2019 Toyota HiAce: Review

The sixth-generation Toyota HiAce is finally here, ushering in the first all-new platform for the nameplate in 15 years. With a new chassis, new engines, passenger-car safety, and a host of new technology, the old cab-over-engine format now makes way for a longer but more dynamic semi-bonneted design, while Toyota says it retains all of its load-lugging prowess. Now with a hefty output hike courtesy of a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel or 3.5-litre V6 petrol, and with a choice of six-speed transmissions, the nine-model HiAce range spans LWB Van, LWB Crew Van, SLWB Van and SLWB Commuter models. It's a bold new chapter for the Toyota HiAce, but tempered by an appreciable price rise. Toyota's new HiAce range is priced from $38,640 to $70,140 (plus on-road costs).

The new sixth-generation Toyota HiAce has a lot to live up to. With over 335,000 sales in Australia since its arrival in 1971 (and total of more than 6.3 million globally), the nameplate dominates the mid-size van segment (2.5-3.5-tonne GVM), and has done so for years.

In fact, the HiAce sales accounted for over a third of the mid-size van segment in 2018, and 86.3 per cent of the light bus (under 20 seats) market.

Around 150,000 of the previous generation found homes in Australia, but after 15 years, the changing of the guard has finally come.

The changes are significant. Chiefly, the old snub-nosed cab-over-engine design has made way for a semi-bonneted format that improves on-road dynamics, makes maintenance easier, and enhances driver comfort, ergonomics and safety.

It's an all-new rear-drive platform under the new Toyota HiAce, with new powerplants, new transmissions, new dimensions, and a raft of new technology all part of the story.

That tech also encompasses a major boost in safety, with the new Toyota HiAce recently achieving a full five-star ANCAP safety rating. It's the first Toyota van to do so – correspondingly, HiAce now offers a broad suite of recent safety innovations as standard.

However, the new nine-model line-up, spanning LWB Van, LWB Crew Van, SLWB Van and SLWB Commuter models, arrives at additional cost. The average price rise is just under $4000 across the new range.

The new HiAce significantly longer, wider and heavier (+315-415kg in most instances), although Toyota says the HiAce maintains its previous payload and offers comparable load space capacities, along with virtually the same turning circle courtesy of a greater steering range.

Click here for further details of the new Toyota HiAce range, including pricing.

While Toyota had previously released a swathe of information regarding the new HiAce, it was only at the range's national media launch that the full extent of the changes came into focus.

While the actual drive component of the press launch was relatively brief, and conducted away from traffic at a Toyota test track, it gave a good initial taste of the new HiAce, and a chance to put various models to the test.

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In the metal, the Toyota HiAce makes a strong statement. Compared to its boxy predecessor, the new HiAce looks sleek and thoroughly modern. It also has a larger footprint that makes the out-going model look decidedly compact in comparison.

The semi-bonneted body design affords easier cab access, with the forward-set engine allowing a nominal 50mm (around) reduction is seat height. An A-pillar grab handle aids the process of climbing onboard, and finding a 'just right' driving position is simple thanks to a tilt-and-reach adjustable steering column and a driver's seat with six-way adjustment (including height).

There's new seating throughout the range and it's more supportive, while the 60:40 split-fold three-seater second row in the LWB Crew Van has two ISOFIX child-seat mounting points for the outboard seats.

Toyota says it's invested significant effort in honing the HiAce's ergonomics and it shows. From the smart new instrumentation with 4.2-inch multi-information display to the 7.0-inch multimedia unit, to the centrally located air-conditioning dials, all the controls are well within reach.

The cab interior is a stark contrast to the old model. There's the usual utilitarian expanse of hard plastic but panel tolerances are impressively tight and the mixture of textures and hues makes for a very pleasant environment.

Cab storage is, however, a little limited. There's a mass of potential storage space across the dash but no dedicated dash-top storage to stop things sliding around. There's also a USB charging port at the base of the centre stack but no readily adjacent hidey-hole in which to put your phone.

There are deep dash-mounted bottle/cup holders, plus additional bottle holders in the door side pockets, while SLWB models also receive an overhead storage tray.

It's no real-life CBD, but the tight turns and special sections of Toyota's Altona (Vic) evaluation circuit do put a vehicle's dynamic abilities to the test. While some may rue the new HiAce's extra length (an additional 570mm for LWB models and 535mm for SLWB models means tighter parking-spot criteria), it's immediately obvious the new long-nose platform brings with it a far more refined ride.

Indeed, the new Toyota HiAce shows a surprising degree of poise at typical around-town speeds, with body roll nicely controlled and no nasty surprises, even when navigating a tight slalom.

The fresh suspension set-up, with new MacPherson struts up front and leaf springs at the rear, acquits itself well – both on the test track's tarmac and its gravel section. Stability is enhanced by the longer wheelbases and wider tracks on offer.

The steering now is sharper but there's still a nice weight to it and the dreaded NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) is suppressed about as well as you could hope for in a van. That's to say there's still a bit of road noise amplified through the cargo bay, but it's kept to an acceptable level.

Braking power is strong. The four-wheel disc step-up (disc/drum in manual LWB Van models) is backed by an antilock system with brake assist.

While the lion's share of Toyota HiAce sales will focus on the 130kW/450Nm 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel, with its smooth and appreciable wave of torque from low revs (note some variants have lower power and torque figures), the 207kW/351Nm 3.5-litre petrol V6 certainly packs plenty of punch further up in the rev range.

