– By Marc Sibbald –
White vans aren’t something you put on your wish list as a motoring journo. The only time they get some coverage is when the Editor is moving house and needs a van. So when Dan Hawkins from Lander Toyota rang and asked if I wanted to take a Hiace for a drive, I responded, “I’ll take a Supra and write about a Hiace.”
Like any good salesperson, Dan didn’t take no for an answer so I eventually gave in. “Ok,” I said. “If you can drop it off on Tuesday I’ll take it for two days but I won’t enjoy it.”
I remember being excited when the Hyundai iLoad was launched because it changed the segment. Previously only European vans were ‘nice’ to drive. The iLoad drove more like a car with a price point and reliability that was not associated with the VW, Mercedes or Renault. At launch (in 2007) it received a four star ANCAP rating compared to the three star Toyota Hiace.
With the new model Hiace the tables have turned. The Hiace is now five star ANCAP thanks to a list of standard safety features, previously only available in high spec passenger cars, and is ‘nice’ to drive thanks to the repositioning of the driver’s seat and the engine – you’re no longer sitting on top of it.
The thing I love most about the latest generation of new cars are the safety features; and Apple CarPlay. Obviously the ride and build quality improve with each new release but in recent years the inclusion of passive and active safety features has snowballed. And Apply CarPlay somehow makes a base model feel luxurious.
So getting into the 2019 model Hiace I wasn’t sure what to expect. In short – it was impressive. I was trying not to enjoy my two day drive experience but each trip I noticed something new and exciting. If it was a new RAV4 hybrid I would’ve taken a different approach during the review, with a van I didn’t expect much so I got more.
Equipment levels and safety features are now abundant on Hiace, with Toyota’s Safety Sense system standard on all models, featuring:-
- Blind Spot Monitoring
- Rear Cross Traffic Alert
- Lane Departure Alert
- Road Sign Recognition
- Pre-collision Safety System with Pedestrian and cyclist detection
Toyota has been late to embrace Apple CarPlay so the Hiace I drove didn’t have it though it’s available on models since November 2019 or as a free upgrade for earlier models. Organisations running van fleets will be instantly reducing the risk of accidents and improving driver safety by purchasing this five star ANCAP model. And drivers will instantly enjoy their workplace more.
