3 Best Sub-5 Tonner Trucks for Multi Intra-city Applications
Published On May 13, 2016
A popular segment in the Indian commercial vehicle arena, light commercial vehicles (LCVs) are highly preferred for intra-city transportation. Ruggedly built, with low operating costs, and powerful fuel efficient engines, these trucks are the perfect solution for last mile connectivity.
Though the LCV market has trucks from several brands, the newly launched Eicher Pro 1049, Tata SFC 407 Ex Pickup and SML Isuzu Sartaj 5252 XM offer the best features under the sub-5 ton category and are the most suited for multiple intra-city applications.
After generating much anticipation among auto enthusiasts at Auto Expo 2016, Eicher Pro 1049 finally made its foray into the Indian commercial vehicle segment late last month with an ex-showroom price starting from INR 6.2 lakh. Introduced as the perfect solution for last mile connectivity, the 4.9 tonne GVW truck is compact, has a larger loading area and best-in-class fuel mileage.
With a price tag of INR 6 lakh (ex-showroom), Tata SFC 407 Ex Pickup, one of the most popular trucks under the flagship of Tata Motors, boasts of a sturdy chassis and durable aggregates based on the legendary SFC 407 truck.
SML Isuzu Sartaj 5252 XM is a multipurpose LCV with an ex-showroom price of INR 6.6 lakh, and is designed to address the varying cargo needs of the Indian consumer.
Let’s see how these vehicles score taking into consideration the following parameters:
High Performance & Powerful Engine
Performance wise, all the three LCVs conform to BS-III emission norms, and are fitted with a 4-cylinder engine and a 60 litre fuel tank each (Sartaj 5252 XM has a 70 liters fuel tank). Eicher Pro 1049 boasts of a more powerful engine and has a power output of 95 bhp (as compared to 74 bhp by Tata SFC 407 Ex Pickup) and higher torque outputs of 285 Nm which is 40 Nm more than SFC 407 Ex Pickup (at the same rpm of 1440). Pro 1049 is also rolled out in the BS-IV variant that boasts of a more powerful engine, thus offering customers with better buying options.
Both Eicher Pro 1049 and Tata SFC 407 Ex Pickup have the same wheelbase of 2750 mm but vary slightly in terms of turning radius—Eicher Pro 1049 has a turning radius of 5600 mm, which is almost similar to Tata SFC 407 Ex Pickup truck (5500 mm) whereas SML Isuzu Sartaj 5252 XM has a wheelbase of 2515 mm and a turning radius of 5075 mm.
High Payload & Best Cargo Bodies
Specially built for Indian roads, Eicher Pro 1049 comes with a GVW of 4995 kg and a high payload capacity of 2679 kg, thus setting a new record over the previous best-in-segment, Tata SFC 407 Ex Pickup (with GVW of 4450 kg and payload capacity of 2250 kg) and SML Isuzu Sartaj 5252 XM (with GVW of 4990 and payload capacity of 2680 kg). The new Eicher truck also boasts of best-in-class 10 feet long cargo body as compared to Tata SFC 407 Ex Pickup (8.6 feet) and SML Isuzu Sartaj 5252 XM (9 feet), which provides more ease while carrying iron rods, pipes and long blocks of wood.
Contemporary Design & Modern Appeal
With a contemporary styled modern cabin, modern dual tone instrument panel, soothing beige interiors and a six din multi-utility dashboard, Eicher Pro 1049 scores much more than its competitors in terms of design. Eicher also takes the minutest detail into consideration in terms of driver convenience by equipping the cabin with a lockable glove box with tray, 12V mobile charger, soft grip steering wheel, easily accessible door trim pockets and providing paper holder in sun visor. This perfect combination of features is offered by no other vehicle in the segment and make Eicher Pro 1049 a class apart in comparison to its nearest competitor.
SML Isuzu Sartaj 5252 XM’s design USP lies in box type chassis fit for heavy load capacity, a very strong heavy duty axle and a strong cargo box whereas Tata SFC 407 Ex Pickup comes with standard fitments and a comfortable, contemporary cabin.
Comfortable Features for Fatigue-free Driving
Redefining modern-day trucking and promising superior driving comfort, Pro 1049 comes loaded with a host of cabin features. An ergonomically designed hybrid gear shift lever, digital instrument panel, tiltable and telescopic steering, and an ergonomically designed four-way adjustable, comfortable seat provides the best driving experience in the segment. Compared to the existing lineage of trucks in the category, such as Tata SFC 407 Ex Pickup and SML Isuzu Sartaj 5252 XM BS-III, Eicher Pro 1049 scores much more in terms of fatigue free and comfortable driving experience.
Safer, Smoother Ride
All the three vehicles command good ground clearance for smooth and comfortable ride on bumpy roads. However, with a ground clearance of 230 mm, as compared to SFC 407 Ex Pickup’s 170 mm and Sartaj 5252 XM BS-III’s 190 mm, Eicher pro 1049 scores more than its contemporaries. Also, Eicher Pro 1049 has a bigger metallic bumper as compared to other vehicles in the segment guarantee more safety for the driver and the cargo during collisions. The Eicher truck also comes with a clear lens integrated headlamps with fog lamps, a unique feature in the segment that assures better visibility in all weather conditions.
See Also:
Last Mile Connectivity: How Three-Wheeler Cargo Trucks Score the Most
