Hino 700 Series FS 2848 truck and dog 2022 Review

Hino left virtually no stone unturned when it updated its 700 Series in 2021, with the heavy end of the Japanese maker’s line-up now boasting more models, cutting-edge safety, new and improved Euro 6 drivetrains, and a new cab interior, among other updates.

We’ve already reviewed a couple of rigid distribution models – click here and here to read them – but when the opportunity to drive the Hino 700 Series FS 2848 in a tipper-and-dog format came our way, we jumped at it.

Our test truck, a 6x4 Hino 700 Series FS 2848, came to us fitted with a CBB Hardox tipper body and matching three-axle dog trailer. With a 4275mm wheelbase and with steel taper leaf spring rear suspension, it’s the shortest of four available wheelbases, the other three (4288mm, 4588mm, and 6388mm) only available with Hendrickson rear airbags.

The Hendrickson set-up is road-friendly certified for those who want to take advantage of the NHVR’s Higher Mass Limits (and an extra half tonne of payload in Victoria), but the steel leaf arrangement delivers better axle articulation, which pays dividends when traversing chopped up work sites. That’s also where this truck’s cross locks and power divider earn their keep.

While there are now a range of new 700 Series models powered by Hino’s new A09C nine-litre engine, this FS 2848 is powered by an updated version of Hino’s 13-litre unit, the E13C.

Now meeting Euro 6 standards, this 12.9-litre six-cylinder powerplant now pumps out peak torque of 2157Nm over a far broader rev range (from 1000rpm to 1500rpm), while peak power (480hp) chimes in from 1600rpm to 1800rpm.

The engine relies on a mixture of technologies to meet Euro 6, including SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction), so its 390lt diesel tank is complemented by a 28lt AdBlue tank.

The engine is now mated to the sole choice of a ZF 16-speed TraXon automated manual transmission. Together with the Allison auto options available through the nine-litre models, this means the entire 700 Series range is a two-pedal affair.

Related reading:
Hino launches new 700 Series
Major expansion for new Hino 700 Series range
Why 700 Series is the safest Hino ever
Hino 700 Series FS 2848: Review
Hino nine-litre FR 2632 distribution 6x2: Review

Hino’s safety push continues in the new 700 Series. This FS 2848 comes packed with the latest safety systems, including autonomous braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, stability control, traction control, and antilock brakes, among others.

A new Driver Monitor, set into the offside A-pillar, constantly scans the driver’s face to ensure he or she is alert. If it detects the driver’s face dropping, for example – which could be the case due to drowsiness or distraction – it triggers an audible and visual alert.

And that’s on top of other standard items like a reversing camera with buzzer (with the option to add further cameras), a driver airbag, front underrun protection, and a cab that meets the ECE-R29 certification for strength.

Externally, the 700 Series now features subtly refreshed styling, with (auto) LED lighting and LED daytime running lights now standard, along with aluminium Alcoa wheels. Our test truck is fitted with aftermarket Aerotrans skirts at the rear of the cab, and polished hub caps, but is otherwise in standard trim.

But the bigger change, at least from the driver’s perspective, is the overhauled cabin, with its wraparound dash and new instrumentation, including a new 7.0-inch central driver information display nestled between the analogue speedo and tacho. This display features several pages of tabbed trip and vehicle data, navigated via the integrated steering wheel controls.

There’s a couple of handy storage trays immediately to the driver’s left, plus two overhead compartments and a tray on the back of the jump seat ideal for a work diary or laptop. But the door side pockets are slim and the bottle holders are small, though there is a bigger bottle holder near the central storage tray. Of course, there's plenty of storage across the ADR42-compliant sleeper, which is softer than some we’ve sampled but really more for a quick nap than overnighting.

These new 700 Series Hinos like their own company, it seems: about 45 minutes after collecting this rig from Prestige Hino in Dandenong, and pulling into the service centre at Donnybrook on Melbourne's northern outskirts, what should pull up alongside but another new FS 2848, this time in a rigid curtainsider format.

It was in fact another Hino demo truck, piloted by Barry Noble, Hino Australia's Manager, Homologation and Engineering Support, who was setting out on a run back up to Sydney. 'Birds of a feather', as they say... You can read our review of that exact truck here.

I spent a couple of days and about 500 kilometres behind the wheel of the FS 2848 which, with a load of sandstone spread between truck and its trailer, was running at just over 37 tonne.

My test loop had a bit of everything, from busy surburban streets to city arterials and motorways, bumpy B-roads and hills in the country, and a run up the Hume to grab the photos and video.

And at the end of all that, I was left with one overwhelming impression: this truck is just so damn easy to drive, and so easy to live with…

To begin with, cab access is easy, via three sturdy and grippy steps, as is finding the perfect driving position thanks to the ISRI air seat and a steering wheel that is adjustable for both tilt and reach. The seat is ISRI’s 6860/870 NTS2 – not the catchiest name perhaps, but it's nicely cushioned and upholstered and it does offer a stack of adjustability and excellent lumbar support.

The new cockpit puts everything at your fingertips, with logically grouped controls all within arm’s reach. Visibility is good too, thanks to the skinny A-pillars, the large side mirrors, and the other kerb and front mirrors. The side mirrors are heated, not that this was an issue on a warm summer’s day.

