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TOYOTA HIACE 2.5 D4D GLS
Page 25
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The Toyota was the dark horse of the group. The fact that it seems to have been around for ages but never aggressively marketed seems to have given it a fairly anonymous character.
The Hiace has a relatively lightweight construction, giving a tonne-plus payload, which is commendable as the only rear-driver of the group, and it has a competitive load volume. We've previously summed up the Hiace as being a great van in search of a decent engine. It now has a good engine, the 2.4-litre 0-40 utilising the latest common-rail technology to give the highest torque figure of the group. Ironically, Toyota has now dropped the previously undeserved Power Van name. like the VW, the Toyota's fuel figures quoted were obtained at 3,000kg gross, so look a bit worse than they are.
Toyota's designers have obviously put much thought into detailing the Hiace. Things like the centre-seat backrest which folds down to make a table have been done before, but Toyota has gone one stage further and made its lid into a removable A4 clipboard. Likewise the rear tailgate, which in its normal position is too low to allow fork-lift access; give each gas strut a half turn and you gain a substantial extra helping of height.
The dash was universally praised for its clarity and ergonomics, and the only thing that really let the Hiace down as a serious commercial vehicle were the inadequate mirrors.