After unveiling the Hiace at the Auto Expo last year, Toyota showcased another version of the van at last month's SIAM Bus and Special Vehicle Show in Delhi. Our sister publication Autocar Professional got word from Toyota Kirloskar Motor's senior VP and director of marketing and sales, N Raja, that the Hiace could cost upward of Rs 40 lakh when it launches here.
According to Raja, the Hiace will come fully loaded to our showrooms to justify the steep pricing.
While the Hiace will initially be brought in as a CBU from Japan by mid-2015, it is expected to be locally assembled later in order to cut costs and position it at a more affordable price point. Currently, being a 10-seater, the Hiace can only be registered as a commercial vehicle in India, which is why Toyota's planning on targeting fleet operators.
The Hiace is powered by the same 3.0-litre diesel engine that powers the Fortuner SUV and comes mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. In terms of features, it gets power steering, power windows, audio system with CD and USB compatibility, rear defogger, rear-view camera, ABS and dual front airbags.