At the 2024 SINOTRUK annual conference, China National Heavy Duty Truck Group (SINOTRUK) unveiled two new high-end light trucks, the Commander Pro and the Hanjiang Pro. The Commander Pro, which was launched earlier as SINOTRUK’s most advanced light truck, has already been released nationwide. With increasing demand from the market, the new Hanjiang Pro high-end light truck is now also making its debut.
For those familiar with HOWO light trucks, the Hanjiang series is known for its focus on short to medium-distance and urban distribution, offering high cost-performance. So, how does the new Hanjiang Pro’s configuration compare? Let’s take a closer look at the real-world shots.
Oversized Cab with Optimized Vehicle Visibility
The HOWO Hanjiang Pro’s cab design is derived from the excellent German MAN TGL series. It meets the strict EU ECE R29 crash safety standards. The front grille design continues the European styling, with a piano lacquer finish and a newly applied HOWO logo, giving the vehicle a robust and tough appearance, in contrast to the typical Japanese-style light trucks.
Thanks to its German MAN roots, the Hanjiang Pro features a square cab design, which maximizes the use of interior space. The 2.1-meter wide cab is among the industry’s top tier in terms of width. The cab is also made of high-strength steel, capable of withstanding up to 9.5 tons of top-down pressure. In the event of a collision, the cab is designed with energy-absorbing features, allowing it to move backward by 150mm to protect the driver.
The Hanjiang Pro comes equipped with LED headlights as standard. The upper combination lights integrate high/low beam and LED daytime running lights, all designed separately for excellent illumination at night. The headlights also feature an automatic function that turns on the lights when ambient light dims, such as when entering a tunnel or in low-light conditions.
The side mirrors on the Hanjiang Pro deserve special mention. Few light trucks have mirrors as large as these. The mirrors offer excellent rearward visibility, allowing drivers to see an additional 15%–20% of the blind spots compared to other vehicles. Additionally, both the main and auxiliary mirrors come with electric adjustment and heating functions, making them convenient for everyday driving.
As a European-style truck, visibility is crucial, especially since the cab is now larger. The Hanjiang Pro features a 50mm extension of the front windshield, and the bottom edges of the side windows have been significantly lowered to enhance visibility.
Another innovative feature of the Hanjiang Pro is its right-side observation window, a first in the industry. This window eliminates the deadly blind spot on the right front side of the vehicle, improving visibility by 30%.
High-end light trucks often use box trucks or high-bar trucks as the cargo body. However, this protruding body can significantly increase wind resistance. To address this, the Hanjiang Pro comes standard with an aerodynamic deflector. Unlike the common hand-painted fiberglass deflectors seen in many light trucks, this one is made using a durable and mold-formed process.
Super Luxurious Light Truck Interior with Electric Sunroof:
The 2.1-meter-wide cab offers an unparalleled space experience. As a European-style light truck, the Hanjiang Pro outshines Japanese models in both horizontal and vertical space. The driver’s headroom and roof storage are particularly spacious, and the total interior volume reaches 0.5m³, far exceeding the industry average.
To further enhance driving comfort, the driver’s seat in the Hanjiang Pro is equipped with a multi-function airbag suspension seat. It features adjustable damping and two levels of lumbar support. The airbag seat’s travel can reach up to 700mm, providing excellent shock absorption when driving on rough roads.
The door panel design reveals the designer’s attention to detail. The elbow rest on the driver’s side is made from soft material, and the side window is equipped with a dedicated defogging vent to prevent fogging, ensuring that the driver can always see the rearview mirrors clearly.
The steering wheel is a modern multi-function design with a three-spoke structure. It includes Bluetooth phone, cruise control, instrument control, and multimedia controls. The outer rim features a D-shaped design, offering ample space for drivers with larger body sizes.
It’s rare to see such a large factory-installed infotainment screen on a light truck. The Hanjiang Pro features a large screen capable of Bluetooth connectivity, navigation, rearview camera display, and four-way camera functionality. The driver can also check air conditioning settings through the screen.
