Toyota Hiace: history, nicknames and how to spot one

At a glance

56–176 hpPower

162–450 N·mTorque

1,130–2,260 kgWeight

The coral arc spans the family, from its mildest version to its wildest.^1,3,7,11

Gearbox: 1999 2.4 L wagon: 4-speed auto; 2020 GL Grandia: 6-speed manual/auto^3,8
Built at: Fifth-gen: Honsha, Toyota Auto Body and Gifu Auto Body, Japan¹⁰

The story

The 1967 Hiace combined passenger and commercial roles in a cab-over body. Its 2019 overseas redesign moved the engine ahead of the cabin; Japan kept the existing model for its different local market.^1,2,3

GenerationsMilestones^{1,2,3,4,5,6,7,10,11,13,14}

Show the numbers

Year	What happened
1967–1977	Toyota HiAce (first generation) (H10)
1977–1982	Toyota HiAce (second generation) (H20/H30/H40)
1982–2007	Toyota HiAce (third generation) (H50/H60/H70)
1989–2004	Toyota HiAce (fourth generation) (H100)
2004–present	Toyota HiAce (fifth generation) (H200)
2019–present	Toyota HiAce (sixth generation) (H300)
1967	Four bodies, one cab-over idea
1977	Roomier vans, 9- or 10-seat wagons
1982	Coil springs for the luxury wagon
1989	RZ gasoline and electronic diesel
1993	1KZ-TE diesel and full-time 4WD
1999	Water-cooled intercooler for the 1KZ-TE
2019	Philippine premiere, engine moves forward
2025	Updated safety scores exclude the buses

1967
Four bodies, one cab-over idea
October's debut offered wagon, Commuter, delivery van and truck bodies; the wagon and van had monocoque construction and independent front suspension.¹
1977
Roomier vans, 9- or 10-seat wagons
February's second generation enlarged the cargo cabin; 9- and 10-seat wagons followed in April.⁴
1982
Coil springs for the luxury wagon
December's third generation gave the wagon four-link coil-spring rear suspension and a top-end Super Custom Sunroof/Moonroof grade.⁵
1989
RZ gasoline and electronic diesel
New RZ gasoline engines arrived with August's fourth generation. In October 1990, its 2.4-liter 2L-T turbo-diesel became the electronically controlled 2L-TE.^6,7
1993
1KZ-TE diesel and full-time 4WD
August's Japanese wagon facelift replaced the 2L-TE and 3L diesels with the 3.0-liter 1KZ-TE; 4WD models switched from part-time to full-time drive.^6,7
1999
Water-cooled intercooler for the 1KZ-TE
July's wagon update added a water-cooled intercooler to the 3.0-liter diesel, raising torque; Super Custom Limited gained second-row captain's chairs.⁸
2019
Philippine premiere, engine moves forward
The sixth generation made its global debut in the Philippines with a semi-bonnet body; Japan kept the fifth generation for its different market needs.^2,3
2025
Updated safety scores exclude the buses
Updated vans and crew vans scored 80% for adult protection and 81% for safety assist; Commuter bus and Minibus variants are unrated.⁹

Every generation

H101967–1977
H20/H30/H401977–1982
H50/H60/H701982–2007
H1001989–2004
H2002004–present
H3002019–present

Power over the years

From 56 hp to 176 hp in 52 years.

^1,3,6,12

Show the numbers

Year	Horsepower	Model
1967	56	Debut 1.3-liter gasoline
1967	70	Debut 1.5-liter 2R
1971	83	1.6-liter 12R
1989	93	2.4TD Super Custom Limited
1989	118	2.4 EFI Super Custom Limited
2015	158	2.7-liter gasoline update
2019	163	2020 GL Grandia Tourer
2019	176	2020 Commuter Deluxe / GL Grandia

Versions

12 versions worth knowing, with their power.

