Without an automatic option for its Canter light-duty truck Fuso has been missing out on a growing segment of the market, but its brilliant new Canter auto is sure to win back any ground lost to its rivals.

Automatic transmissions have been gaining in popularity; drivers tired of constantly changing gears in heavy town traffic are buying them, as are owners who have to pay for the damage caused to clutches, gearboxes and drivelines by inexperienced and rough drivers who simply can't change gears in a manual truck. While Isuzu and Hino have been able to cash in on this shift to automatics Fuso has had to watch on from the sidelines, but it now has one and it's a beauty.

Drivetrain

Not only is the new Aisin six-speed automatic transmission a smooth shifting, easy driving unit, it comes coupled to a more powerful engine that will comfortably outgun its rivals. The extra engine performance happened by chance when Fuso's local engineers had to turn to the US to find the auto transmission they wanted for this market.

It was a stroke of good luck, for had its Tokyo bosses had a domestic auto option they could have made available, it would have come coupled to the same 110kW/471Nm engine currently used here in Canters with manual gearboxes.

But by taking the US option, the auto Canter gets an engine putting out 130kW and 530Nm. That's 14 per cent more power and 26 per cent more torque than the equivalent market leading Isuzu N-Series can muster, and 18 per cent more power and 36 per cent more torque than the best the Hino 300 Series has at its peak. Fuso is offering the auto option on its 6.5-tonne GVM Canter 3.5 wide single cab, its 7.5-tonne GVM Canter 4.0 wide single cab, and its 7.5-tonne GVM Canter wide crew cab models.

Equipment changes

Fuso has also made a number of other changes to its light truck range. Most notably, all 4x2 Canter models now have the safety of seat belt pretensioners and dual airbags. All 4x2 models with manual gearboxes now also have hill start standard, preventing the truck from rolling away while the driver shuffles pedals as they take off up or downhill. The driver can select the speed with which the system releases, so it comes off fast or slow according to their needs in any situation, or it can be switched off. Other changes include the addition of a map pocket in the back of the driver's seat, tough resin headlight lenses replace the glass lenses of old, and there's a 'low fuel' warning light in the fuel gauge.

Driving

The extra grunt gives the auto Canter an impressive turn of speed light truck drivers will certainly appreciate. A short drive around some of Sydney's busiest streets, the sort used every day by a driver on a delivery route, clearly demonstrated the Canter's performance. It accelerated briskly away from traffic lights, powered ahead of the traffic when needed, and there was plenty of pickup left when needed to slot into gaps in the traffic without causing any chaos.

But the extra grunt not only gives the auto Canter impressive zip, it also enables it to hang on to gears longer before it downshifts, saving fuel, and eliminating the annoying hunting for gears that sometimes affects autos. The Aisin transmission is a familiar one; it's currently used in the Fuso Rosa bus, and it's also used in the Hino 300 Series light-duty truck with a different calibration.

In the Fuso the gearshift is mounted in the dash like it is in those models with manual gearboxes, keeping the cabin floor clear so the driver can easily slide across if needed to exit from the passenger side of the truck. There's also a gear position readout in the instrument cluster for the driver's reference. It's a familiar shift to anyone who has driven a car with an auto transmission.

It can be left in 'D' and it will take care of the shifting without any input from the driver, or if needed to prevent runaway when descending a hill lower gears can be selected and it won't upshift beyond the ratio selected Not only does the auto Canter accelerate briskly it also slows and stops impressively courtesy of the powerful exhaust brake that is automatically activated whenever the drivers lifts their foot off the gas pedal.

The slowing effect of the exhaust brake alone allows the driver to adjust the speed of the truck in traffic without using the brakes. It's easier on the driver, and easier on the brakes, cutting the wear and tear on the brake system components and substantially increasing their life span. When needed the combination of the engine brake, the truck's front and rear disc brakes, and ABS delivers powerful retardation. The combination of the auto shifting, extra performance, and powerful engine braking makes the new auto Canter an irresistible choice for any driver who has to cope with the cut-and-thrust of city traffic.