Mitsubishi Fuso Canter Review & Buyers Guide

Mitsubishi Fuso Canter Review & Buyers' Guide

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£16,800 – £28,500

Available as	Engine options	Volume (m³)	Payload (kg)	MPG
Chassis Cab, Chassis Double Cab, Dropside, Tipper, Tipper + Crane, Box Body, Curtainsider, Refrigerated, Recovery Vehicle, Tanker, Municipal Vehicle	3.0TD 130/145/ 150hp		1.200 – 5,020	TBA

Our Verdict
If you’re work is payload-sensitive, then Canter could be unbeatable.

In recent years a new breed of 7.5-tonner has appeared on British roads. Made by manufacturers such as Isuzu Truck and Mitsubishi Fuso, it’s comparatively light in weight and as a consequence can offer a generous body and payload capacity allowance.

Critics suggest that a light chassis is likely to mean poor durability in what can be a demanding working environment. However, there is little evidence that trucks such as Mitsubishi’s Fuso Canter are any less durable than their more traditionally engineered rivals.

Sold in Britain through Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicle dealerships — the Japanese manufacturer is controlled by Daimler, Merc’s parent — Canter was extensively revised last year. Also sold at 3.5 and 6.5 tonnes, these days it’s powered by a 3.0-litre Euro 5 diesel sourced from Fiat Powertrain; yet another indication of the extent to which the motor industry has become a sprawling global village.

You can order the 3.0-litre at 130hp/300Nm at 3.5 tonnes, at 145hp/370Nm at 3.5, 6.5 and 7.5 tonnes and at 175hp/430Nm at 6.5 and 7.5 tonnes. A six-speed gearbox is standard.

Opt for the most powerful version and you’ll have to pour AdBlue into a tank on the vehicle every so often to help clean up the exhaust gases. It’s a mixture of urea and water.

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Canter is sold solely as a chassis cab and as a chassis crew cab onto which a cargo body can be mounted. Body/payload allowance is up to 1,465kg at 3.5 tonnes, up to 4,070kg at 6.5 tonnes and up to a generous 5,020kg at 7.5 tonnes.

While cab access is fine, the cab interior desperately needs a makeover if Canter is to keep pace with its rivals.

Canter is manoeuvrable, handles well, and the 130hp 3.5-tonner is livelier than you might expect. At 7.5 tonnes, however, you should perhaps think about the 175hp rather than the 145hp power plant if you aim to run heavily laden on hilly routes.

Canter is covered by a three year/unlimited mileage warranty, with service intervals set at 18,750 miles. It’s worth noting incidentally that a hybrid Canter is currently on trial in the UK with a number of well-known fleet operators.