Introduction
What Car? says...
Toyota isn’t a name often associated with vans. People largely think its commercial vehicle repertoire begins and ends with the Toyota Hilux pick-up truck, but Toyota has a long tradition of making light commercial vehicles, particularly those in the mid-sized sector.
The Toyota HiAce was introduced in the 1960s and there have been many other ‘Ace’ versions since, and while the Toyota Proace is in no way a relative or even a descendant of models from the past, the name certainly sets it out as a Toyota van.
There are two engine options, the smaller of which also originates from the passenger car world. The 1.5-litre unit is available with either 100bhp or 120bhp and is paired with a six-speed manual gearbox. A more powerful 2.0-litre engine also comes with 120bhp or 174bhp options but it is only the bigger of the two that is available with an eight-speed automatic gearbox. Unlike the other vans from Peugeot, Citroën and Vauxhall, there is no middle (147bhp) power rating for the 2.0-litre engine.
The Proace has Compact, Medium and Long body lengths, but there is no option of a high roof model. Trims range from the entry-level Active to the top-spec Design option. There is also an Icon trim level in between. Toyota also produces a combi van version of the Proace that can seat up to nine people.
