Toyota HiLux vs LDV Deliver 9

What's the difference?

Given the HiLux BEV was developed in close cooperation with mining companies, its relatively short driving range appears tailor-made for that role given the daily driving distances (typically around 150km or less) in underground and open-cut mining operations. However, determining if our SR5 test vehicle is equally well suited to urban tradie duties would require careful analysis of driving range and payload/towing requirements, to determine if its emissions-free high purchase price can be justified.

It has its flaws, like any vehicle, but it’s not as far away from segment leaders in terms of refinement and performance that its bargain-basement pricing might suggest. Whichever way you look at it, this is a lot of van for not a lot of money.

Externally the only visual differences between a HiLux BEV and its diesel SR5 equivalent are the BEV's solid front grille, a Type 2/CCS charging port for the propulsion battery located behind a hinged body flap on the front passenger side and aerodynamically-tuned 17-inch alloy wheels designed to minimise drag and optimise driving range. It also has unique rear suspension (see Motor).

The BEV variant has benefitted from the latest HiLux generation's exterior and interior styling updates in keeping this iconic workhorse looking fresh, particularly up front with its high slimline headlights, imposing body-coloured grille and trapezoidal side air intakes.

This more hard-edged look is also evident in the BEV's interior which although embracing new dash and centre console designs fortunately adheres to the time-proven practicality and user-friendliness of traditional 'piano key' buttons for its climate control plus a large dial for off-road drive settings (see Motor).

If imitation is the greatest form of flattery then Ford should be blushing, because the Deliver 9 appears to draw a lot of exterior design inspiration from the Transit van. It’s a substantial vehicle, as they tend to be in this weight division, with a 3750mm wheelbase and 14.2 metre turning circle, length of almost 6.0 metres (5940mm) and width of 2466mm. Its 2535mm height excludes it from underground and shopping centre carparks with typical height limits of 2.2 metres.

The rear-wheel drive chassis construction is simple and robust, with MacPherson strut front suspension, multi-leaf live axle rear suspension with supplementary rubber cones to boost support of heavy loads, rack and pinion steering and four-wheel disc brakes. There’s also ample use of hard-wearing black plastic on lower body sections where most scrapes and dents appear.

The cargo bay is accessed by one kerbside sliding door and dual rear-barn doors with 180-degree opening. The walls are lined to mid-height and there’s no roof lining. Bright LEDs provide ample lighting and even though our test vehicle was not the high-roof model, there was enough headroom for tall adults to stand without stooping. 

The cabin has a spacious and airy feel, even with a crew of three aboard, thanks largely to a banana-shaped dashboard with ends that curve towards the windscreen providing wide entry access and passenger legroom which is unusually generous for a commercial van.

The cabin has higher-grade look than you would expect at this price, with a tasteful two-tone blend of light/dark grey plastics and faux carbon fibre inserts on the dash along with comfortable, supportive seats with quality-feel fabrics.

However, there is room for improvement, as there’s no cargo protection for driver and passengers, no driver’s left footrest, crackly AM radio reception (too bad if you like talkback) and a poor-quality image projected by the reversing camera.

Our test vehicle’s 2455kg kerb weight is 300kg more than its diesel sibling, which combined with its 3170kg GVM leaves a 715kg payload rating that’s 250kg lower.

The HiLux BEV is also rated to tow up to 2000kg of braked trailer (1500kg less than the diesel) and its 4670kg GCM rating (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) would leave just 215kg of payload capacity if towing its maximum trailer weight. This could easily be used up by two big tradies before you could add their tools, so it’s important to be aware of these load ratings if planning to tow.

tub, is equipped with anchorage points front and rear plus hydraulic tailgate dampers to assist opening and closing. Load tub access is made easier and safer by concave side-steps behind the rear wheels.

Like its diesel sibling, rear seating for tall people offers minimal knee/shoulder/head room, combined with a notably short distance between the top of the base cushion and floor creating a steep thigh angle that concentrates body weight on your lower back.

Driver and front passenger storage includes a bin and bottle holder in each door, cupholders on either side of the dash and upper and lower glove boxes. The centre console has wireless phone charging up front, two more cupholders in the centre and a lidded box at the back containing the V2L (Vehicle to Load) AC inverter with domestic three-pin plug and a 12V accessory socket.

Rear passengers get a bottle holder and bin in each door plus pockets on both front seat backrests, a fold-down centre armrest with two more cupholders plus two USB-C charging ports and adjustable air vents on the rear fascia of the centre console.

There’s no under-seat storage available and the vehicle’s portable AC charging cable, which is stored in a zip-up bag, has no dedicated storage area so must be carried on either the cabin floor or in the load tub.

Its 2358kg kerb weight and 4000kg GVM leaves a competitive maximum payload of 1642kg. It’s also rated to tow up to 2800kg of braked trailer but given the GCM figure (or how much you can legally carry and tow at the same time) is not published, we can’t tell you how much payload it can legally carry while towing that weight. 

