UD Quon CW 26 460 Tipper 2024 Review

The UD Quon is not a new truck, born in 2004 as the brand’s flagship before a complete redevelopment for its second generation launch in 2017.

Since then, the Quon has grown both in terms of its model options with the addition of an 8x4 in 2020, and its popularity, now snapping at the heels of the leading heavy-duty truck brands for a top five spot on the sales ladder.

With the second-generation Quon in its seventh year of operation Down Under, it has just received a heavily overhauled engine with more torque, plus more of the brand’s safety technology for 2024.

Given UD sold 1063 Quons across 2023, taking a 5.7 per cent share of the hotly contested heavy-duty segment, if the new model is better again, then that slice of the pie is likely to grow. Next on the list, as UD climbs the ladder, is Mack Trucks which speaks volumes to how far the Quon has come in Australia.

Let’s find out if UD has gone and made a good thing even better, with their 2024 model update.

The new model was first teased at the Brisbane Truck Show last year, with a Quon CW26 460 6x4 tipper featuring in much of UD’s advertising at the time. Well, that model is exactly the one we were handed the keys to, out of Western Truck Group (WTG) in Toowoomba.

This tipper is a fantastic example of a practical rigid setup suited to the Quon, and picking it up from WTG it looked the part with an attractive finish that closely resembles ‘British Racing’ green. It certainly beats the run-of-the-mill white paint job all too common these days.

The Sheppard tipper body offers 15 cubic metres of capacity, but we only loaded it with 11-tonnes of aggregate for the trip – a smaller load than it can carry with this truck offering a healthy 26-tonne GVM.

While the 8x4 Quon is commonly fitted with tipper and agitator bodies, this 6x4 offers a compact tipper option and, with a 60-tonne GCM and plenty of grunt, it could certainly accommodate a dog trailer, too. Even a 57.5-tonne PBS quad dog would be a suitable setup for one of these.

The Quon features disc brakes all round, air suspension with uneven load adjustment feature, and high tensile chassis rails that reduce overall weight, which all adds up to more efficiency on the road.

Volvo Group’s 11-litre GH11 engine powers the Quon, redesigned to produce 460hp and 2250Nm – a 50Nm maximum torque improvement that comes in 100rpm earlier – while complying with Japan’s pPNLT emissions standards, which is more stringent that Euro 6..

Updates to the engine are extensive with UD opting to redesign the block, cylinder head, injection system, pistons, crankshaft and lubrication system, which along with better thermal management improves fuel efficiency by 2.5 per cent, we were told.

Power is put through the latest ESCOT VI 12-speed automated transmission, which is essentially the UD version of Volvo’s popular I-Shift ’box, featuring the ESCOT Roll feature which allows the truck to coast and save fuel.

The new engine also loses an oil filter, opting to use just two, and oil volume is reduced by six per cent to 31 litres, while services now come around every 95,000km – a 35 per cent improvement over the old unit.

UD gives operators the choice of this 11-litre engine in 400hp, 430hp and 460hp states of tune, or a smaller eight-litre unit which maxes out at 360hp but sips less diesel in the process. We tested the smaller engine option a few years back, too, to see what all the fuss was about.

While Japanese UD models now score Volvo Group’s 13-litre engine, with outputs exceeding 500hp, our Quon models are capped at 460hp.

The cabin of the Quon is a Europe-meets-Japan affair, with a driver-facing cockpit with sensible ergonomics and great visibility, not only of the road but also of the various screens and alerts across the dash.

Upon climbing in, the opulent leather-trimmed four-spoke steering wheel and wood grain inlays across the black and silver dash feel premium and there is plenty of storage for phones, drinks, and anything else you may wish to stow.

Steering wheel switches take care of essentials like cruise control operation, infotainment, drive modes and some of the safety technology like vehicle distance selection.

All gear control is done on the selector itself, with buttons on the side to manually shift, and HVAC controls sit above the gear selector. All critical information is displayed on the dash, which utilises two small screens and a traditional tachometer and speedometer.

Diff lock and power divider buttons are located to the lower right of the steering wheel, where you would normally find them in a Japanese truck, ready to be activated in low traction scenarios.

Angled towards the driver, an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and DAB radio handles infotainment and navigation duties, mounted high so eyes remain firmly on the road while changing songs or dialling the boss.

The full gamut of UD safety DNA is built into the updated Quon, with an enhanced mix of passive and active safety systems to keep operators and other road users safe.