Both engines are Euro 5 compliant and represent a big hike in output from the previous generation. Despite the additional weight, the new Toyota HiAce displays no shortage of grunt and healthy acceleration is a given. In fact, the petrol-powered HiAce is now the second-fastest accelerating car in Toyota’s range behind the Supra!

The six-speed manual is a sweet-shifting transmission and in diesel models has a rev-matching feature that makes downshifting even smoother. It has a direct fourth gear, with fifth and sixth both overdrives.

The six-speed auto is, by LCV standards, a similarly slick affair, with a pragmatic mix of ratios and a choice of full auto or sequential manual modes.

The test vans available at the media launch had 200kg loads in the back (150kg for the crew cab) so the jury is still out on performance at the upper end of their payload limits.

Engine noise, however, is nicely suppressed on a steady throttle. Indeed, the HiAce really only reveals its commercial roots under load. Even then, these powerplants are really pretty refined by commercial standards.

In van terms, Toyota HiAce drivers are spoilt when it comes to driver assist and convenience features. Cruise control is standard (adaptive cruise may be considered for future models, says Toyota), as is a speed limiter and speed sign recognition.

The list continues with hill start assist, auto headlights and high-beam assist and satellite navigation is standard across the range. This is enhanced with SUNA live traffic information.

In fact, the multimedia unit is equipped with all the infotainment options many expect of a modern passenger car, let along an LCV. These include the Toyota Link app interface and an advanced voice command system. The leather-wrap steering wheel features all the finger-tip integrated controls you’d expect.

At the business end of proceedings – the load bay – Toyota HiAce van models are now equipped with twin side sliding doors as standard. The larger side apertures in SLWB models accommodate a standard Australian pallet.

Provided you have a forklift with enough reach to clear the top-hinge tailgate, that same pallet will now fit between the HiAce's (widened) rear wheel arches.

Curiously, Toyota's press material made no mention of payload limits across the new HiAce range. When quizzed on the point, HiAce's chief engineer, Takuo Ishikawa, who was at the Australian media launch, was direct.

"There is no change," he said.

That being the case, expect maximum payloads to range from 885kg for the LWB Crew Van to 1080kg for the LWB Van, 1075kg for the SLWB Commuter, and 1295kg for the SLWB Van.

Despite the increase in length and width, and a substantial decrease in the length of the LWB Van's cargo bay (by 470mm), Toyota says internal load space remains similar to the older model, with 6.2 cubic metres for the LWB Van and 9.3 cubic metres for the SLWB Van (previously 6.0 and 9.8 cubic metres respectively).

While the standard load bay is the usual painted steel affair, it's fitted with multiple tie-down points and can be accessorised with a wide range of factory features. Toyota options include a mesh cargo barrier or full steel bulkhead, internal ladder storage (a neat feature) and more.

Toyota says it may consider adding barn-style rear doors to the list, down the track.

Towing capacity has increased by 100kg to 1500kg for most models, up to 1900kg for the petrol/manual LWB Van.

Light commercials have traditionally languished in terms of safety, but that's been changing in recent years and the new Toyota HiAce takes the segment into new territory.

This is Toyota's first van to achieve a full five-star ANCAP safety rating and it's bristling with most of the latest innovations and, impressively, they all come standard.

The safety list includes Toyota's Safety Sense suite with pre-collision system (or autonomous emergency braking), which features around-the-clock pedestrian detection and daytime cyclist detection. The package also includes lane departure warning with steering assist, plus the aforementioned road sign assist and auto high-beam.

That's on top of other features like blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, reversing camera and front and rear parking sensors, along with staples like stability control and anti-lock brakes.

One really neat addition is a new digital rear-view mirror. With its own dedicated rear camera, it displays a crisp, wide-screen view to the rear of the vehicle, unobscured by cargo or rear passengers.

It's only available as part of a $1000 option pack, and Toyota says it's a first for Australia. We assume, it means in the van segment – other vehicles including Nissan SUVs already offer similar systems.

The standard Toyota HiAce mini-bus, or SLWB Commuter, is now complemented by an up-spec SLWB Commuter GL trim grade. It adds fog lights, LED daytime running lights, ambient entry lighting, enhanced sound insulation and a power sliding side door over the standard mini-bus, among other comfort and convenience features, and sees the HiAce range top out at $70,140 (plus ORCs).

It's certainly a comfortable and classy way to travel, with increased head and leg-room, leather-accented upholstery, and niceties like passenger USB charging points and multiple heating/cooling vents.

The new HiAce Commuter is only available as a 12-seater, the old 14-seat option now dropped from the line-up.

Toyota will also launch a fully blinged-up, eight-seat version of the HiAce called the Granvia Down Under later this year.

Toyota freely admits this new-generation HiAce has been a long time coming, but after this admittedly brief first taste we'll say it's been worth the wait.

The company must be commended for its proactive stance on LCV safety, while this new HiAce is also dynamically and ergonomically a positive step change compared to its predecessor.

It may be dearer to purchase and no longer as compact as before, but the wholesale changes wrought by Toyota upon its top-selling mid-size van add up to one very favourable end result.

The next legion of Toyota HiAce drivers will be the ultimate winners.

How much does the 2019 Toyota HiAce cost?
Price: $38,640-$70,140 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.5-litre six-cylinder petrol V6; 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 207kW/352Nm; 130kW/450Nm; 120kW/420Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual; six-speed automatic
Fuel: 12.0-12.4L/100km; 7.5-8.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 275-283g/km; 219g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP (2019)