Toyota HiAce News

If you spend any time on the road you’ll see plenty of utes being used for work – but you also see just as many, if not more, vans being used as the conveyance of choice for couriers, tradies and the like.So which is actually better as a work vehicle: a ute or a van? It’s an age-old debate likely to generate more than a few raised voices.I’m ute-biased because I own a ute and use it for my other job(s), but I know plenty of people who are quite happy with their van.So, let’s tackle this touchy subject, shall we?Is the popularity of utes simply a result of hype? Are ute owners actually using entirely the wrong vehicle for work? Not at all.Vans and utes are close in terms of engine and transmission, power and torque outputs, the efficacy of driver-assist technology and even day-to-day useability.But the load space area – the business end of any work vehicle – is where the major difference lies.A ute’s tub or tray, as standard, is not closed-in so the extent of your packing is not limited by your vehicle’s roof-line as it is in a van. You can load beyond the top edge of a ute’s tub, and tall or awkwardly shaped loads aren’t a problem so long as they are safely secured.A ute also offers superior and more flexible load-carrying capabilities than a van.However, if a ute has no cover on its tub/tray, security from thieves and protection from the elements remain a serious issue. The good news is that there are OEM or aftermarket tub coverings available (hard or soft tonneau covers, roller shutters, aluminium lids etc) for utes, so that’s a potentially easily resolved issue.Or you can purchase an aftermarket canopy to be fixed to your ute tub, and some of those options are lockable. The problems is a canopy is not an engineered-at-vehicle-origin solution, so while it offers much better security, water- and dust-proofing than having no cover at all, it’s no match for a van’s factory built-in load space.And, besides, installing a cover on a ute’s tub – whether it’s a tonneau, roller shutter, canopy, or a bit of tarp over the top – defeats the purpose of owning an open-topped ute, because by doing so you’re robbing the ute tub of its load-carrying versatility.On the others side of the fence, vans have plenty of positives in their favour, even as standard.Take, for instance, the Ford Transit Custom Trail which I recently road-tested. Firstly, focusing on the cabin, the Trail can be optioned as a two-seater with hard-wearing plastic everywhere – ready for the messiness of work and life – as well as charge points (USB-A and -C) and storage (including a van-favourite dash-top slot for logbooks etc, outboard moulded cupholders and a nifty pop-out cupholder).Secondly, the load space includes access via a barn door at the rear and the Trail can be optioned up to have a sliding door on both sides.The cargo area is substantial – 3002mm long (to the bulkhead; 3450mm long if load-through hatch is used), 1392mm wide (between wheel arches) and 1425mm high (floor to roof). Easily big enough for work equipment or recreational gear. It can cope with four Euro pallets (1200mm x 800mm each) and it has a listed maximum load volume (with the bulkhead) of 6.8 cubic metres.Load height through the rear barn doors is 531-585mm, depending on how much weight (driver, passenger etc) is already onboard.The load space has a metal bulkhead (with window and load-through hatch), load area protection kit (full height walls and moulded floor), LED lights and eight tie-down loops.It has plenty of potential as a work and/or recreational vehicle with ample scope for modifications inside and out.Back to vans and utes in general, payloads in vans can range upwards of 1000kg, while payloads in utes (e.g. a single-cab) can be upwards of about 1000kg. (US pick-ups can manage more – with listed payloads of 1759kg and up – but in this yarn we’re focussing on mainstream utes.)But a van’s rear load space could be considered a distinct advantage – or at least a major point of difference – over a ute.A van can be big, for example the cargo space in a 2021 long-wheelbase Mercedes-Benz Vito 116 is 3061mm long, 1709mm wide, and 1391mm high; with 1265mm between the rear wheel-arches, so a 1165mm standard Australian pallet will slot in, no worries. Official cargo volume in the Vito is 6.6 square metres.Vans are built to carry loads and as such there is plenty of space in the rear, and amenities back there include tie-down points (with which to secure your load), lighting systems (halogen or LED), wood panelling on the interior walls and rear door, rubber or vinyl matting, or other grippy protective surface on the floor of the cargo area, and even power points.The load spaces in vans are ripe for customisation: maybe shelves for a tradie, or bedding and extra storage for an adventurous person or couple.And the rear load space may provide open access to the driver and front passengers(s), or it may be separated from the cabin of the van by a bulkhead with a built-in cargo barrier.Access to that fully secure load space may be via sliding doors on either side of the van or by using the rear door, which might be 180°-opening rear twin barn doors (with window), or a single lift-up tailgate, and either of those can be fully locked open so, importantly, a forklift can be used to place a heavier load in the cargo area.So while there’s no problem with permitted access, the load space is fully lockable, so theoretically secure, and the contents may be concealed.The cabins of utes and vans are similar in that they can be set up as mobile offices, with an immediate ease of use and comfort as priorities: think cloth seats, durable plastic surfaces and storage spaces aplenty including a lockable glovebox, dash-top slots (for log books, general paperwork etc) as well as door pockets and bottle-holder, a cup-holder at each end of the dash, and a centre console bin.But each type of vehicle has its own particular advantages, as well as exhibiting characteristics that may count against it when it comes to their potential as work vehicles.As mentioned, I’m well and truly in the ute camp but I know lots of people who wouldn’t swap their van for a ute as a work vehicle.To each their own… but to me utes still have the edge.

