Suzuki’s cute mini truck used to have a bold name: Super Carry. While a supertanker can transport two million barrels of oil and a supermarket is a sprawling complex offering a wide variety of goods and services, a Super Carry could probably accommodate 17 sacks of rice on its truck bed. But that’s not a bad thing. The name probably meant that the vehicle could carry a lot more stuff than its size visually suggested.

And size is something that Suzuki’s new utility truck has more of. And just to be on the safe side, the Japanese automaker has given it a rather modest moniker this time around: Carry. Yes, no more “Super.” But don’t think this mechanical workhorse is a laggard just because it no longer goes by a lofty cognomen.

For starters, the cargo bed is 365mm longer and 75mm wider. With an increased maximum payload limit of 940kg, the new Carry can maybe deliver a couple more sacks. For a small truck, the ability to haul that much weight is pretty impressive. In order for you to secure the goods you’re moving, the bed comes with 22 tie-down hooks.

Propulsion comes from a K15B engine placed under the cab. If the codename sounds familiar, that’s because it’s the same family that the new Jimny’s motor belongs to. The 1.5-liter straight-four engine produces 96hp. That number may be small, but the more important metric for a utility vehicle’s capability is torque. The Carry’s peak figure of 135Nm at 4,400rpm should be enough to enable the vehicle and its contents to clamber up hilly roads.

Even the cab gets a makeover. A revised driving position is certainly going to make life easier for anyone taking the Carry out for a long drive. The gearstick is mounted on the dashboard, freeing up space where a center console would usually be.

The new Suzuki Carry is available in three body styles:

• Carry Truck – P509,000
• Carry Cargo Van – P576,000
• Carry Utility Van – P614,000

It surely is one of the most cost-effective ways to transport heavy objects, either for business or personal purposes.