We struck a similar problem testing a G10 LDV van as far back as 2017, when LDV could not provide the GCM despite a direct approach to the factory in China. Why such a fundamental figure must remain secret is a mystery to us and could be a deal-breaker if you need to tow and carry.

The cargo bay offers a competitive 10.97 cubic metres of load volume. Its load floor’s 3413mm length, 1800mm width and 1366mm between wheel housings means it can easily carry two 1165mm-square Aussie pallets or up to four 1200 x 800mm Euro pallets, held in place by a choice of eight sturdy load anchorage points. There’s also a small cave above the cabin which is ideal for carrying straps, ropes, load padding, tarps etc.

There’s more than ample cabin storage too, with large-bottle holders and two levels of storage in each front door, numerous nooks of different shapes and sizes across the dashboard including a driver’s cup holder, plus a single glove-box and large overhead storage shelf with central sunglasses holder.

Pivoting the two passenger seat base cushions forward reveals another big storage area beneath them. The centre seat backrest also folds down to reveal a handy work desk on the back if it, which includes two cup holders. Overall, there’s smart use of space here.

Our test vehicle is the long wheelbase mid-roof, which is part of a three-model Deliver 9 range offering mixed wheelbase and roof height combinations. According to local distributor Ateco, the van’s unusual name has no real significance beyond the fact that in China it’s sold as the V90, so given Volvo’s existing V90 nomenclature, LDV changed the name to Deliver 9 in export markets.

Available only with a 2.0 litre turbo-diesel engine, the standard transmission is a six-speed manual or there’s the optional six-speed automatic like our test vehicle, which has an RRP of $44,726. Needless to say, that’s a massive saving compared to top-selling van rivals like the Ford Transit 350L LWB RWD auto at $54,090 and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 314 CDI LWB RWD auto at $66,240.

Colour choice is limited to Blanc White or Pacific Blue. It comes equipped with 16-inch steel wheels and 235/65R16C tyres with a full-size spare, plus checker-plate-pattern rubber flooring throughout, LED cargo bay lighting, big truck-style power adjustable and heated side mirrors with indicators, seating for three including an eight-way adjustable driver’s seat with fold-down inboard armrest and an multimedia system with big 10.1-inch touchscreen, two USB ports and Apple CarPlay (but no Android Auto) to name a few. There’s even a rare and endangered cigarette lighter and ashtray.

LDV also offers a $1500 options pack which adds 236-degree rear door opening (except mid-wheelbase model), blind-spot monitoring, lane-change assist and remote keyless entry with push button start.

The HiLux BEV is equipped with two electric motors delivering full-time four-wheel drive. The front motor drives the front wheels and produces 82.2kW of power and 205.5Nm of torque. The more powerful rear motor driving the rear wheels produces 129.3kW and 268.6Nm.

Combined maximum power output is officially rated at 144kW but there’s no official combined torque figure given that the electric motors produce their peak torque at different times.

These motors drive the wheels through chassis-mounted transaxles equipped with single-speed transmissions. They are synchronised electronically using ‘fly-by-wire’ accelerator and gear/mode selection.

The centre console-mounted shifter controls conventional drive selections (Park, Drive, Reverse) plus offers a ‘B’ setting for optimum regenerative braking, to minimise brake pedal use and maximise battery charging.

Its full-time 4x4 system automatically distributes torque on demand between the front and rear wheels according to traction sensors. The driver can choose between three drive modes (Normal, Sport and Eco) and has access to a multi-terrain system (MTS) which optimises traction in different terrain across six settings including Auto, Dirt, Sand, Mud, Mogul and Snow.

The strengthened chassis frame provides protection for the propulsion battery mounted between the main rails. Toyota claims the battery subframe has been designed for flexibility to tolerate high levels of torsional twist when off-roading. It features a full undercover to protect high voltage parts from water splash or other damage and shares the same 700mm wading depth as the diesel version.

HiLux BEV also features a unique De Dion-type (rigid hollow beam axle) leaf spring rear suspension, with the transaxle mounted on the chassis frame to reduce unsprung weight and the beam axle with traditional leaf springs allowing efficient load carrying and off-road performance.

LDV’s Euro 5-compliant 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel produces 110kW at 3500rpm and 375Nm between 1500-2400rpm, which is adequate but not class-leading. It also offers a choice of Eco and Power driving modes and auto stop/start. 

The six-speed torque converter automatic is smooth-shifting and easy to use. It also has the option of sequential manual-shifting which can be handy at times when hauling heavy loads, particularly in hilly terrain to save the transmission from continually hunting for gears.

The HiLux BEV has an official driving range of up to 315km based on the optimistic NEDC combined cycle test procedure.

When we collected our test vehicle the propulsion battery charge was at 100 per cent but the displayed estimated driving range was 272km.

