Review: Fuso FM 1627 Fighter

Some cars are hot sellers because the manufacturer has got the formula just right. The right options, right power, right colours and right features. It means the dealers just have to pick colours, which makes forward ordering, sometimes months ahead of arrival, relatively easy.

It's harder with trucks, particularly the light- and medium-duty best-selling brands from Japan, which have vast ranges of wheelbases, engines and transmissions, all so the truck can be built to task.

However, some models strike a happy balance and, as one dealer told me about the Fuso Fighter 1627, they just arrive off the boat and walk out the door, with minimal or no modifications. Even bodies are often pre-built – bolted on when the customer wants the truck and then put straight to work.

This Fighter is popular because it fits into a busy corner of the market – the rigid metropolitan delivery truck that can handle a decent weight as well as large cubic loads. Just as importantly, the mechanical specs are aimed at the stop-start, tight-corner, heavy-traffic and multiple-drop role that lighter distribution demands.

The Fuso FM 1627 Fighter is a 10.4-tonne GVM distribution truck intended to handle busy city life with the greatest of ease. Boosting its chances is an Allison 2500 full auto option, matched to Fuso’s 6M60 six-cylinder, 7.5-litre turbo-diesel – a unit good for a claimed 199kW (270hp) and 784Nm.

I had a 1627 curtainsider with a folding tailgate lift, six-speed manual transmission and enough standard comfort equipment to make a truck driver's job pleasant in any company. Each section of my drive was easy in the Fighter. Acceleration, braking, gear-changing, cruising, steering – none of it caused difficulty or required any concerted effort of any kind.

The air-assist flicked the gears through the 'box and the clutch engaged predictably and with minimal foot pressure. I thought initially that there was a problem with the spring loading, as I repeatedly grabbed fifth instead of third, but it turned out it was just me, stuck in old habits.

There's another asset that is unique to Fuso, even though it probably isn't popular or logical to say it. But of all the medium-duty trucks on the market, my personal view is that the Fighter cab's exterior is the most attractive. Certainly it will date less readily than its competition, all of which have harder or 'older' lines.

But back to the facts… The model code is 1627, which denotes a 16-tonne GVM and 270hp. The test rig was a 4x2 long-wheelbase version with air suspension and a 25-tonne GCM rating. That makes it popular with the trailer set – diggers, line-marking machines and the like.

It has a driver's airbag, hill-start assist, ABS brakes with anti-slip regulator, an exhaust brake made in Japan – which meant it huffed and puffed but did little else – and an entertainment system with Bluetooth, USB port and a 6.1-inch LCD screen. The sat-nav has maps with heavy vehicle weight, length, height and hazardous material restrictions data, and includes three years of map updates. It's well equipped, that's for sure.

Fuso designers developed the cab and door openings with the driver in mind. The door openings and large steps will allow the drivers who are in and out of their truck regularly to do so comfortably and safely. There are two grab handles on the driver's side to help them climb up and get in. However, the passenger's side only has one handle – maybe because the offsider's other hand is usually full of chips and choc milk.

The steering column is adjustable for tilt and reach and it has a good range too, so if you're the foreman you don't always have to pick the short guy to do the driving. The windscreen is panoramic, and the door-sills slope downwards for outstanding vision.

The Fighter the dealer supplied me with in this instance underlined its city truck credentials. The six-speed 'box has a good spread of ratios but top gear is direct, so it's not a distance cruiser. But if you're used to pulling a plant trailer, or running heavy, or a Pantech body plus a dog and lots of aero drag, the six-speed will be a good match.

The nine-speed all-synchro option won't necessarily help either. It just gives you a better spread and deep crawler ratios in low and reverse, so it's even better for maximum GCM payloads with dog trailers.

If your application involves some longer distances, you should spec your Fighter with the optional six-speed Allison. It locks up early, is direct drive in fourth and the next two gears are overdrives, plus you get maximum uptime and no clutch replacements – ever. Unfortunately, the Fuso option system is as clear as mud, so you may have to compromise with wheelbase and suspension changes. It's not as simple as just ticking the box for the 'auto.

One unique feature in this medium-duty sector is the Fighter's transom window. The hole in the passenger door is not only cyclist-friendly, it means safer manoeuvring. After my first run in a Fuso with it, I felt blind in the next medium-duty truck I drove. Once you've used it, I think you'll feel the same way.

Fleet operators with their keenest eye on the budgets will also like the Fighter's 30,000km service intervals. Less time messing about with getting it into a dealer, then waiting or picking it up after, is a big plus from a convenience point of view, as well as gaining extra time on the road.

No wonder Fighter has increased sales each year despite the market shrinking. This short drive showed me why.

The optional Allison fully automatic transmission is part of an accelerating trend in the distribution sector, where pressures brought on by lower-skilled drivers, improved performance and sharper pricing of the auto option is changing the distribution scene.

Since automatic gearboxes are increasingly being offered at a relatively competitive price, more operators are taking it up. In large measure this was sparked by the quantum leap Allison took in its sophisticated electronic control systems. These new transmissions were much smarter than their predecessors and programmable to the operator's preferences. Not only was the driver environment improved and gear changing taken out of the equation, but the transmission was smart enough to minimise fuel consumption. Unwelcome clutch and gearbox maintenance was also a thing of the past.

I also sampled the 1627 in an auto format and the first impression on the road is one of unexpected smoothness. The gearbox and engine combination makes the gear changes appear seamless. Drivers don't need to interfere with what is going on – simply use the throttle and brake, steer around obstacles and let the electronics maximise efficiency.

The Allison plays a role in braking too, recognising brake application, angle of descent and overall vehicle weight, then selecting a lower gear if necessary to boost the exhaust brake performance.

Fuso's Fighter is a great solution to a broad range of distribution needs. And don't forget that transom window in the passenger door – once you've driven with it, you won't ever want to do without it!

FUSO FM 1627 FIGHTER SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINE: 6M60-9AT2 6-cylinder diesel
POWER: 199Kw (270hp)
TORQUE: 784Nm
EMISSIONS: ADR80/03, Euro V
STD TRANSMISSION: Six-speed manual
OPT TRANSMISSION: Allison MD3500 six-speed auto
CONFIGURATION: 4x2
TARE: 5070-5185kg
GVM: 16,000kg
GCM: 25,000kg
WHEELBASE: 5550-6500mm
BBC: 1990mm
BRAKES: Drums, full air
CABS: Day cab
WEB: www.fuso.com.au