Light-duty 4x4 truck guide 2023

Light 4x4 trucks are being increasingly marketed to tradies and service industries as alternatives to utes, boasting much greater payloads, even at the car-licence gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 4495kg. As popular-brand 4x4 ute prices soar and their tare weights go up, the resulting price vs payload calculations don’t look too flash.

Typical light 4x4 truck pricing is above the price of a base-model 4x4 ute – but payloads of the available single-cab light 4x4 trucks range from 1.3 tonnes to 2.2 tonnes at car-licence GVMs. Payloads at truck-licence GVMs range from 3.9 tonnes to 4.6 tonnes.

In the case of crew cabs, some 4x4 light trucks seat seven, in comparison with the usual ute seating of five, although the inboard rear seats in Japanese trucks have lap-only belts.

An increased availability of single tyres on the rear axles of Japanese 4x4 light trucks has further increased their appeal in 2023.

A light 4x4 truck doesn’t have the modern ute’s ‘cool’ factor, but can still be a tradie’s weekend off-road tourer as well as a work vehicle during the week. The bonus is much roomier crew cab accommodation.

A downside of the Japanese models is their poor ride quality on rough surfaces, but after-market suspension bits can mitigate that to a large extent. Euro models ride much better, but have had availability issues and offer far less parts and service support outside the big cities.

The Canter started the whole Japanese light 4x4 truck business, back when it was branded ‘Mitsubishi’. The Canter 4x4 model has a special chassis, shaped as a shallow ’S’ that raises the front section over the drive axle, while providing a low load height behind the cab.

Its purpose-designed chassis and small-capacity engine combine to keep weight down, giving the Canter the best payload rating of the Japanese light 4x4 trucks that have two-speed transfer cases, at 4495kg GVM.

The Canter is reasonably well equipped, with twin SRS airbags, Hill Start Assist, ABS/EBD drum brakes and conventional multi-leaf springs, but no cruise control.

The Canter comes with a Thornton-type limited-slip rear differential that has positive wet-clutch locking ability.

Ride quality is poor on rough surfaces.

Quick specs

Engine: Three-litre, four-cylinder DOHC diesel, Euro 5
Performance: 110kW at 2850–3500rpm; 370Nm at 1350–2840rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Transfer case: Two-speed with 1.987:1 low range ratio
Wheelbase(s): 2815mm; 3415mm (single cab); 3415mm (crew cab)
Payload at 4495kg GVM (including body weight): 1935kg (single cab); 1670kg (crew cab)
Payload at 6500kg GVM (including body weight): 3940kg (single cab); 3675kg (crew cab)
Maximum gross combination mass (GCM): 10,000kg (3500kg trailer maximum).

Hino’s 4495kg GVM 4x4 model is the 300 Series 817 and it’s the best equipped of the Japanese offerings. Standard equipment includes Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) – a first for a Japanese-built truck in this category – plus four-wheel disc brakes, driver and passenger SRS airbags, cruise control, upgradeable air compressor and reversing camera.

Overall gear reduction in first-low is 65:1 and an Eaton No-Spin self-locking rear diff is a dealer-fit option. Also available as a dealer-order option is an All Terrain Warriors’ Warrior 300 wide-single tyre fitment, in place of the standard narrow-single-front and duals-rear arrangement. Single-tyre GVMs are 6700kg and 7500kg. The latter, using 19.5-inch wheels and tyres, is the same GVM as that of the dual-tyred truck.

Hino has also developed a winch-compatible and tested aluminium bullbar, in conjunction with East Coast Bullbars.

Hino has adopted a different chassis construction from the others in this segment, with duplicate chassis rails at the rear bolted beneath the standard rails. The upper rails mount the engine and cab with space underneath for the front drive axle, while the lower chassis at the rear mounts the back axle and suspension. It works, but the design adds to tare weight, giving away around 300kg to the Isuzu NPS.

The Hino 817 also gets the transfer case from the much higher-rated GT truck – strong, but heavy. That allows fitment of a dealer-optional Allison 1000 six-speed automatic transmission, in place of the standard manual ’box.

Ride quality is slightly better than the Fuso Canter and Isuzu NPS, but not good.

Quick specs

Engine: Four-litre, four-cylinder OHV diesel, Euro 5
Performance: 121kW at 2500rpm; 464Nm at 1400rpm
Transmission: Six-speed manual (dealer-option Allison Auto available)
Transfer case: Two-speed with 2.224:1 low range ratio
Wheelbase(s): 3500mm (single and seven-seat crew cab)
Payload at 4495kg GVM (including body weight): 1335kg (single cab); 1090kg (crew cab)
Payload at 7500kg GVM (including body weight): 4340kg (single cab); 4095kg (crew cab).
Maximum gross combination mass (GCM): 11,000kg (3500kg trailer maximum).

