2018 Fuso Canter 616 Duonic city tipper review

Having only two-pedals makes the Fuso Canter 616 city tipper more attractive to fleets and private buyers given that it can be driven on a passenger car licence.

There’s been a light bulb moment for many buyers when they realise that for the same asking price as a mid-spec one-tonne 4×2 mid-size ute, they can instead purchase a factory-built and ready-to-work six-tonne light-duty Fuso Canter tipper.

The beauty of the 616 City Tipper Duonic which can be legally driven on a class one New Zealand driver’s licence, is it offers a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 5995kg, and a gross combined mass of 9500kg, therefore it is possible to tow a 3500kg braked trailer.

Alternatively the payload that can be carried in the ShinMayawa tipper body will be about 3200kg, which is certainly much more than the capacity of the average one-tonne ute bed.

The 616 City Tipper Duonic is a perfect solution for operators such as landscapers, drainage and civil contractors, lawn-mowing and gardening contractors, arborists, builders, as well as agricultural, horticultural, municipal and rural contractors, because most people can drive an automatic vehicle but not many can drive a manual.

There is much greater demand for two-pedal trucks in the light-duty truck category for ease of use and greater efficiency. The six-speed dual-clutch Duonic transmission in the 616 Tipper is one of the smoothest automated manual transmissions (AMT) we have tried so far.

The Canter is also the sole truck in this class with a limited slip diff, which adds to the nimble character of the 616 City Tipper Duonic on muddy worksites as well as when navigating narrow urban driveways.

It’s a very easy truck to hop in and drive away without difficulty whatsoever, and this trait will appeal to both transport operators and trades people, as well as daily rental companies and hire companies who cater to those DIY weekend warriors.

As befitting a vehicle that is set up to carry a three tonne payload, the 616 Tipper has front and rear multi-leaf suspension with a stabiliser bar and double acting shock absorbers. For stopping efficiency it has front and rear disc brakes gripped by two-piston calipers in addition to ABS, electronic brake distribution and an exhaust brake.

There’s more than enough grunt from the four-cylinder turbodiesel engine too. The 110kW Euro V Fuso 3-litre unit pushes out 370 Newton metres of torque from 1350rpm, and the 616 City Tipper Duonic quietly cruises at 90km/h at 2395 rpm.

Hopping into the ergonomically designed cabin, you find a comfortable driver’s seat which offers adjustable lumbar support, a left hand armrest, and weight adjustment for the suspension mechanism that provides a more cosseting ride experience over rougher terrain or when the vehicle is not carrying a load.

The 616 City Tipper Duonic might be designed to be tough workhorse but it’s not without creature comforts and safety features.

There’s an airbag and an ELR three-point seat belt for the driver, the two-person bench seat offers a headrest in the outside position as well as an ELR three-point seat belt for that passenger, however the passenger sitting in the middle seat must make do with a lap belt.

Standard features include dual overhead storage pockets, in-dash centre document storage, door storage pockets, lockable glove box, twin cupholders, a coat hook, AM/FM audio system with Bluetooth telephony, keyless central locking, and air conditioning.

Thanks to the combination of the comfortable cabin, torque-y engine, slick shifting transmission, compact dimensions, and tight turning circle we felt overall that the Canter 616 City Tipper Duonic will prove to be a friendly and pleasant longterm working companion.