2019 Toyota Hiace: First impression

Toyota gave us all a surprise by unveiling its all-new 2019 Hiace in the Philippines. And this unveiling wasn’t just for us but for the entire world. So, it was the first time when the Philippines hosted a world premiere of a brand-new model. We thank Toyota not only for bringing a well-deserved upgrade for the Hiace but also for choosing our country to host such an important event.

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room here, the 2019 Toyota Hiace. This is what we call a proper upgrade. Not an ordinary facelift, not adding a few extra colors, not tweaking a bit of the exterior or interior, but a full, major update. Kudos to Toyota for doing this. While there’s still time before we get a chance to go face-to-face with the new Hiace, we thought of letting you know how this new people’s carrier is, by sharing its first impression.

Aesthetics

You can clearly tell that the 2019 Toyota Hiace is a totally new vehicle on the first look. Gone is the boring, commuter type looks. The new Hiace is so much better than its predecessor. At the front, the distinctive shape headlight makes the vehicle look meaner. The new big front bumper matches with the rest of the extended front body and keeps things busy. Depending on the variant, the bumper is finished either in a black or slightly light bronze color to match the side body cladding. It also has a pair of fog lamps and LED daytime running lights.

The rear end of the new Hiace displays larger tail lights setup. The layout remains the same, vertical, but the larger footprint makes the Hiace looks much better from behind. These lights will also increase visibility. The remaining rear design is more or less based on the same boxy concept. The side profile of the new Hiace sees a slight improvement over the predecessor because of the extended front end to accommodate the engine which is no longer situated under the driver's seat. This has eliminated the boxy design at least from the front. Also, the new alloy and steel wheels with full cap look pretty nice too.

Interior

Toyota has also done a host of changes in the interior of the new 2019 Hiace. The cabin appears to be much roomier thanks to the use of lighter colored material all around. Also, the quality of the materials used is pretty good and so are the fit and finish. Toyota has also made the interior more modern. The three-spoke steering wheel feels very premium and sporty. The dashboard is ergonomically designed to keep all the necessary controls well within the driver’s reach. We also get a revised centre console, instrument cluster, and new HVAC controls.

The new Hiace has grown in dimensions. The Commuter Deluxe and GL Grandia models measure 5265 mm long, 1950 mm wide, and 1990 mm tall with a wheelbase of 3210mm. Whereas the much larger GL Grandia Tourer measures 5912 mm in length, 1950 mm in width, stands 2280 mm tall, and has a wheelbase of 3860 mm. This change in dimensions isn’t just on paper. It is evident in the seating capacity of the vehicle as well. The Commuter model can seat 17 people, the GL Tourer can accommodate 14, and the GL can carry 12 at the max.

Engine

Go through the 2019 Toyota Hiace specs in detail, and you’d find that the changes aren’t just limited to the aesthetics or interior, Toyota has also used a new engine in the new Hiace. The old 3.0-litre diesel mill has been replaced by the 2.8-litre 4-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, the same unit seen in the latest Toyota Fortuner and Innova. To work with the Hiace, this engine has been detuned a bit as per the variant. So, the Commuter Deluxe has got 176 PS of max power and 420 Nm of peak torque. The GL Grandia has got the same amount of power but benefits from the higher 450 Nm of torque. As far as the transmission is concerned, you can go with either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed automatic unit.

Safety features

Toyota has also enhanced the safety features in the new Hiace. It comes with ABS and dual front airbags as standard across all the variants. There is an extra airbag in the centre available in the Commuter Deluxe version. The Grandia versions get a few more features like stability control and hill start assist. It is a bit disappointing to see that Toyota still compromises on some of the basic safety features like providing disc brakes on all four wheels. Only the Tourer model is fortunate enough to have that. The others get drum brakes at the rear.

Toyota has done a good job with the new Hiace. It is really an upgrade and will impact a lot of daily commuters. Toyota Philippines will offer the new Hiace in five variants. These are Commuter Deluxe 6-MT, GL Grandia 6-MT, GL Grandia 6-AT, GL Grandia Tourer 6-MT, and GL Grandia Tourer 6-AT. Here is the 2019 Toyota Hiace price and color list -