The ease of driving this truck is down to several aspects. Firstly, the new ZF TraXon 16-speed AMT. Simple and effective, there’s a large dial on the dash to select between drive, neutral, and reverse (and crawler gears). Twist to D, ease on the throttle, and that’s it – on the flat the truck kicks off in fourth and then skip-shifts its way up through the 'box until its hits 16th and 1500rpm at 100km/h.

The Hino FS 2848 has 3.9 rear axle ratio, and for the most part the gearbox works well at keeping engine speeds in the marked ‘eco zone’ between 800 and 1400rpm.

The transmission favours economic progress over drag-strip peformance, naturally, but if you do encounter a decent gradient you can always use the pedal’s kickdown feature, or simply knock it back a cog or two using the stalk off the steering column. To be honest, for 95 per cent of the time I just let the AMT do its thing, but the slick and relatively speedy manual shifts are impressive. There’s an Eco mode too that lowers the shift points if you’re going for maximum economy.

Also lightening the load is this truck's many driver assistance features. The adaptive cruise control takes the sting out of longer runs and it operates seamlessly – the truck won’t brake abruptly if, say, a car overtakes you and then pulls into your lane just a bit ahead. Instead, the truck will simply register the car’s presence, and back off gently until it’s once again following at the set distance (from one to three seconds). And if the truck starts to pick up speed on a descent, the auxiliary brakes are applied as soon as it goes 2km/h over your set speed.

The lane departure warning is a worthy feature, especially on longer hauls, but it can also be deactivated at the push of a button – handy on tighter roads, for sure. And the Driver Monitor isn’t excessively sensitive – you have to look away from the road for a good few seconds to trigger its warning buzzer and visual alert.

The brakes are another big part of this truck’s appeal. The service brakes are a typical air/drum arrangement, but they’re now backed by an electronic braking system (EBS). They’re powerful, but more impressive is the quick braking response and the level of feel they provide. Then again, with the strength of the auxiliary brakes, you won’t be using the service brakes too much anyway.

The windscreen wiper stalk also doubles as a multi-stage wand for the auxiliary brakes. One notch down engages the Jake brake, while the next three notches offer increasing levels of intervention from the ZF intarder. It’s a powerful setup; for most situations you can rely on the auxiliary brakes alone, thereby extending the standard brakes’ service life.

A brake ‘sync’ function is another neat inclusion – it activates the Jake brake in instances when you’re pretty much coasting and would otherwise brush the service brakes – and the hill holder comes into its own in city traffic. When you come to a stop on a gradient, just push the service brake pedal a little harder and the truck holds its position indefinitely, waiting to move off again with some throttle.

And all this is backed up by the invisible safety net afforded by the truck’s pre-collision system, autonomous braking, and vehicle stability control. This tech saves lives, and it’s reassuring to know it’s there to lend a hand if things turn ugly.

Noise levels inside the cab are entirely acceptable. The big six is nicely muted on a steady throttle, but makes its presence known whenever you’re on the gas, while on the open road there’s a bit of wind noise stemming from the full battery of mirrors dotted around the cab – all standard stuff.

But the ride in this Hino FS 2848 tipper and dog was remarkably good. I thought it would be on the harsh side, what with its steel rear suspension, but it ironed out the worst of some decidedly dodgy country roads impressively well. What’s more, there was no shunting back and forth from the trailer – progress was all very smooth.

So, what don’t I like about this truck? Well, after my couple of days behind the wheel, there’s not much to tell when it comes to downsides. There’s a reasonable amount of legroom, but I would appreciate a more substantial dead pedal for my left foot. And the multimedia system is, I think, already starting to look a bit dated, especially compared to what we’re now seeing in the passenger-car world. In any case, the multimedia unit is integrated with the Hino-Connect telematics and reporting package as standard in all 700 Series trucks, placing an array of powerful tools at operators' disposal.

Fuel economy? The trip computer average climbed as high as 2.4km/lt on the open road, before settling on 2.1km/lt for the entire 500km drive. That seems about right given the load, the slow and hilly country we encountered to Melbourne’s north, and some stop-start conditions on the motorway.

Hino is on a charge these days – it set a sales record in Australia in 2021 and its new 700 Series has been warmly received by the market, achieving a solid market share despite supply issues.

After spending some time with Hino’s FS 2848, I can see why it’s proving popular. Safer and smarter than ever, it’s a truck that drivers will want to drive, and operators will want to own – it's the full package.

Engine: E13C-BK 12.9-litre in-line six-cylinder turbo-diesel
Power: 353kW (480hp) at 1600-1800rpm
Torque: 2157Nm at 1000-1500rpm
Emissions: ADR 80/03 using Euro 6 standard
Transmission: ZF 16-speed TraXon AMT
Rear axle ratio: 3.9
Front suspension: Taper leaf spring with shocks
Rear suspension: Taper leaf springs
GVM: 27,900kg
GCM: 63,000kg
Front axle limit: 7500kg
Rear axle limit: 21,800kg
Wheelbase: 4275mm
Fuel capacity: 390lt
AdBlue capacity: 29lt
Service brakes: Air/drum with electronic braking system
Auxiliary brakes: Jacobs Brake with multi-stage ZF intarder
Safety: Pre-Collision System, Autonomous Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning, Driver Monitor, Vehicle Stability Control, Anti-Slip Regulator, Reversing Camera and buzzer, Daytime Running Lights, Front Underrun Protection, driver airbag, ECE-R29 cab strength certification
Warranty: Three years/500,000km with roadside assistance (option to extend to five years)
Web: www.hino.com.au