Toyota updates HiAce and Granvia for 2022

TOYOTA Motor Corporation Australia (TMCA) has updated its HiAace light commercial van and related Granvia people mover for the 2022 model year, with most of the changes revolving around increased safety and the axing of the petrol V6 drivetrain.

According to TMCA, it was the “overwhelming customer preference” for the more efficient and torquier 2.8-litre turbo-diesel engine that led to the demise of the 207kW/351Nm 3.5-litre petrol.

Paired almost exclusively to a six-speed automatic transmission – a manual is available on the long-wheelbase HiAce – the diesel donk churns out 130kW/450Nm, though the torque figure dips to 420Nm when paired with the manual.

Under the bonnet of the HiAce Commuter, it drops even further, to 120kW/420Nm.

Available from September, pricing for the mid-sized commercial and people-moving range has risen marginally on the account of extra standard equipment and safety kit offered on every variant – the HiAces are all up $990 to start at $44,230 plus on-roads while the Granvias have risen “by less than two per cent” to start from $65,150.

Leading the charge for the new gear is the inclusion of Toyota Connected Services, the Granvia also picking up rear privacy glass, carpeted front floor mats and six USB Type C ports replacing the outgoing model’s older Type A format.

As for its commercial-oriented sibling, the HiAce scores a new centre console box containing a removable tray, an A4-sized binder rack and a movable partition, while the Commuter GLs go one step further with an LED light housed within the box and upgraded USB ports.

Existing standard equipment highlights on all versions include an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, cruise control, a reversing camera and parking sensors front and rear.

Little has changed on either model in terms of appearance, with the only giveaway being the new ‘low-profile’ roof-mounted antenna and the only colour (on the HiAces at least) being ‘French Vanilla’.

The HiAce had the measure of the 2.3-3.5t van segment through the first half of the year, chalking up 4956 sales, earning it a 34.7 per cent share of the market.

The Granvia did not fair quite so well, with only 100 units shifted compared to the 193 Mercedes-Benz V-Classes sold over the same period, netting the Merc a dominant 38.8 per cent share of the $60,000-plus people mover segment compared to the Toyota’s 20.1 per cent.

Making things worse for Toyota, Mercedes also occupies second spot in the segment with the Valente notching up 109 sales  for a 21.8 per cent share.

2022 Toyota HiAce pricing*

*Excludes on-road costs

2022 Toyota Granvia pricing*

*Excludes on-road costs