Toyota Hiace 2019 Tow Test

The new sixth-generation Toyota HiAce is the first all-new HiAce in 15 years, and a marked improvement over the stalwart van we've known and loved.

Gone is the cab-over-engine design, replaced by a safer snub-nose body style that houses new petrol and turbo-diesel engine options and six-speed transmissions.

It's heavier, longer, and more expensive, but also better equipped, safer and – for all but the petrol manual LWB van – able to tow more. That's where this test kicks in…

HiAce van meets tandem trailer

Fresh from the HiAce's local launch, we hitched up a tandem trailer for a long-distance road test to Goulburn, NSW.

The 1132kg track car (a Mazda MX-5) and 365kg tandem trailer gave us a total of 1497kg behind the new HiAce, or 3kg shy of this particular models' braked towing capacity. Yes, we've tested it to the limit!

The new Toyota HiAce offers 1400kg for V6 petrol-powered manual models, 1500kg (+100kg) for automatic petrol and turbo-diesel models, and 1900kg capacity for manual turbo-diesel LWB vans.

In the cargo bay were a few sets of wheels and tyres, tools, jacks, axle stands and the usual paraphernalia for a weekend's racing. In all we estimate just on 180kg payload in the back of the HiAce, which has a payload capacity of 1075kg.

The inside of the cargo bay is 470mm shorter than the outgoing model, but the trade-off is a larger, more comfortable cabin. The LWB Van on test offers 6.2 cubic metres.

Open-road towing 

Pulling a single-axle box trailer to the tip is one thing, but towing a dual-axle tandem most of the way to Sydney (and back) is quite another.

It's a real test for the all-new Toyota HiAce, and one that will quickly show the benefits of its stronger Prado/HiLux/Fortuner-sourced 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine and smart-shifting six-speed automatic transmission.

Our test vehicle (which is priced at $44,140 plus on-road costs) tipped the scales at 2288kg as tested, which meant an as-tested GCM of 4055kg with track car, trailer, cargo, fuel and driver.

Taking the Hume Freeway north toward Sydney sees plenty of opportunity to study the HiAce's cruising ability. At 100km/h the 130kW/450Nm diesel is ticking over at 1650rpm in top (sixth) gear, that figure rising to 1830rpm at 110km/h. Maximum torque arrives between 1600-2400rpm.

We tried the HiAce with the cruise control activated and deactivated over differing sections of terrain and found the 'smarts' of the electronic cruise control were often as predictive and diligent as the nut behind the wheel.

With the cruise control on, the Toyota managed to maintain a consistent speed up and down steep grades, the speedo needle wavering only 1-2km/h at most.

Steeper grades saw the transmission run back to fourth gear and hold 3400rpm (incidentally the HiAce's maximum power delivery number) while maintaining 110km/h. There wasn't much in reserve at this point, but we found it was possible to gain speed on precipitous climbs which is useful in passing B-double trucks and the like.

The HiAce's turbo-diesel engine didn't seemed fazed by the Hume's considerable climbs, the engine temperature needle staying fixed at its normal position in spite of the extended highway-speed climbs north of Gundagai. Ambient temperature on test ranged from -2c to +13c degrees.

Improved towing stability 

The HiAce's tow hitch might sit a little lower than the average dual-cab ute, but depending on what you're towing, that may be a good thing. For us, the drawbar was a little low, and given its length, meant navigating a steep driveway was a bit of a challenge.

That point aside, the Toyota HiAce towed with a flat attitude that certainly helped its stability at highway speeds. The van sat quite evenly front to rear with suspension response to match. We found bump absorption and recovery to be better than many firmer-riding dual-cab utes, and a lot better than the outgoing model.

As a result, the HiAce's braking performance was also exceptionally predictable. A fraction more power would be a bonus if owners were towing frequently, though uprated pads and judicious use of the manual shifter would alleviate many of the braking system's shortfalls.

That said, we never 'ran out' of brakes, and found stopping distances acceptable given the weight on board. In wet, windy weather the HiAce's electronic aids worked effectively to counter crosswinds, the HiAce's yaw control a handy assistant in gusty conditions.

Lane-keeping assist is also a bonus when towing a wide trailer, the system seemingly 'understanding' of the trailer's presence. The electronic aid worked with the driver to keep the HiAce central in its lane, day or night.

It's been a while since I last towed with a HiAce, but I reckon the differential did a better job of distributing torque to each of the rear wheels.

Unlike many front-wheel drive competitors, the rear-wheel drive Toyota HiAce had no issues getting its power to the ground with a trailer on the back, even with the substantial amounts of standing water that had accumulated on parts of the Hume.

Creature comforts

There's no doubt the new HiAce is easier to get into and out of than the old one. It's also a more spacious, and generally better laid-out cabin.

Seating and general ergonomics are very good, though an inboard armrest for the driver would be a welcome addition.

We also found excessive road noise and transfer through the tow bar an issue in a van without a bulkhead.

The van's large cargo area exaggerates the noise of the trailer and rear wheels, and while that's typical for a mid-sized commercial van, it's still annoying.

However, the fundamentals of the HiAce's cabin are pretty hard to fault. The washer/wipers work very well, as does the HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) system; again in spite of the omission of a cabin bulkhead.

Unfortunately the same can't be said of the HiAce's headlights, which are feeble in wet weather on low-beam. They are much better in dry weather and on high-beam. The auto high-beam system is reasonably assiduous, but operates better in line-of-sight traffic than it does around corners (obviously).

The HiAce's mirrors are an excellent size for towing – especially when reversing. The reversing camera's guidelines are also great for hitching the trailer in the first place, easily allowing a solo operator to get the hitch on the ball first go.

The verdict

More stable, more confident and more comfortable, the new Toyota HiAce is a vastly improved tow tug when viewed against its predecessor.

Sure, the engine on our test model was barely run in, but we think the fuel economy average of 12.3L/100km is acceptable given our relatively high average speed.

Combining the security and weather-tightness of a van with a towing ability most trade buyers can now realistically utilise, the new HiAce's broader capabilities mean it's likely to become a bigger sales success than before. Tow test? Tick!

How much does the 2019 Toyota HiAce LWB Diesel cost?
Price: $44,140 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 130kW/450Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.2L/100km (ADR Combined); 12.3L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 214g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP (2019)