HOWO Mixer 6x4

The Howo Mixer 6x4 has a very functional and dated-looking cabin to welcome the driver as well as the co-driver on board. The cabin, however, tries to be a practical and ergonomic place to be in, thanks to its curved layout and easily reachable controls and switches.

A large four-spoke steering wheel as well as a curved panel behind it, which accommodates the instrument console as well as the center console within it, forms the main driver’s cockpit. The center console is fairly large, and houses squared panels for auxiliary switches, a rectangular panel for AC controls, and vertical AC vents.

When it comes to design, the Howo Mixer 6x4 is not something that can be termed groundbreaking or revolutionary. For a medium-sized concrete mixer truck, the Howo Mixer 6x4 looks decently aggressive and has a large road presence.

There are a lot of geometrical influences in the front profile of the Howo Mixer 6x4. The large windscreen present in the upper half of the front profile has rounded edges and has got a sleek trapezoidal garnish below it, on which the windshield wipers are mounted.

There are two main panels in the lower half of the front profile of the Howo Mixer 6x4 – front apron as well as the front bumper. The front bumper comes with a large trapezoidal grille in the center of it, which is characterized by three thick horizontal slabs within it. The grille is flanked with protruding trapezoidal panels on either side, which enhance the visual mass of the truck when viewed from the front.

The front bumper of the Howo Mixer 6x4 is quite big in size and comes with trapezoidal headlamp clusters on either ends. These headlamp clusters come integrated with projector bulbs as well as clear lens turn indicators. Just below the headlamps, the front bumper also features fog lamps which come with rounded edges. The middle portion of the front bumper has a large trapezoidal air vent, to aid in aerodynamics at higher speeds.

While moving to the sides, the Howo Mixer 6x4 has rectangular panels for side windows, front quarter glass, and carvings on the door panels. The rearview mirrors, which are hinged on the door panels, and door handles come finished in black. The Howo Mixer 6x4 comes with rounded wheel arches. At the back of the driver’s cabin, the Howo Mixer 6x4 gets a traditional mixer mounted in an angular manner.

The Howo Mixer 6x4 sits on a U-profile parallel ladder frame and gets a 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.

Talking about the brakes, the Howo Mixer 6x4 comes with a main service brake consisting of a dual circuit compressed air brake, as well as a parking brake comprising of spring energy compressed air brake with compressed air operating on rear wheels.

Powering the Howo Mixer 6x4 is a WD615.47 series 9.7-liter inline-six diesel engine, which here is coupled to a 12-speed manual gearbox, including two reverse gears. The engine pumps out 371 PS of maximum power output and 1460 Nm of maximum torque.

The only safety feature which is present in the Howo Mixer 6x4 is an ABS.

In front of its well-established Asian and European rivals, the Howo Mixer 6x4 is not too strong when it comes to long-term reliability, and has a limited reach when it comes to after-sales and service networks. However, the Howo Mixer 6x4 looks like a solidly engineered product on paper, with strong specifications giving it an edge over others.