The Canter is named after the English word describing the gait of a horse, emphasising the 'thoroughbred' nature of Mitsubishi trucks.

Fuso operates its own factories in Japan, Chennai/India and Tramagal/Portugal, further assemblies from CKD kits exist in Egypt, Portugal, Jakarta, the Philippines, Malaysia, Turkey and Russia.

The Tramagal factory supplies to Western Europe (European Union plus Norway and Switzerland) at a local sourcing rate of 50%.

Nowadays there are two line-ups in parallel (Eighth generation and General Export Models) each with narrow or wide variants from 3.5 to 8.5 tons gross weight.

[7][8] The eighth generation fitted with these "World Engines" is determined to developed countries with strict emission limits, furthermore it is available as EcoHybrid and as an all-electric eCanter.

Its overall appearance was more square and smoother than the previous model, while larger, single, rectangular headlights replaced the earlier twin round units.

[6] Also new was the adoption of front disc brakes on some models, while the shift lever location was changed from the column to the floor and later to the top of the engine cover between the driver's and the centre seat.

In November 1989, the Canter underwent a facelift, with a reshaped front grill, and was also able to comply with the new 1989 vehicle emissions regulations.

For a more spacious cabin the shifting stick moved from between driver's and center seat to the dashboard, a world-first for cab-over trucks.

[12] Until the end of production of the seventh generation the Canter was manufactured and sold in Japan without selective catalytic reduction.

[13] Starting with the eighth generation these "world engines" were also utilized in Japan and around the world for all developed countries with strict emissions standards; for less developed countries a simplified seventh generation remained in production in parallel as General Export Models.

As new scandals, such as concealment of issues on car safety, came up again and again, Mitsubishi Fuso announced an internal audit and clean-up in 2004, including 43 recalls and 4 "improvement campaigns".

It was offered on five different wheelbases, with GVWRs ranging between 14,050 and 17,995 lb (6,373 and 8,162 kg), equipped with Fuso's 4M50, 4.9-liter turbodiesel engine producing 175 hp (130 kW).

Some bodies for the trucks are available ex works (Europe: drop-side and dumper beds, additionally in Japan: D-van, D-wing and reefer boxes, skip and car carriers).

Since 2019 the General Export Model is based on the 8th generation, but is fitted with simpler 4V21 engines which are Euro IV compliant only.

The new line-up includes 1.5 ton payload variants to comply with the Japanese class of compact vehicles/trucks, incorporating the former Canter Guts.

In Europe all-wheel drive became available to selected customers by Pfau in Springe, Germany (since 2016 insolvent) with the seventh generation as standard (narrow) vehicles with 3.5 to 7.5 tons.

[16] On the eighth generation standard (narrow) cabins have a permanent all-wheel drive without crawling gear while wide cabin trucks feature a rigid front axle and part-time all-wheel drive with raised frame to improve ground clearance resp.

Guts[17] was the denomination for a JDM variant of the Canter in Japan from 1987 through 2008 having a standard narrow cabin and slightly more than 3.5 tons gross weight.

In 2008 the Guts based on the seventh generation was discontinued but in January 2013 the same label was reinvented following an agreement in late 2012 between Daimler/Fuso and Renault-Nissan to supply each other with certain products, mainly on the Japanese market.

On October 19, 2020, Fuso launched the ninth generation Canter in Japan which now includes variants conforming to the class of compact vehicles.

[21] The fully developed eCanter was launched in New York City in September 2017 and is scheduled for delivery in Japan, Europe and North America.

[22] Several bus conversions exist based on Canter chassis including the factory made Fuso Rosa.

In some cases under licence locally made chassis with outdated engines conforming to less strict emission standards allow for even lower prices.

Early models utilized the coeval T coding system to distinguish the different versions of trucks, chassis and buses.

In certain years there was also a medium-duty (Class 5) FH series available[6] which essentially was a Mitsubishi Fuso Fighter Mignon which because of its cabin was grouped as a Canter for Export.

Since March 2018, specifically for North America the "Gas Truck" was created featuring the 6.0 Liter GM Vortec V8 small-block engine and an Allison Automatic.

The all-wheel driven FG series had been discontinued in about 2019, and on May 27, 2020, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America announced to cease sales of the Canter in the US and Canada.

[23] In North America the designation had been used on the pure electric eCanter for the first time starting with the first delivery in New York City towards the end of 2017.

With the fourth generation, sales began in the Benelux countries, and in 1980, local production started in Portugal on a regular basis.