Active safety systems include Smart Traffic Eye Brake, Smart Blind Spot Information System, Smart Lane Change Support, and the Driver Alert System which is optional.

Improvements to the safety systems mean the truck now uses its millimetre-wave radar system to monitor not only other vehicles but also vulnerable road users (VRU) like cyclists, first sounding an alert before applying the brakes if needed.

The same fantastic Smart Blind Sport Information and Lane Change Support systems remain, monitoring other vehicles and VRUs, which essentially signal to the driver when it is not safe to change lanes.

This system uses a dim, somewhat muted indicator light mounted on the A-pillar, which is visible in your peripheral vision but not in any way distracting which compares well to some of the more in-your-face alerts out there.

UD’s Diver Status Monitor, which uses a camera to monitor posture, facial activity and overall attention on the road ahead, is touchy and doesn’t miss a beat. While a little annoying, often buzzing at you when glancing down to check your speed, it is a safety feature that will no doubt prevent fatigue incidents.

The Smart Traffic Eye Cruise system, which will slow or stop the truck when in cruise control to match the speed of the vehicle in front, is currently available but in around six months it will also include an automatic stop-an-go.

We didn’t have a long drive loop planned, instead opting for some suburban kilometres before heading down the challenging Toowoomba Range with its 10 per cent grade and sharp, snaking bends.

With just 11 tonnes of gravel in the back, it was relatively light work for the 460hp engine and the extra torque had the transmission upshifting to lug along through flat sections of the drive. In fact, even climbing, on some of the long, gradual ascents across the Toowoomba Range Crossing, the Quon wasn’t working hard at this weight.

While it might not be as big as the B-doubles we passed travelling the Toowoomba Range Crossing, or out towards Charlton, this is a full-size truck and feels as at home on the highway as it does in town.

Its four-stage engine brake is a winner too, powerful enough to hold us down the Toowoomba Range, albeit manually shifting the gears using the buttons on the shifter to keep our speed in check.

The transmission is well tuned for this engine, and once up to highway speeds the top couple of cogs did all the work, without needing to dip down into single digit gears with the weight we were carrying.

Having spent more time in light- and medium-duty trucks lately, I found the air seat and overall ride to be exceptionally comfortable and not once did it feel jarring. This is a comfortable truck, with a seating position that has you square with the wheel and every control needed is within arm’s reach.

It’s also quiet in the Quon, very quiet, with only the faint hum of the diesel engine and a small amount of road noise making its way into the cabin. There is no need to raise your voice, and we could easily talk amongst ourselves as if we would in any modern passenger car.

It’s comforting to know the side detection was ready to alert us to any cyclists, of course hoping we would have seen them but knowing the truck would help nonetheless. This is by far the most beneficial safety feature, at least on our limited drive route, because it eliminates the fear of a dreaded blind spot, particularly useful for those not yet acquainted with the truck.

UD claims the 11-litre is a lighter sipper than ever and while we would normally touch on our fuel use across a trip, we ran around town, belted up and down some of the steepest hills in Queensland and spent plenty of time positioning the truck for photos, making this more of an extended taste test than a main meal.

This is a proven package, simply made better, which just about answers the question of whether we would recommend the new Quon. Volvo Group technology with Japanese roots, and comfort and safety in equal quantities – sign us up.

While the 8x4 model is a popular candidate for tipper bodies, this 6x4 proved that if you don’t need the extra weight the 6x4 is a perfect solution for around-town operators that want one truck to do it all.

The only thing we would change is the drive loop, adding some extra kilometres to the run, because we didn’t want to get out once it was over!

UD Quon CW 26 460
Engine: GH11TD
Description: In-line six-cylinder turbo-diesel with intercooler
Displacement: 10,837cc
Power: 460hp/2250Nm
Emissions standard: pPNLT (exceeds Euro 6)
Transmission: UD ESCOT VI, 12-speed automated manual
Front suspension: Parabolic leaf spring
Rear suspension: Eight airbag electronically controlled
Front axle: 8200kg
Rear Axle: 21,000kg
Axle ratio: 4.13
Brakes: Disc brakes all round with 430mm rotors, Electronic Braking System (EBS)
Fuel: 400 litre aluminium tank
Tyres: 295/80R22.5 (front) 11R22.5 (rear)
Cab: ADR-approved sleeper