IFS from Hino - a comfortable assistant
Instead of the usual rigid axle and leaf springs suspended under the front of just about every truck on the market, including the rest of the 300 range, the Hino 3614 has a double coil-spring strut just like your car. medium family four-door.
The car-like suspension is used to provide the rider with a more comfortable ride than a rigid axle, and greatly reduces the shock load on surfaces found in most cities.
It's not really designed to handle harsh conditions like a rigid axle, but if you're a businessman or small businessman who works in the city and drives on reasonably good roads most of the time, it's worth considering.
Combined with a coil spring, the IFS is a rack and pinion steering that gives the 3614 greater precision and stability. As a result, vehicle performance is much more car-like.
The 3614 has a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVM) of 500 kg but can be reduced to 4495 kg so that it can be driven with an automobile license if required. The front axle load is reduced from 2180 kg to 2060 kg with IFS.
The narrow cab provides reasonable accommodation for three hefty workers on a neat fabric-trimmed bench seat whose center back can be lowered to form a work surface with a pair of cup holders when the third seat is not in use.
The Hino cab is the most modern small truck on offer today. It is beautifully designed and well thought out, with high quality plastics and fittings, making it a pleasant place to spend working hours.
It has plenty of features including standard air conditioning, power windows, a quality audio system with CD player and all controls within reach.
Under the cab is a Euro 4 4.0-litre Hino turbodiesel that delivers 103kW at 2700rpm and 364Nm at 1800rpm. On the road, it has plenty of room to get up and go when asked to speed up, but at the same time, it's very flexible and will pull from 1000rpm without complaint.
It's mated to a five-speed gearbox that runs pretty low in low gear ratios, but allows for decent momentum in high gears.
The five-speed transmission is inherited from the Dutro and shifting is clumsy, especially compared to the new six-speed transmission found on the wide cab models and their more powerful engine.
The 3614 is also equipped with a driver's airbag, seat belt pretensioners and disc brakes on all four wheels with ABS, which also includes an electronic brake force distribution system for even more efficient braking.
Like all manual transmission 300 models, the 3614 is equipped with an electronic Easy Start device that holds it for a moment while the driver pulls away and prevents the driver from rolling back in those few seconds when he fumbles between the brake, clutch and gas pedals.
It can be adjusted to come off quickly if you're riding on relatively flat roads, or slower if you're riding in hilly terrain. It works well and improves driving safety.
To enjoy the comfort of an equipped IFS 300, you'll have to part with $45,740.