Standard

H300 Commuter Deluxe

2020

176 hp
Standard

H200 Wagon DX / GL / Grand Cabin
Standard

H100 Super Custom / Super Custom G / Limited

1999
Standard

H300 GL Grandia

2020

176 hp
Standard

H300 GL Grandia Tourer

2020

163 hp
Standard

Super Grandia LXV

101 hp
Special

H100 Welcab

1999
Special

H100 Cruising Cabin
Special

H100 Living Saloon EX

1999
Special

H200 Super GL DARK PRIME II

2018
Special

H200 Super GL DARK PRIME S

2025
Limited

H200 Super GL 50TH ANNIVERSARY LIMITED

2018

How to spot one

Look for

H200: square front, nearly flat sides and exposed bodywork at the B-pillars.^13,18
H300: a projecting hood, wider windshield, lower window line and auxiliary mirrors.^3,13
1977 generation: a longer, more streamlined cab with single headlights.⁷

Year by year

July 1999, H100 Wagon
Thicker grille top trim, a broader-looking bumper and large combined headlamps mark the facelift; fog and reverse lamps gain multi-reflectors.^7,8
2006, Europe
Granvia-based European cars gain larger, jewel-style headlamps.⁷
2010, H200
Reworked headlights, grille and bumper refresh the face, with the styling moving toward a more passenger-car-like look.^13,18
2013, H200 (Japan)
A broad surround frames the upper and lower front openings; revised taillights add aero fins.^13,18
2019, overseas
The sixth generation trades the one-box outline for a hooded nose; its engine now sits ahead of the driver area.³

Don’t confuse it with

Hiace
Toyota RegiusAce
Toyota RegiusAce
A rebadged Hiace van, so check its model name. In 1999, RegiusAce used Vista dealers while Hiace used Toyopet.^7,8

Against its rivals

Hiace vs Hyundai Staria Load Premium (2024)

Loaded consumption: low lower is better

Hiace9.8 L/100 km

Hyundai Staria Load Premium (2024)7.4 L/100 km
¹⁹
Hiace vs LDV eDeliver 7 High Roof (2024)

Cargo volume

Hiace6.2 m³

LDV eDeliver 7 High Roof (2024)8.7 m³
¹⁹

Prices

Value today $9.0K–$16.0K^26,27,28

Auction saleValue today

^26,27,28

Show the numbers

Year	Price	Amount	Detail
2025	Auction sale	$9,000	2000 Super Custom turbodiesel 4WD, 152k miles, BaT
2026	Auction sale	$16,000	1995 Super Custom Limited 4WD, 126k miles, BaT
2026	Auction sale	$15,600	1994 diesel 4WD camper, 116k miles, BaT
2026	Value today	$9,000–$16,000

The rest of the story is in the app

The full file tells why each version matters, the legend behind the car and what to check before buying one.

Versions
- Why each of the 12 versions matters
Legend
- 14 stories from its legend
- “A Hiace beat a GT86 to a rally class win”
- “Unlock a Hiace with 322-322-322”
Generations
- The story of each of the 6 generations
Market
- 6 things to check before buying one
- Where prices are heading, and why

Read the full file in SPOT

SPOT is free on iPhone. Full car files come with SPOT Plus.

Sources

Every fact on this page links to the source it rests on.

See all 28 sources

toyota-global.com
global.toyota
carguide.ph
en.wikipedia.org
ancap.com.au
carexpert.com.au
carsales.com.au
redriven.com
toyota.jp
topgear.com.ph
response.jp
toyota-body.co.jp
dirtfish.com
wanganmaxi-official.com

At a glance

The story

Four bodies, one cab-over idea

Roomier vans, 9- or 10-seat wagons

Coil springs for the luxury wagon

RZ gasoline and electronic diesel

1KZ-TE diesel and full-time 4WD

Water-cooled intercooler for the 1KZ-TE

Philippine premiere, engine moves forward

Updated safety scores exclude the buses

Every generation

Power over the years

Versions

H300 Commuter Deluxe

H200 Wagon DX / GL / Grand Cabin

H100 Super Custom / Super Custom G / Limited

H300 GL Grandia

H300 GL Grandia Tourer

Super Grandia LXV

H100 Welcab

H100 Cruising Cabin

H100 Living Saloon EX

H200 Super GL DARK PRIME II

H200 Super GL DARK PRIME S

H200 Super GL 50TH ANNIVERSARY LIMITED

How to spot one

Look for

Year by year

Don’t confuse it with

Toyota RegiusAce

Against its rivals

Prices

The rest of the story is in the app

Versions

Legend

Generations

Market

Sources

Photo credits

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