In 1967, Toyota blessed the world with the Hiace and it was a huge success. Comfort and practicality merged along with a powerful and reliable engine; it was the perfect recipe. It was sold in huge numbers throughout the world but sadly, like many great cars it never came to India.
But hold up people, looks like there’s some hope for us after all. The Japanese giants have finally come to their senses and have introduced the Hiace with a price tag of ₹55 Lakhs. The launch is yet to take place but it is pretty much the done deal. So we have to keep the tradition alive and compare variants of cool cars in India and Pakistan because the Hiace is certainly a cool car.
Models: Are they any different?
The first difference between the Indian and Pakistani versions is that they are completely different gen. While Pakistan gets the latest 6th gen model with all the new bells and whistles India will the 5th gen (doesn’t even make sense) model.
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The Powertrain Comparison
While Pakistan gets a couple of powertrain options ranging from a 3.5-litre petrol unit to a 2.8-litre diesel engine with a different state of tunings with either manual or an automatic gearbox, India will only get a 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel engine producing 151 BHP paired to an automatic gearbox.
Dimensions: Which one is the big daddy?
There is a significant difference between the 2 in terms of size. Although both generations are very comfortable, the Pakistan model is significantly bigger than the previous gen.
The Hiace sold in India measure about 5,380mm in length, 1,880 in width and nearly 2,105mm in height.
On the contrary, the one in Pakistan is bigger in every dimension. That translates to 5,265 mm x 1,950 mm x 1,990 mm in length, width and height respectively.
Coming to the seating configuration…
The Indian version will get a standard 14-seat configuration while the Pakistani version is all set to boast an all 17-seat configuration. Talk about practicality!
Interior and features
The Indian version will feel a little outdated with old interiors but it’s still comfortable and practical with comfortable seats and an awful amount of storage spaces. If the talk about features ain’t much to talk about. Among the equipment offered on the MPV are:
- 2-DIN audio system with CD, USB and AUX support in the middle
- Space-efficient dash-mounted gear selector.
Other features include
- Dual front airbags
- ABS with EBD
- Power steering
- Power windows
- Rear defogger
- AC vents for each row
- Semi-reclining seats
- Power-sliding rear door
Safety Features Comparison
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| Feature | Indian | Pakistani |
| ABS |  |
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| Dual Front Airbags | |
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| Hill-start assist |  |
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| Vehicle stability control | |
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| Parking sensors | |
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However, the Pakistan version gets a major update. As far as audio systems go, the Grandia and Grandia Tourer variants also get a better 6.9-inch touchscreen infotainment display with a six-speaker setup—albeit still lacking Android Auto or Apple CarPlay compatibility—compared with the basic four-speaker audio setup of the Commuter Delux. Several USB ports can also be found in the passenger cabin of the two higher variants, while the other only gets two ports in the front.
Lastly talking about the pricing, although the new model is costlier, it totally justifies it. So, the move of launching a previous-gen a hit or a miss for Toyota? Only time will tell.
Let us know in the comment section, what do you think of the Toyota Hiace?
Read more: Toyota Hiace Introduced, Priced At ₹55 Lakhs
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