Isuzu has two entrants in this light truck class: the low-ground-clearance NLS and the high-clearance, low-range-geared NPS.

The NLS is a 4x4 derivative of the NLR range, retaining its independent, torsion-bar front suspension, disc front brakes, taper-leaf rear suspension and chassis height. It’s by far the best-riding and handling of all the Japanese 4x4 light trucks and shares its engine hardware with the Isuzu Ute range.

NLS models feature ABS and ASR traction control, limited-slip rear diff, Hill Start Aid, driver and passenger airbags and ECE-R29 cab strength compliance. Options include TPMS, sat-nav, up to four cameras and an aluminium bullbar.

Overall gearing in first gear is limited by an on-demand, single-speed transfer case, to 26:1.

Driver and passenger comfort is aided by integrated air conditioning, a contoured, adjustable driver’s seat, central locking, cornering lamps, electric windows and mirrors and an updated multimedia system.

Isuzu’s Ready-to-Work, bodied NLS trucks include a Tipper, a Traypack and a Servicepack.

Quick specs

Engine: Three-litre, four-cylinder DOHC diesel, Euro 5
Performance: 110kW at 2800rpm; 375Nm at 1600-2800rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Transfer case: Single-speed with viscous coupling
Wheelbase(s): 2740mm (single cab); 3360mm (six-seat crew cab)
Payload at 4495kg GVM (including body weight): 2200kg (single cab) 2065kg (crew cab)
Maximum gross combination mass (GCM): 8000kg (4000kg trailer maximum).

Isuzu’s NPS 45/155 is the market-leading 4x4 light truck and Isuzu has kept its proven specification quite basic: ‘lazy’ five-litre engine; drum brakes; limited-slip rear diff and conventional multi-leaf springs.

A plus for serious off-road use is that the engine complies with Euro V emissions requirements without the need for a diesel particulate filter (DPF). It’s the only compliant diesel in the 4x4 light truck market to do this.

The concessions to modernity are twin SRS airbags, ABS, Hill Start Assist, cruise control, powered mirrors and an optional automated manual transmission (AMT). The AMT is Isuzu’s third generation design and works, on- and off-road, as a two-pedal ’box.

Ride quality is poor on rough surfaces.

Overall gearing in first-low in both transmissions is 54.5:1.

The Ready-to-Work NPS is a bodied service truck. Aftermarket fitments include wide-single tyres.

Quick specs

Engine: 5.2-litre, four-cylinder SOHC diesel, Euro 5
Performance: 114kW at 2600rpm; 419Nm at 1600-2600rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual and optional five-speed AMT
Transfer case: Two-speed with 1.842:1 low range ratio
Wheelbase(s): 3395mm (single cab and seven-seat crew cab)
Payload at 4495kg GVM (including body weight): 1545kg (single cab); 1305kg (crew cab)
Payload at 7500kg GVM (including body weight): 4550kg (single cab); 4310kg (crew cab)
Maximum gross combination mass (GCM): 11,000kg (3500kg trailer maximum). Maximum trailer mass at 4495kg GVM is 4500kg.

Like the other European brands, the VW Crafter is most commonly bought as a front-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive van, but 4Motion four-wheel-drive cab/chassis models up to four tonnes GVM are available. 4Motion models are based on the front-wheel-drive chassis, with a propshaft driving the rear axle.

Ride and handling are vastly superior to Japanese light 4WD trucks, but ground clearance is only 195mm.

All Crafter 4Motion variants are single-tyred, four-tonnes GVM models, with hill descent control and and an optional rear diff lock.

Safety and equipment levels are passenger-car like and include six airbags, daylight running lights, ABS with Electronic Differential Lock, Emergency City Braking and hill start assist. Four-wheel discs, traction control and ESP are standard, as is adaptive cruise control and regenerative braking. Mirrors are powered and heated.

A factory-fitted aluminium drop-side tray body is optional.

Quick specs

Engines: Two-litre diesel, with single or twin-turbo, Euro 6
Performance: 103kW at 3500rpm and 340Nm at 2000rpm; 130kW at 3600rpm and 410Nm at 2000rpm
Transmissions: Six-speed manual and optional eight-speed automatic
Transfer case: Single speed, on demand 4WD
Wheelbases: 4490mm (single and six-seat crew cab)
Payload: at 4000kg GVM (including body weight): 1930kg (single cab); 1871kg (crew cab)
Maximum gross combination mass (GCM): 6500kg (2500kg trailer maximum).

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 4x4’s previous four-cylinder OM651 and six-cylinder OM642 engines were replaced in 2022 by a single four-cylinder, two-litre OM654 engine that complies with Euro VI emissions standards. This new engine has an aluminium block and head, plus a ‘Nanoslide’ iron-carbon cylinder wall coating.

