HOWO A7 6x4

The overall cabin of the Howo A7 6x4 can be best described as functional – it doesn’t look appealing and modern enough but impresses with its overall layout, which is ergonomically well placed.

The Howo A7 6x4 comes with a chunky-looking four-spoke steering wheel, behind which sits a large curved panel, which accommodates both the instrument console as well as the center console. The center console of the dashboard here looks basic with a large squared panel for switches, a slim rectangular vertical panel for AC switches, and vertically laid out rectangular AC vents.

The Howo A7 6x4 doesn’t break any new ground when it comes to exterior design in the market. However, for a medium-duty truck, the Howo A7 6x4 looks aggressive and has got a healthy road presence – one which definitely cannot be ignored.

The overall front profile of the Howo A7 6x4 shows a lot of geometrical influence in its design. The upper half of the Howo A7 6x4 has got a large windscreen, which is curved from either side edges and gets a large trapezoidal black garnished panel below it. This trapezoidal panel has got mounts for the wash wipers for the windscreen. 

The lower design of the front profile of the Howo A7 6x4 has got a busy-looking profile. The outer edges of the lower half of the front apron are characterized by L-shaped panels, which are slightly bulged outwards giving a muscular appeal to the truck when viewed from the front. Another major highlight of the lower half of the front apron has to be the massive trapezoidal front grille, which comes with two trapezoidal-shaped slats within it. This whole grille is finished in black plastic and extends on the front bumper placed below it as well.

The front bumper too gets an extension of the front grille, which is shaped in the form of a trapezium and protrudes slightly outwards. The side edges of this extension panel of the front grille are flanked with arrow-head-shaped headlamps, which look quite a unique house projector bulbs for headlights. Even the turn indicators are integrated into these headlamp units.

The side profile of the Howo A7 6x4 is characterized by rectangular recesses on the door panels as well as behind the window panels. The lower window line, as in most of the trucks, has a slanted layout, with the rearview mirrors mounted on the door panels itself.

Sitting on a U-profile parallel ladder frame, the Howo A7 6x4 comes with a solid suspension setup of 10 semi-elliptical leaf springs with hydraulic telescopic double-action shock absorbers and stabilizer at the front and 12 semi-elliptical leaf springs with bogie spring and stabilizer at the rear. While the service brake of the Howo A7 6x4 is a dual circuit compressed air brake, its parking brake is spring energy compressed air brake with compressed air operating on the front shaft and rear wheels.

The Howo A7 6x4 has been given a large D12.42 Euro 2 series 9.7-liter inline-six diesel engine, which features water cooling, inter cooling, and turbocharger. This engine is coupled to a 12-speed manual gearbox which features 2 reverse gears and makes a maximum power output of 420 PS.

Apart from ABS, there is no other major safety feature present in the Howo A7 6x4.

The Howo A7 6x4 might not be as reliable as its Japanese counterparts, given its limited presence and late entry in the Philippines commercial vehicle market. However, when it comes to design and technical specifications, it does seem a sound product on paper and impresses with its fine engineering prowess.