Where is the Toyota HiLux hybrid?Nine generations in since 1972, you would expect there to be a series-parallel petrol-electric version of one of Australia’s most popular – and, to some people, beloved – vehicles.With some 18,000 BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) sold in Australia last year, it is clear that even ute consumers are gravitating away from diesel and into less-polluting powertrain alternatives.This is especially true given that all of Toyota’s car-based SUVs and passenger cars minus the GR86 coupe are now offered exclusively as hybrids in Australia.The answer, it seems, is implied in the previous sentence, since the rest of the Japanese giant’s model line-up, including all body-on-frame SUVs and commercial vehicles including the Toyota HiAce van, barring the Tundra full-sized pick-up that is remanufactured in Melbourne from North America, are powered by diesel engines.And the latter barely counts since it costs from $155,990 before on-road costs, making it a strictly niche proposition.“In simplistic terms, it just gets down to capability and cost you know,” according to former Toyota Motor Company Australia (TMCA) Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations, Sean Hanley.“You still need to have that diesel engine that could do the things that customer want to do. There's nothing more or less in it than that.”Hanley explained that, right now, only diesel-powered engines can achieve the level of towing and Gross Vehicle Mass (the total amount a vehicle is allowed to weigh when fully loaded) within a certain price point in models like HiLux and HiAce. Later on, things may change.“There's costs, you know,” he said.“Developing these kinds of vehicles in a light commercial vehicle (LCV) cost a lot of money.“So, is the timing right for it? Now, I agree. We've been doing it a long time. It's proven technology; but in an LCV right now, for what, where we'd position it, where it would be positioned, is that really right for the Australian market… or other global markets? Maybe it is, but our assessment is not right now, but at some point (yes).”However, if LCV consumers are clamouring for hybrids, the vehicles must make financial sense, particularly to a company like Toyota.“Okay there may be a demand for the technology, because the technology is good,” Hanley added.“But, when you put the cost of it and the capability of it and the position of it, it doesn't make sense. It may not stack up right now. Doesn't mean it's forever. It's a period.“It's because making an LCV is a far different proposition than making a sedan. It's a far different proposition than making a light SUV, a heavy SUV… this is a far bigger challenge than you truly might understand.”“That's the longer version of why (there is no HiLux or HiAce hybrids); in simple terms, it’s all about capability, positioning, price and cost.”Toyota’s famously cautious approach mirrors its delayed electric vehicle (EV) strategy, which seems to have been the prudent move now as the take-up rate has slowed and Australians are favouring hybrids and PHEVs.“It's no different to when we approached battery EVs,” Hanley said.“You see, there's a cost of making these cars, and in the end, you've got to deliver what the customer wants, but you've also got to be commercially relevant.“These are lessons we learned from hybrid. You know, we learned these lessons now, what's the difference? Well, the difference will only be the timeframe of take up. EVs will be quicker than hybrid was. Hybrid took 24 years to get to where we are today. Now it's just an everyday mainstream car. No one even talks about it, except they say they want one.“EVs will be the same in time. It just won't be 24 years. It'll be a bit quicker.“The reality is those who get the timing right and take customer on the journey will get will be the winner.”

A best-selling SUV and van have retained their five-star Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) safety rating.

Toyota has subtly updated its top-selling HiAce commercial van in Australia ahead of deliveries commencing in late August.

One of the oldest vans on the market is showing no sign of retiring anytime soon with the LDV G10+ appearing to have been given a substantial facelift, which includes new safety tech, a large media screen, new styling and features.The new version wears a $1500 price rise, which still undercuts rivals such as the Toyota HiAce and Ford Transit by a sizable margin.Importantly, it's clear the new G10+ has been fitted with autonomous emergency braking (AEB), which was a large oversight in its spec previously. This change would ensure the G10+ would meet the new 2026 minimum safety standards requiring AEB come as standard on all new vehicles.Lane keeping assistance and forward collision warning will also join rear parking sensors, a reversing camera driver and passenger airbags, plus electronics stability control as part of the van's new safety suite.Other new G10+ features CarsGuide spotted include a 12.3-inch media screen, replacing the previous 7.0-inch display. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is also standard, so is digital radio, air conditioning and power windows. It was also noted that the brands website now only lists diesel variants, which could indicate the petrol engine has been dropped, at least initially. The latest price data shows the new G10+ has also increased in price. The entry six-speed manual 2.0-litre turbo-diesel is now $38,937, drive-away, which is a $1579 increase on the previous model. Meanwhile, the G10+ with the eight-speed automatic is now $39,463 (also up by $1579). For context, Toyota’s HiAce (the most popular vehicle in the segment) starts at a list price of $48,886, while the Ford Transit begins at $56,590.Images also reveal a slight redesign to the front of the vehicle with a new look honeycomb grille and restyled front bumper, as well as a tweaked dash layout. Measuring 5167mm end-to-end, 1980mm wide, 1938mm tall and with a one-tonne payload capacity the G10+ is considered a medium-sized van. It has been on sale in Australia for a decade this year, yet it still remains one of the most-bought medium sized vans on the market with 2843 sales in 2024.It appears LDV still sees a place for the G10+ to live alongside the new and more expensive Deliver 7, which was once touted to replace its aging sibling. The Deliver7 arrived towards the end of 2024 with a price of $44,726 driveaway, although it was headlined primarily by its electric eDeliver 7 spin-off, which wears a competitive price-tag of $67,358 (drive-away).

BYD’s unbridled expansion in Australia is set to include vans, as the Chinese carmaker continues to court fleet buyers searching for affordable and hassle-free hybrid tech.

Here are the popular models no longer available in Australia that are living an extended or second life elsewhere.

Badge-engineered cars. It’s been happening almost as long as the industry itself. Some pull off the disguise so convincingly you’d never know their true identities, like John Travolta’s face-switcheroo with Nicolas Cage in 1997’s immensely silly/fun Face/Off. Others, meanwhile, are about as convincing as donning a Groucho Marx nose and glasses.

Toyota's van pair move up in price for 2024 as they continue to perform at opposite ends of their respective segments.

The Toyota HiAce just became a very important litmus test for the brand’s future, with the van becoming the primary test-bed for the implementation of a hydrogen combustion engine.