Mazda is selling the last-gen Toyota Hiace in Japan as Bongo Brawny

MANILA: The Philippines has already received the newest Toyota Hiace, however, it seems like Toyota still had a lot of Hiace vans and its parts lying around. In Japan, Mazda is selling a van named 2019 Bongo Brawny and it is nothing else but the last-generation Toyota Hiace with Mazda logos instead of Toyota ones. With the fifth-generation Hiace laying the foundation of the van, the Bongo nameplate is also making its return in the Japanese market.

Even if we try to find differences between the Toyota Hiace and Mazda Bongo Brawny, we will only disappoint ourselves as there are no differences between the two Japanese vans. Barring the branding and the Bongo Brawny logo, the differences are none. All the elements like the headlamps, taillights, grille, wheels, and even mirrors on the Bongo Brawny are the same units that we saw on the last-gen Hiace.

Moving to the inside of the now Mazda van, barring the Mazda logo on the steering wheel and a slightly redesigned instrument cluster, the whole cabin is unchanged. While the previous Bongo van was a fully-fledged passenger van,

the newest iteration, on the other hand, serves the purpose of a small commercial vehicle. The van has ditched multiple seat layout and now boasts a large cargo space. The 2019 Mazda Bongo Brawny can carry a maximum load of 1250-kg, says Mazda.

Coming to the mechanical bits, the 2019 Bongo Brawny comes with two powertrain options. The first of the two configurations features a 2.0-litre inline-four gasoline mill that produces 136 PS of maximum power and a peak torque of 182. The second engine on offer is a 2.8-litre inline-four diesel-fed motor capable of churning out a maximum power of 151 PS and 300 Nm of peak torque. Irrespective of the engine, the van comes with a six-speed automatic transmission. Both 2WD and 4WD options are also available.

The 2019 Bongo Brawny also comes with all the needed safety features like ABS with EBD, brake assist, hill-start assist, collision avoidance systems, dynamic stability control, pre-crash safety system, lane departure warning, and traction control. Available in four variants, the 2019 Bongo Brawny has been priced from ¥ 2,421,360 to ¥ 3,594,240 (Php 1,128,365 to Php 1,674,933).

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