The all-new Toyota HiAce has been revealed marking the first new generation of the commercial vehicle in 15 years. It’ll be here around May.
The all-new Toyota HiAce has been revealed in both van and bus format. The HiAce had been a safety back marker for many years now and the new model seeks to address that by adding active safety.
According to Toyota, the jutting-jaw design (semi-bonneted in official speak) has allowed engineers to build a stiffer frame and improve ride and handling. When it does lob in Australia, HiAce will be available with two-seat vans in long (LWB) and super-long wheelbase (SLWB) configurations, five-seat LWB crew vans and 12-seat SLWB Commuter buses. The SLWB two-seat van can swallow Australian standard pallets (1165mm x 1165mm) through its now-wider sliding side doors.
Towing capacity has been expanded to a maximum 1900kg on key variants (Toyota hasn’t detailed which variants), an improvement of up to 500kg.
New HiAce will be offered with two new engines, a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbocharged diesel or a 3.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol, both available with six-speed manual or automatic transmissions.
Toyota expects the HiAce to achieve a five-star ANCAP rating with the inclusion of a pre-collision system with autonomous emergency braking and pedestrian and cyclist detection. Also included are a reversing camera and up to nine airbags are complemented by a cost-optional digital rear-view mirror.
Toyota Australia vice president sales and marketing Sean Hanley said, “All-new HiAce is the total solution for transporting cargo, tourists, workers and families.
“Beyond expanding the vehicle’s core mission as capable, durable and reliable transport, it has now stepped up to deliver the comfort and safety that today’s motorists demand for private use,” he said.
“Importantly, we anticipate even better whole-of-life costs with excellent reliability and resale value along with minimal downtime and affordable maintenance. The semi-bonnet design makes it significantly easier and quicker to replace parts such as the oil and air filters, battery, and coolant.
“In addition to being highly capable right off the showroom floor, all-new HiAce has been designed to offer immense flexibility through conversions and customisation to meet varied business and personal needs.”