The height of the central aisle is level with the seats, and it is equipped with a Type-C and USB charging port, as well as a 300W power outlet. The handbrake adopts a rearward design, ensuring that there are no protrusions in the central aisle, which makes it convenient for the driver to lie down and sleep inside the cabin.
This may be the first domestic light truck model equipped with an electric sunroof. The 0.24㎡ large glass panel above the cabin provides excellent natural lighting, and it is thoughtfully equipped with an insect screen to block external flying insects or dust.
Weichai Power: Maximum Torque of 600Nm, Multiple Chassis Configurations Available
The blue-label version of the HOWO Hanjiang Pro is powered by the Weichai WP2.5N series engine, available in two power outputs: 170 horsepower and 180 horsepower. The 180-horsepower version delivers a peak torque of 600Nm, with an impressive 355Nm of torque at just 1000rpm. Other light trucks’ peak power is only the starting point for the Hanjiang Pro!
The transmission options for the HOWO Hanjiang Pro are also rich and varied. Depending on road conditions and cargo weight, a 6-speed or 8-speed manual gearbox is available, and users can choose between brands such as Fast and Wanyang. Additionally, the Hanjiang Pro offers an 8AT automatic transmission from Shengrui. This mature automatic transmission option provides convenience by freeing drivers from using their left foot and right hand during driving.
The rear axle of the Hanjiang Pro is supplied by Hande, specifically designed for SINOTRUK with a 5-ton capacity. Its gear ratio is 4.333. The combination of high power and a low gear ratio provides good fuel economy at high speeds.
The differential gear oil replacement interval for the rear axle is 120,000 kilometers, and the wheel ends of the axle are designed to be maintenance-free for life, significantly reducing the frequency of maintenance visits and maintenance costs for truck owners.
The blue-label version of the Hanjiang Pro is equipped with 7.00R16 radial tires. For the yellow-label version, users can choose between 7.50R16 and 8.25R16 tire sizes, which provide enhanced load-bearing capacity for the vehicle.
To meet the needs of some customers for heavy-duty configurations in composite transportation, the Hanjiang Pro offers an option for multi-leaf steel springs. The rear axle features an 8+7 leaf spring combination. For truck owners seeking a lighter load, the Hanjiang Pro can also be equipped with a 3+2 leaf spring setup, which can easily handle loads up to 8 tons.
For customers with varying transport distances, the Hanjiang Pro offers two optional fuel tank capacities: a 120L integrated fuel tank and a 180L aluminum alloy fuel tank. The integrated fuel tank combines the fuel tank, urea tank, and fuel pump into one, offering high parts integration, better space utilization in the frame, and easier installation of auxiliary tools like toolboxes or water tanks.
Moreover, the vehicle embraces a lightweight philosophy, with the air reservoir made of aluminum alloy, and the wheels can also be optionally made from aluminum alloy, reducing the overall weight of the vehicle.
The Hanjiang Pro is a detail-rich light truck product. The exhaust pipe’s front and mid-segment sections are wrapped in heat-insulating cotton to maintain exhaust temperature and ensure the vehicle meets post-treatment conditions. This helps prevent issues like blockages or malfunctions in the aftertreatment system due to exhaust temperature problems. Additionally, the heat-insulating cotton also helps reduce vehicle exhaust noise, contributing to a quieter cabin.
In terms of cargo space, the blue-label version of the Hanjiang Pro features a maximum cargo box size of 4.2×2.1×2.1 meters, with a volume of 18.5m³. For the yellow-label version, the external width can reach up to 2.3 meters, offering a maximum volume of 22m³.
Closing Remarks:
Whether it’s functionality, space, or power, the HOWO Hanjiang Pro is undoubtedly a benchmark product for high-end light trucks. Its European-style design stands out in the domestic market, and with its diverse configurations, it is sure to provide users with an upgraded driving experience.