AWD models come only with the top-shelf 140kW/450Nm engine, with twin turbochargers, coupled to a new 9G-Tronic nine-speed auto. The 4x4 system is on-demand, with torque proportioning between front and rear axles, via a single-speed transfer case.

Where the previous Sprinter 4×4 used components fitted by Oberaigner in Austria, a former Mercedes-Benz partner company, the 2023 Sprinter’s transfer case and front differential are from Magna Steyr, who developed the 4Matic system for Mercedes-Benz car models.

The 4Matic system is integrated with ESP and 4ETS traction control to aid driving dynamics. Like all European cab/chassis, the Sprinter comes with a full suite of passenger-car-like dynamic and passive safety features.

Cab/chassis Sprinter 4x4s have one GVM rating only – 5.5 tonnes – and have rear duals. Ground clearance is a claimed 190mm and wading depth, 350mm.

Quick specs

Engine: Two-litre diesel, twin-turbo, Euro 6
Performance: 140kW at 3600rpm and 450Nm at 2000rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Transfer case: On-demand 4WD
Wheelbases: 3665mm, 4325mm (single and six-seat crew cab)
Payload: at 5500kg GVM (including body weight): 3200kg (single cab); 3000kg (crew cab) Maximum gross combination mass (GCM): 7500kg (2000kg trailer maximum).

The IVECO Daily 4WD that was launched in Australia in 2013 featured live beam axles front and rear. It was an immediate success and was subsequently upgraded in 2017 and 2018. In-service issues were premature wear in the transfer case bushes and braking imbalance – both of which were addressed.

At the Brisbane Truck Show in 2019, IVECO previewed its replacement that featured a return to independent torsion-bar front suspension that early Daily 4x4s had in the 1990s. This model also had a new two-speed transfer case, replacing the previous three-speed unit.

Our first drive in a dealer’s cab/chassis revealed considerable driveline noise and vibration, so we weren’t surprised when the planned product launch was postponed.

A few Daily 4x4s were sold to mining companies in 2020-2022, with a road speed limit of 80km/h. A revised transfer case became available in 2022, so IVECO dealers are taking retail orders for 2023 delivery.

Our brief drive in a 2023 dealer truck showed that performance and ride quality were excellent, but there was noticeable transfer-case whine.

The 2023 Daily 4x4 is powered by the familiar three-litre, four-cylinder diesel, but with Euro 6 compliance and outputs of 134kW and 430Nm. The standard ’box remains a six-speed, but the new auto is an eight-speed ZF Hi-Matic. Three differential locks are standard.

Like the other European cab/chassis, the Daily 4x4 has a full suite of dynamic and passive safety aids.

IVECO Australia has stipulated only one GVM rating of seven tonnes so, as with the Sprinter cab/chassis, there is no car-licence variant.

Quick specs:

Engine: Three-litre diesel, twin-turbo, Euro 6
Performance: 134kW at 3500rpm and 430Nm at 1500rpm
Transmissions: Six-speed manual and optional eight-speed automatic
Transfer case: Two-speed
Wheelbases: 3480mm, 3780mm and 4175mm (single and crew cab)
Payload at 7000kg GVM (including body weight): 4000kg (single cab); 3660kg (crew cab)
Maximum gross combination mass (GCM): 10,500kg (3500kg trailer maximum).

Other 4x4 or all-wheel drive buying choices for a GVM of 4495kg are the RHD-converted 3500-series light 4WD trucks from RAM, Ford and Chevrolet, out of the USA. Pricing is steep, from around 150 grand, and ute tubs are the only available bodywork, but a Yank ute makes a bold business statement!

Yet another route is to extend the chassis of a 4x4 ute – Ford Ranger size – and add a third axle. This addition can be done as a full 6x6 conversion, or as a 6x4, with a ‘dead’ trailing axle. Both conversions retain the existing rear drive axle and propshaft, but the 6x4 doesn’t involve the cost of an additional drive axle, inter-axle diff and jackshaft, so it’s obviously cheaper than a full 6x6 job.

For most light-truck purposes, a 6x4 is adequate and the chances of getting bogged by having only the front driving axle and the non-driving third axle with traction are slim. In the case of Six Wheeler Conversions’ refit, the rear drive axle retains around 60 per cent of imposed load in most circumstances and the rear axle travel is around 300mm, making it unlikely to be ‘hung up’ on rough sites.

Professional conversion companies have second manufacturer status, so a brand new cab/chassis can be converted before first rego and the upgraded GVM and specs are granted national compliance approval. A typical 6x4 converted and compliant, brand-new vehicle, complete with new, longer tray is around the $95-110,000 mark.