicles, is massive. Chances are it will be mandated by regulatory authorities down the track anyway, but it's good to see manufacturers like Hino on the front foot.

Feature packed

Beyond the safety tech and engine performance, it's the myriad niceties and creature comforts that make the GH 1828 such a pleasure to drive – or at least less of chore, given its workplace-on-wheels nature.

The three-point seat belt is integrated with the ISRI 6860/870 seat unit, so the driver isn't garrotted on the rebound over bumps, and the heating and cooling both work well, with the powerful fan making light work of condensation on several frosty Melbourne mornings.

The driver's seat doesn't come with armrests but it does have multiple lumbar adjustments – brilliant for drivers with lower back pain.

There's a foot rest for your left foot and the GH comes with electronic cruise control as standard. There are two slide-out cup holders in the centre of the dash but it could really do with a cup and/or bottle holder to the right of the steering wheel.

The GH 1828 comes with LED fog lamps as standard, while LED driving lights are available as a factory accessory. Other genuine accessories include Hino Traq telematics, an engine-driven PTO, floor mats, dash mats, a bull bar, a stone guard and weather shields, plus the aforementioned sat-nav.

Our test truck was fitted with a neat Austlift tail lift, which can handle loads of up to two tonnes.

After rolling around Melbourne for a week, the GH's trip computer was displaying a fuel economy of 4.0km per litre – you can't complain about that given the load and the largely city driving.

Hino's GH 1828 Auto comes with a three-year, 200,000 kilometre warranty and a range of Hino Maintenance Agreements are available to give operators surety of maintenance costs. New trucks are also covered by a roadside assistance arrangement for the period of the factory warranty.

Summing up

Hino says its new 500 Series Wide Cab range will stand it in good stead for years to come, and our time in this GH 1828 Auto underlines that sentiment. It simply does everything well, and easily. Drivers will be left with little if anything to complain about and operators will appreciate the truck's fuel economy, safety, and back-up.

That signals a bright future for the GH 1828 and the wider 500 Series Wide Cab line-up, while giving Hino's rivals some serious food for thought.

SPECIFICATIONS: Hino GH 1828 Auto

Engine: J08E-WA

Power: 280hp (206kW) at 2500rpm

Torque: 883Nm at 1500rpm

Transmission: Six-speed Allison automatic

Configuration: 4x2

Front Suspension: Taper leaf springs with shocks

Rear Suspension: Hendrickson airbag

Fuel tanks: 1 x 390 litres

AdBlue: 59 litres

Brakes: Full air with ABS