Toyota Dyna morphs into Hino 200

The Toyota Dyna light truck will in the future be marketed as part of the Hino model range as the 200 Series.

The previous Dyna 150 becomes the Hino 300-310, with the "3" denoting a three-tonne load capability, while the "10" is a short form for the 100-horsepower engine.

The reason for this change in identity is that responsibility for the former Dyna range has moved from Toyota into the Hino stable.

"The Dyna, which arrived in South Africa in 1965, was the first truck to be offered for sale by the fledgling Toyota South Africa, which was established in 1961," explained Ernie Trautmann, vice president of Hino SA.

"Since then, more than 50 000 Dynas have been sold in South Africa in an uninterrupted run of 56 years, making it one of the longest-running vehicle nameplates on the local market.

"During this time, the Dyna has not only proved extremely popular in the medium truck segment, but it has also built up an enviable reputation for productivity, reliability and durability. Customer loyalty for this model is also very high. Currently one of the Dynas's strongest selling points is the fact that it slots into the below 3 500kg GVM category, which means the driver needs a B-type or code 8 licence to drive it and not a full truck licence."

There is Hino branding on the steering wheel and the instrument panel has been redesigned for improved visibility and readability. It features a larger speedometer as the central focus with revised information and warning lights, together with an LCD monitor.

Two new, practical features for the Hino 200 are a reverse buzzer and the fitment of a Bluetooth radio that permits safer, hands-free use of a cellphone by the driver.

The powertrain remains unchanged with a normally aspirated 5-litre diesel engine that develops 66kW and 192Nm. A five-speed manual gearbox transfers power to the rear wheels.

Source: MotorPress