Fuso has gathered the truck trade press together to reveal some evolutionary updated to its light duty Canter range which it says are in response to customer feedback.
It was certainly the case that the sum of the parts come to a lot more than the equation promised with all of the small improvements totaling up to a significantly improved truck
The updated Canter has a range of new features to improve driver experience as well as upgraded seats and interior trim.
Its proven mechanical specification has been left largely untouched, although the excellent, Duonic automated manual transmission – the best AMT we have driven in a light duty truck – now features a hill holder function, along with standard cruise control.
Externally the Fuso remains largely unchanged although a silver painted top grille louvre is one subtle change to the upgraded model.
Inside Fuso has scrapped the controversial blue dashboard and seat trim replacing with a darker theme with the dashboard and door panels now featuring a mixture of black and grey, while silver-painted highlights have been added to the gearshift lever surround and a steering wheel mounted badge.
Other interior improvements include a ceiling-mounted LED room lamp, a sunvisor pocket and new floor tray for most models. Fuso has also reintroduced a clever storage compartment integrated into the middle seatback. The driver can access the hidden compartment by releasing a catch and folding down the padded front section.
The Canter facelift comes soon after Fuso introduced a class-leading five-year warranty \across its range of trucks and Rosa bus, as well as a complimentary first scheduled service and safety check. Fuso has also moved to reduce the cost of spare parts to further improve the business case of owning its trucks.
“Canter already had the best-in-class payload, as well as excellent efficiency and performance, but we have introduced several targeted initiatives aimed at further increased efficiency for our customers,” says Fuso Truck and Bus director, Justin Whitford.
“Along with our class-leading warranty backing, these changes make the Canter range an even more cost-effective tool for any job.”
Fuso Senior Manager, Product Management and Engineering, Romesh Rodrigo, says: “The changes introduced for Canter are in direct response to customer feedback and continue the evolution of our most popular model.”
“We are very pleased to introduce a range of product and operational changes that we know will be appreciated by our customers.”
The Canter uses a proven 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel engine that can be selected with a five-speed manual transmission or optional six-speed Duonic twin-clutch automated manual, which ensures fast and smooth gearshifts.
The improved Canter is now available through Fuso’s national network of 37 sales dealerships.
