Hino is a Japanese carmaker founded in 1942, now part of Toyota Motor Corporation. 5 models are tracked here (2005–2026). Reliable? yes, and comfortably so — 4.5 out of 5 across 5 rated models, though the spread between model years is far wider than the badge suggests (every model ranked →).
Who makes Hino
Hino Motors, Ltd. is a Japanese manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty trucks and buses headquartered in Hino, Tokyo Metropolis, and a majority-owned subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation since 2001. Founded in 1942 as the Hino Heavy Industry Company by Toyota Motor Industries, Hino has historically operated as Toyota Group's commercial-vehicle specialist. Toyota and Daimler Truck announced a 2024 plan to merge Hino Motors with Daimler Truck's Mitsubishi Fuso division by 2026 to form a new commercial-vehicle holding company. Hino produces Class 4-8 commercial trucks (the L-Series, M-Series, XL-Series in North America), and Class 5-7 trucks for Japanese and Asian markets (Ranger, Profia, Dutro). The 500 Series and 700 Series flatbed and tractor configurations dominate Japanese and Southeast Asian fleet sales. Hino is the leading commercial-vehicle brand in Japan by units. The brand recovered from a 2022 emissions and fuel-economy data-falsification scandal that affected approximately 200,000 trucks. Hino's parent Toyota trades on the NYSE under TM, and Hino itself trades separately on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (7205). Recall data for every Hino VIN sold in the US is reported to NHTSA. ForCar.org decodes any Hino VIN to surface trim, factory options, open recalls and original delivery price.
Hino was originally established in 1910 as Tokyo Gas Industry Company; the truck division spun off in 1942 as Hino Heavy Industry, manufacturing diesel engines and trucks for the Imperial Japanese Army. After WWII, Hino entered passenger-car production briefly with the Renault 4CV under license (1953-1961), partnered with Toyota in 1966, and refocused on commercial vehicles. Toyota acquired majority ownership in 2001. The 2022 emissions scandal — in which Hino falsified emission and fuel-economy data on diesel engines exported globally — resulted in a major business setback and accelerated the 2024 announcement of merger with Mitsubishi Fuso under Toyota-Daimler joint ownership.
| Hino | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1942 |
| Founded by | Toyota Motor Corporation |
| Headquarters | Hino, Japan |
| Owned by | Toyota Motor Corporation |
| Listed as | TM |
| Slogan | «Quality Living, Total Support» |
Technology it is known for: A09C / J08E diesel engine families, Hino Insight telematics, Pre-Collision System (PCS), Lane Departure Warning, Hybrid powertrain options.
This page covers Hino Motors, Ltd. (the Toyota commercial-vehicle subsidiary) — not the city of Hino, Tokyo (where Hino is headquartered) or Hino Express (a defunct Japanese passenger railway).
All Hino models 5
Every Hino model we track, grouped by body type. Click any model for its VIN decoder, recalls, MPG, safety and ForCar Reliability Score — broken down by year.
Hino More models 5
| Model | Years | Recalls | Complaints | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hino 268 | — | 6 | 2 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Hino 338 | — | 7 | 1 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Hino 195 | — | 1 | 3 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Hino Conventional Type Truck | 2005–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Hino Tractor | 2021–2025 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
Hino by the numbers
What the federal records say about the marque. Each line links to the full breakdown by model and year.
| Topic | Hino | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 14 campaigns | Most recalled: Suspension:front:springs:leaf Spring Assembly:u-bolt, Leaf Spring To Axle |
| Owner complaints | 6+ filed | Most reported: 195 |
Compare model years like a dealer does.
- Full research report on any model year
- Market chart: how this model holds value
- Exact values with mileage adjustment
- Price-drop alerts on the trims you're watching
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Get a Hino window sticker by VIN
Recreate any Hino's original Monroney label — MSRP, factory options, EPA MPG and safety — free from the VIN.
Hino window stickers →How to read a Hino VIN
Every Hino built since 1981 carries a unique 17-character VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). It encodes where and when the vehicle was made, its engine and body — here's what each part means:
- WMI (1–3) — country & manufacturer. Tells you it's a Hino and the country it was built in (real Hino codes below).
- VDS (4–8) — model, body style, engine, trim & restraints. The 8th digit is the engine code.
- Check digit (9) — a math check that proves the VIN is genuine.
- Model year (10) — the year it was built (e.g. R = 2024, S = 2025).
- Plant (11) — which factory assembled it.
- Serial (12–17) — the unique sequential production number.
- JapanJH7 · JHA · JHC
- Canada2AZ
- USA7H4
- TaiwanRKC
The remaining digits — engine (8th), model-year letter (10th) and plant — follow the universal SAE standard. You can decode any VIN for free and get the year-code table, the country codes and the exact spots where the number is stamped.
Who owns Hino, and what you get
Hino belongs to Toyota Motor Corporation. Hino competes in the global medium- and heavy-duty truck segments, with dominant share in Japan and significant presence in Southeast Asia, North America and the Middle East. Within Toyota Group, Hino handles commercial vehicles while Toyota and Lexus handle passenger vehicles and Daihatsu handles kei-cars. The pending 2026 merger with Mitsubishi Fuso (Daimler Truck subsidiary) will create the world's third-largest commercial-vehicle group by volume.
| Hino | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Ownership | Toyota Motor Corporation |
| Stock ticker | TM |
| Basic warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
| Powertrain warranty | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
⚠ Worth knowing before you rely on it: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, while basic cover here runs 3 years / 36,000 miles. See when Hino models actually start to break →
Hino — frequently asked
Is Hino japanese?
Hino is a Japanese company, headquartered in Hino and founded in 1942.
Who owns Hino?
Hino is part of Toyota Motor Corporation.
How many Hino models are there?
We track 5 Hino models spanning 2005–2026. The full list is above, ordered by how often each is searched.
What is the Hino warranty?
New vehicles come with 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Terms vary by model year and market — confirm with a dealer.
Is Hino reliable?
It depends far more on the model and year than on the badge. Every Hino model is ranked by complaint rate here, along with the age at which each starts to fail.
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