Toyota Hiace: The old vs. the new

MANILA: Definitely one of the most iconic Toyota models, the Hiace has been in the market for more than five decades now.

The well-known vehicle is now on its sixth generation and has a powerful hold of over 50% of the market share in the commercial van category.

Compared to the 2019 Hiace Commuter and Grandia, which were made available in the Philippine market in March 2019, a few modifications were made in this particular model, taking into account the launch of the 2020 Toyota Hiace Cargo van last July and the 2020-model Hiace Super Grandia in August last year in the country.

Let’s take a look at these changes.

Dimensions and seating capacity

Compared to the 2019 Hiace Commuter Deluxe and GL Grandia, which are 5,265mm long, 1,990mm tall, and 1,950mm wide, the 2020 version is shorter (4,695 mm) and in lower in height (1,980 mm), as well as slimmer at 1,69 mm.

The 2020 Toyota Hiace is marginally smaller than the 2019 Hiace GL Grandia Tourer (5,912 mm long, 1,950mm wide, and 2,280mm tall).

The wheelbase of the 2020 Hiace is also shorter (2,750 mm) than its predecessor (3,210 mm) model.

As for the 2020 Super Grandia, it has the same height as the 2019 Commuter Deluxe and GL Grandia. It is also longer (5,30 mm) than the two latter models but is shorter than the 2019 GL Grandia Tourer. The 2020 Super Grandia is also wider compared to the 2019 Hiace variants by 20mm.

Seating capacity is retained in the 2020 Hiace variants (15 occupants for the Commuter Deluxe, 12 for the GL Grandia, 14 for the GL Grandia Tourer). A new variant, the 2020 Hiace Super Grandia Elite, can accommodate 10 occupants.

Exterior

For the 2020 Toyota Hiace, its exterior is further emphasized through the sloping front that houses the engine underneath, and this design is aimed at making the van withstand crashes or collisions. You won’t get to see the flat nose design in the previous Hiace versions.

The design of the van has been upgraded, too, as the 2020 Hiace poses a calmer and sleeker appearance. The front fascia of the 2020 Hiace also has upgraded headlamps and new foglamps that flank the large grille.

Other modifications of the exterior include a steep windshield, side windows that are larger compared to the previous versions, and prominent wheel arches.

Features that were retained are the large taillights, sliding doors, and the rear and side profiles of the van, which can also be seen in the 2019 Hiace.

Engines

The 2020 Hiace has the same 2.8-liter four-cylinder in-line diesel engine as the 2019 model's. It produces an output of 176hp and a torque of 450Nm for the 2020 Super Grandia and GL Grandia (AT) (420Nm for the MT), 163hp and 420Nm for the GL Grandia Tourer,  and 176 hp and 420 Nm for the Commuter Deluxe.

Similar to the 2019 model, all engines of the 2020 Toyota Hiace are mated with either a six-speed automatic transmission (AT) or a six-speed manual transmission (MT).

Interior

The interior of the 2019 Hiace has an array of changes compared to its predecessor and these entail its dashboard design, redesigned instrument cluster, and upgraded steering wheel design.

The 2020 Hiace retained a few features from last year’s Toyota model like the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) controls and the audio controls on the instrument panel.

In terms of safety, the 2020 Hiace possesses some features of the 2019 Hiace such as the SRS airbags, anti-lock brake system (ABS), hill start assist, and the stability control system (only in the GL Grandia and Grandia Tourer).

Some of the new inclusions in the 2020 Hiace are the parking assist with reversing sonar and the Toyota Safety Sense package (present in the 2020 Super Grandia variants), which includes the pre-collision system (PCS), lane departure alert (LDA),adaptive cruise control (ACC), and the automatic high beam (AHB).

Colors, variants, and pricing

Model	Variants	Pricing	Colors
2019 Toyota Hiace	2019 Toyota Hiace Commuter Deluxe 6-MT   2019 Toyota Hiace GL Grandia 6-MT   2019 Toyota Hiace GL Grandia Tourer 6-MT     2019 Toyota Hiace GL Grandia 6-AT     2019 Toyota Hiace GL Grandia Tourer 6-AT	P1,590,000        P1,973,000      P2,145,000       P2,048,000       P2,220,000	Silver Mica Metallic, White   Luxury Pearl Toning (with additional P15,000), Silver Mica Metallic, and Special Light Blue Metallic color         Black Mica       Black Mica
2020 Toyota Hiace	2020 Toyota Hiace Commuter Deluxe MT   2020 Toyota Hiace Commuter MT   2020 Toyota Hiace Commuter Cargo 2020 Toyota Hiace GL Grandia AT     2020 Toyota Hiace GL Grandia MT   2020 Toyota Hiace GL Grandia Tourer AT   2020 Toyota Hiace GL Grandia Tourer MT     2020 Toyota Hiace Super Grandia (Elite)     2020 Toyota Hiace Super Grandia (Leather)     2020 Toyota Hiace Super Grandia (Fabric)	P 1,634,000        P1,480,000      P1,101,000     P2,130,000         P2,070,000         P2,319,000        P 2,244,000       P2,998,000       P2,623,000       2,533,000	Silver Mica Metallic, White       Silver Mica Metallic     White Luxury Pearl Toning, Silver Mica Metallic, Black   Luxury Pearl Toning, Silver Mica Metallic, Black     Luxury Pearl Toning, Light Blue Metallic, Silver Metallic   Luxury Pearl Toning, Light Blue Metallic, Silver Metallic     Luxury Pearl Toning, White Pearl, Dark Gray Metallic, Black   Luxury Pearl Toning, White Pearl, Dark Gray Metallic, Black   Luxury Pearl Toning, White Pearl, Dark Gray Metallic, Black