The new LWB (Long Wheel Base) HiAce range offers either 3.5 litre petrol V6 or 2.8 litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engines and a choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmissions. There’s also a five-seater Crew version available with diesel and auto.
Our test vehicle is the LWB with 2.8 turbo-diesel and six-speed auto for a list price of $44,140. That’s higher than its closest rivals like the Hyundai iLoad ($41,790) and Ford Transit Custom ($43,790), but still competitive given the high resale value that comes with the Toyota badge.
Our test vehicle was fitted with some Toyota genuine accessories including floor mats, window weather shields, headlight covers, bonnet protector, front nudge bar, rear corner protectors and full towing kit, with a combined value of more than $2800. And these are just part of a more extensive range including cargo barriers, load floor protection, specialised cargo wall linings, internal and external ladder rack systems, rear steps and lots more.
The new LWB comes in one base colour (French Vanilla) and one model grade, but the list of standard equipment has a useful work focus including manual air-con, folding and heated exterior door mirrors with indicators, two 12-volt cabin accessory sockets and tilt-and-reach adjustable leather-accented steering wheel with audio, multimedia and cruise controls.
There’s also a 7.0-inch touchscreen display for the two-speaker infotainment system with DAB+2 digital radio, CD player (remember those?) and lots of connectivity including Siri voice recognition, Bluetooth, sat-nav with SUNA Live Traffic, eyes-free and Toyota Link. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be added late in 2019, with free retro-fitment for sixth-gen HiAces delivered before then.
The wheels are 16-inch steels with full wheel covers and 215/60R16 tyres, backed by a full-size spare. The standard equipment safety net sets a new category benchmark, headlined by its enviable five-star ANCAP rating and AEB.