Fuso Philippines to launch new Canter this year

Fuso PH teases new Canter ahead of local debut

Compared to passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles don't change models that often. With that, trucks and LCVs often end up looking the same even after several years on the market. There might be a few minor changes here and there. But to the untrained eye, it looks very much the same.

So when Fuso decided to introduce the new Canter last year, they decided to switch things up. It looks nothing like its predecessor and has a more futuristic-looking cab.

Considering the new Canter was launched back in October 2020, we assumed it might take a year or two before it arrives in the Philippines. Well, it seems we were wrong. Fuso Philippines recently posted a teaser photo of what appears to be the new Canter's interior on their Facebook page. A credible source, however, confirmed that the model in question is indeed the new Canter.

So far, we've only seen the Japan-spec Canter, and it looks very modern. Its most prominent design cue is the upswept headlights which are now LED units. There's also a large black trim with FUSO spelled out. The cab itself appears to be more aerodynamic with a new air deflector mounted on the roof on some models. Rounding up the visual changes is the new bumper with slim fog lights.

Over in Japan, the new Canter also gets upgrades in safety. Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS) comes standard, which detects both pedestrians and vehicles. If the system detects the risk of a possible collision, the brakes are automatically applied. It also has Active Sideguard Assist (ASA), monitoring the driver's blind spots via radar. Other safety features include the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS).

The engine offered in the Japan-spec Canter is the new 3.0-liter 4P10 mill, available in various stages of tune. It's paired with an automated manual transmission instead of a traditional stick-shift gearbox. However, we're not sure if it will be offered in the local Canter models sold by Fuso Philippines as they're Euro-VI rated. Only a handful of gasoline stations carry Euro-VI fuel (both diesel and gasoline). With that, the previous engine options may be carried over for local units.

Our source did not disclose when exactly the new Canter will debut. However, we were told Fuso Philippines will launch it later this year. Will we see the new engine and safety systems from the Japan-spec model be available in the local Canter units? Watch this space to find out more.