We initially drove 84km unladen in metro traffic (using only Normal/Eco drive modes and max regen braking) with average combined energy consumption of 28.3kWh/100km, which was way above the sub-20kWh/100km figure needed to crack the claimed 300km-plus of driving range.

After recharging to 100 per cent for our GVM test, the estimated driving range dropped to 266km. On this second charge we drove another 173km, of which more than 100km was hauling a full payload which saw a spike in energy consumption to 31kWh/100km. We finished our test with 19 per cent charge and 50km of driving range remaining.

Our total test distance was 258km during which we achieved average energy consumption of 27.8kWh/100km. Therefore, based on our consumption figure, you could expect a driving range in real-world urban use of around 200-220km.

Toyota claims a 10-80 per cent charge time of approximately 30 minutes using a (150kW) DC fast charger or 10-100 per cent in about 6.5 hours using (10kW) AC charging.

The dash display was showing an average combined figure of 11.0L/100km at the end of our 290km test, with the auto start/stop function disabled and about a third of that distance hauling maximum payload. Our figure crunched from fuel bowser and tripmeter came in at 12L/100km, so you could expect a real-world driving range of around 660km from its 80-litre tank.

It also rides and handles much like its diesel stablemate. The most noticeable differences are the smooth yet energetic power delivery and the near silence of its drivetrain, with most cabin noise coming from the tyres which is also far from intrusive.

Near instant torque from its dual electric motors provides lively response for a vehicle of this size and weight. While it doesn’t nail your eyeballs to the back of your head like some EVs, it does provide spirited acceleration from standing starts and takes less than 10 seconds to reach triple-digit speeds.

To test its GVM rating we forklifted 650kg into the load tub which with driver was lineball with its peak payload rating. The leaf-spring rear suspension only compressed about 40mm under this weight leaving ample bump-stop clearance that ensured no bottoming-out on our test route.

In true HiLux tradition, the ride quality noticeably improved and the chassis and drivetrain were more than capable of hauling this payload on a variety of roads. Overall, it’s a competent load hauler like its diesel stablemate, albeit always with an eye on the battery charge given its limited range.

It’s pleasantly civilised to drive unladen, even on bumpy roads. With rock-hard tyre pressures (front 51psi, rear 71psi) recommended for load-carrying, the unladen ride remained disciplined and relatively smooth, so LDV has done a good job with the suspension tuning.

We were also pleasantly surprised by the low internal noise levels, not only in city and suburban driving but also at highway speeds. We can only assume that the load floor’s thick rubber flooring, which also covers the rear wheel housings, is effective in reducing the higher noise levels typically experienced in vans without cabin bulkheads like this one.

There are clear eye-lines to the door mirrors and the view through the rear doors using the central mirror is also uncluttered. There’s evenly-balanced elbow support for the driver between the fold-down inboard armrest and door moulding. However, we did miss having a left footrest.

With maximum torque available across a broad band between 1600-2400rpm, the engine displays good flexibility in city and suburban driving, even though it lacks the instant punch of rivals like the Transit’s stellar 2.0 litre EcoBoost engine when operating in its peak torque zone. The engine only needs 2000rpm at 100km/h and 2250rpm at 110km/h, but the degree of push required on the accelerator pedal to maintain it feels like it’s punching above its weight a little in either drive mode.

Our only major gripe is the adaptive cruise control. Usually these systems will automatically resume their pre-set speed, after being given clear road ahead following a lane change from behind a slower vehicle. However, our test vehicle required tapping the accelerator each time a lane change was made to resume the set speed. It also required this reset technique after downhill braking, so some refinement here would be welcome.

There’s no ANCAP required in the 3501-800kg GVM class but it comes well equipped for the money with AEB, lane-departure warning, reverse parking sensors and wide-view reversing camera, hill-hold assist, adaptive cruise control and stability control. There’s also driver and passenger front, side and curtain airbags. No cross-traffic alert but blind-spot monitoring and lane-change assist are available as part of the previously mentioned options pack.

The HiLux BEV comes standard with a five-year/unlimited km warranty and separate five-year warranty covering the propulsion battery which can be extended for up to five years (so 10 years in total) with an annual battery health check. The propulsion battery is also covered by an eight-year/160,000km capacity warranty if its energy storage falls below 70 per cent of the original capacity.

Scheduled servicing is every six months/10,000km with capped pricing of $220 per scheduled service for the first five years (or 10 services in total).

The company has a vast network of more than 275 dealerships across Australia including all states and territories and many regional areas.

LDV’s national network of 82 dealers inspires more confidence than the three years/160,000km warranty, which is less than the major players – but then its purchase price is much lower too. Scheduled servicing is six months/5000km then 12 months/35,000km whichever occurs first and 12 months/30,000km after that. Capped-price servicing program of $1895 covers the first three years or 95,000km whichever occurs first.