Hyundai HD45 GT: A proper truck on four wheels

If your business needs a four-wheeled commercial vehicle larger than a Mitsubishi L300 or a Toyota Lite Ace, Hyundai might have a solution.

Hariphil Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), the official distributor of Hyundai commercial vehicles in the Philippines, announced in a January 2023 press statement that the Hyundai HD45 GT offers great versatility while getting around the Metro Manila truck ban.

It has a gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 4,490 kg and is available in two variants:

• Medium Wheelbase – up to 15 feet of cargo space

• Long Wheelbase – up to 18 feet of cargo space

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) prohibits trucks with a GVW of more than 4,500 kg from plying highways managed by the MMDA from Monday to Saturday, 6 to 10 a.m. and 5 to 10 p.m.

Only garbage trucks, fuel trucks, and trucks carrying perishable or essential goods are exempted.

As of press time, the standard truck ban has been suspended indefinitely. However, trucks may only use one lane of the following thoroughfares:

• C-5
• Radial Road 10
• Congressional Avenue
• Mindanao Avenue
• Luzon Avenue
• Roxas Boulevard with Terminal Appointment Booking System

There is also a total truck ban on the notoriously congested EDSA from the Magallanes Interchange in Makati City to North Avenue in Quezon City.

In addition, the MMDA imposes a light-truck ban using its number-coding scheme. This covers commercial vehicles with a GVW of 4,500 kg or less or those with at least six wheels.

Under this measure, light trucks covered by coding cannot ply EDSA from the Magallanes Interchange in Makati City to North Avenue in Quezon City from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except during holidays.

Standard power takeoff

The HD45 GT is powered by a 2.9-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve inline-4 turbodiesel pumping out 163 PS and 392 Nm of torque, which are coursed through a 5-speed manual gearbox.

It also features a standard power takeoff unit, which can be used for auxiliary equipment like hydraulic pumps, generators, air compressors, pneumatic blowers, and vacuum pumps.

In addition, the front doors open up to 87 degrees for easy entry and exit, while the cab tilts up to 45 degrees for easy maintenance.

Step inside the HD45 GT and get ergonomic seating for three, air-conditioning, cupholders, cubby holes, and a generous-sized glove compartment.

HARI said the truck features a high-strength frame that can “withstand heavy load and the rigors of travel through varying road conditions, as well as protect both driver and front passenger by dissipating the impact in the wake of a collision.”

Prices for the Hyundai HD45 GT start at ₱1,508,000.

Would Hyundai’s latest commercial vehicle work for your business?