The long-awaited sixth generation Toyota HiAce is finally here, the new light commercial
platform boasting new power, a more refined ride, extra comfort, and a whole host of new
safety technology. Powering the show are two higher output engines,
a 2.8L four-cylinder turbo diesel, or a 3.5L petrol V6, with the urge fed to the rear wheels
by a six-speed manual or six-speed auto transmission. Available in two wheels bases, the new chassis
is said to be stiffer, while the HiAce is now both wider and longer. The new semi-bonneted
design and new suspension package spell a better ride and on-road dynamics compared
to the previous cab over engine model, while also allowing Toyota to improve driver comfort
and ergonomics. The end result of that is a more dynamic and
a far more stable ride. The handling is far more like a passenger car now than it was
in the older fifth generation. Both engines, plenty of grunt, big power and torque height
in both cases, both for the 2.8L diesel and the 3.5L petrol V6. Having said that, we've
only sampled the vehicle with a relatively light load at the moment.
We're travelling empty at the moment but at the national media launch we had 200 kilos
strapped down, so we'll reserve final judgement until we get this and all the other leading
medium van contenders together for a comparison test. And we're going to do that very soon.
Toyota says payload limits remain unchanged, while load space is similar at 6.2m³ for
long wheelbase vans and 9.3m³ for super-long wheelbase vans. The new cab is far easier
to enter or exit, and comes with niceties like a 7" multimedia display with digital
radio, satellite navigation and Bluetooth connectivity.
Of course, the adopting of the semi-bonneted design, as opposed to the old cab over engine
design of the outgoing model, has led to a raft of improvements in terms of seating,
cabin comfort and ergonomics. The steering wheel, now adjustable for tilt and reach.
The seat, six-way adjustment including height adjustment, which the old model didn’t have.
It’s also far quieter in the cabin. Sure, you still get a fair bit of boom, a fair bit
of road noise coming up through the empty space in the load bay.
But you don’t get anywhere near the same level of engine noise that used to be associated
with the old model, where you where basically sitting on top of the engine. And the satellite
navigation, standard across the range, comes with live traffic updates. You've got a more
advanced voice command system. Really, the biggest issue for fleet operators is going
to be which drivers are they going to put in the old fifth generation HiAce, and which
guys are going to get the new one. The latest generation multimedia system is
a big step-up. But Apply CarPlay and Android Auto will only be available from the fourth
quarter of 2019, fortunately as a no-cost retrofit option. But surely the biggest tech
upgrade concerns safety. With the new HiAce boasting standard inclusions like autonomous
braking, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross traffic alert,
putting it on a level footing with many passenger cars.
Negatives? Prices have risen across the board by an average of nearly $4,000. And the additional
weight will tamper fuel economy gains, even though Toyota says the combined cycle figure
for the diesel has improved by up to 8.7%. The longer dimensions means city parking will
be a choosier affair. Although Toyota says a greater range of steering delivers similar
turning circles. The new HiAce is available in nine different
variants, spanning long wheelbase van, long wheelbase crew van, super-long wheelbase van,
and super-long wheelbase commuter minibus formats, the latter now available in an up-spec
Commuter GL trim grade. The HiAce is backed by a five-year 160,000km warranty and Toyota's
three-year 60,000km service advantage capped price servicing scheme. However, service intervals
remain unchanged at every 10,000km or six months, whichever comes first.
The outgoing model was a proven and capable load lugger, but this new HiAce builds on
that pedigree in many respects. While ultimately it's up to Aussie buyers to judge the new
model's merits in terms of value, it seems, based on this brief first taste, that Toyota's
new HiAce has every chance of success in Australia's increasingly competitive medium van market.