Volvo FH16 780 wins Truck of the Year Australasia

July 18, 2025

On the opening morning of the Brisbane Truck Show, the Truck of the Year Australasia (ToYA) 2025 was officially announced. This year’s winner is the Volvo FH16 780.

Affiliated with the esteemed International Truck of the Year (IToY) award, this regional accolade recognises outstanding innovation and performance in heavy commercial vehicles adapted for the Australasian market.

This year’s winner was selected after the ToYA jury narrowed down a shortlist of four impressive contenders to a single standout truck. In the end, the award went to Volvo’s latest flagship model, the FH16 780, with the trophy being presented to Roger Alm, president of Volvo Trucks.

Making the presentation were Tim Giles, technical editor of PowerTorque Magazine, and Dave McCoid, editorial director of NZ Trucking Magazine – both associate members of the IToY jury.

“I’m delighted to be here in Australia to see our flagship truck receive this award,” said Alm. “Our new FH16 780 is a fantastic truck to drive; it really is a driver’s dream come true. The new D17 engine gives operators the flexibility to gear for efficiency or for heavy haulage, while still delivering outstanding durability. I’d like to thank the Truck of The Year jury for the award and their recognition of just how significant this vehicle is for both our customers and their drivers.”

Alongside the FH16 780, the other finalists for 2025 were the Scania Super 500P, Mercedes-Benz eActros prime mover, and FAW JT6 550. All the finalists offer cutting-edge design and meaningful contributions to productivity within the industry, but following a rigorous evaluation process, Volvo’s high-performance model ultimately claimed the top honour.

To be eligible for the Truck of the Year Australasia, a vehicle must address the unique challenges of the Australasian market – conditions often unlike those found elsewhere in the world. Trucks operating in this region face vastly different environments, and the most successful models are typically those best adapted to local demands.

This year’s jury comprised five members: IToY jury associate members Giles, McCoid, and FOCUS editorial director Charleen Clarke (judge of the Truck Innovation Award), as well as Randolph Covich (editor of Deals on Wheels NZ) and Bob Woodward (road transport engineering consultant).

After in-depth assessment and extended deliberation, the jury concluded that the Volvo FH16 780 exemplifies the core values that have defined IToY judging since the award’s inception in 1977.

The FH16 780 generated headlines from launch, as Volvo leapfrogged long-time rival Scania to introduce the most powerful highway production truck in the world. According to the jury, it brings a new benchmark of engineering and electronic sophistication to Australasia’s most demanding road transport applications.

Powering the vehicle is the new Volvo D17 engine, an evolution of the D16 unit featuring several key modifications. These include thinner, low-drag cylinder liners and “wave-top” pistons – technology now being adopted across Volvo’s broader engine range.

The engineering updates that have enabled the increase to 780hp include enlarging the cylinder bore by 5mm to 149mm, thereby boosting engine displacement from 16.1 to 17.3 litres. This results in power delivery of over 600hp from just above 1,000 to 1,950r/min, with peak output of 780hp achieved at 1,700r/min.

“These numbers become real when the driver puts the truck to work. This level of power and torque make tough freight tasks a relative breeze and the driver can always feel confident the driveline can handle high masses in difficult conditions,” said Giles after testing the FH16 780.

“This extra power is coupled with the excellent driver experience that Volvo has developed over the years. There’s a quiet effortlessness which the driver feels as they get into a climb at high masses, and the way the driveline copes in an unfussy way with varying gradients is impressive.”

The driveline also features the latest evolution of Volvo’s I-Shift transmission, which offers enhanced electronic integration between the engine and gearbox. Gear changes are not only seamless but now even quicker. While the original I-Shift was already fast, each new version has continued to deliver perceptible improvements in shift speed and smoothness.