Toyota Hiace Commuter/GL Grandia/Super Grandia Owners & Discussions Thread [Merged]

[badkuk]

ung shape nya...you'd think they'd stack it on top on one another like bricks when they shipped it here B)

i like the old hiace' body better

[OTEP]

Wow, ok siya. However, the more I thought about it, parang hindi din siya makakalamang masyado sa MB100. Biggest lamang niya na siguro is yung Toyota name and potentially excellent reliability.

Not that I'm nitpicking but:
*The rear seats don't fold down for hauling stuff. They don't seem to recline fully either.
*The engine is still in the middle (I prefer the true front engine lay out of the MB100).
*No body side mouldings
*No foglamps
*No rear undermirror
*Still rear-wheel drive resulting in high floor and difficulty in backing up on steep driveways
*Still no alloy wheels for the price

Anyways, it's still one of the best brand new maxivans in the market today.

[pixelparadigm]

Isn't it that the RWD layout is beneficial to these types of vehicles? It would result to lighter steering and upward inclines wouldn't be much of a worry. A FWD layout for this type of vehicle isn't that desirable due to their long wheelbase.

[OTEP]

Isn't it that the RWD layout is beneficial to these types of vehicles? It would result to lighter steering and upward inclines wouldn't be much of a worry. A FWD layout for this type of vehicle isn't that desirable due to their long wheelbase.

Lighter steering is the job of the powersteering system. The system can be tuned to deliver the desired weight.

Upward inclines are not a problem since most of the vehicle's weight (nearly 60% in the MB100, I think) is sitting on the drive wheels.

U.S. minivans have a longer wheelbase than the MB100 whose wheelbase is similar to a compact sedan (the long overhangs just make it look long) and yet they use front-drive.

In any case, the FWD layout does reward you with a lower step-in height, less driveline noise (though the noisy flywheel does seem to cancel this) and less loss of power as it is transmitted to the driveline (more hp actually reaches the wheels).

Fitting non-folding rear seats is kinda stupid, though. Maybe Toyota can refit the base model's folding rear seats for customers who want a folding rear seat. Nissan allows you to exercise this option for their Urvan Grand Estate models.

[mbt]

well, FWD may grant even more interior space by making a lower floor possible (this may make loading stuff into the cargo bay easier too), since there's no need for a prop shaft and rear diff and axle. it will also have better traction in slippery situations (on a wet road, but especially on a snowy or icy road).

on the other hand, RWD may mean more neutral handling and less understeer (because of more even weight distribution), but this isn't a given because RWDs may be tuned for understeer regardless.

that said, i dont think FWD/RWD matters too much for this van. it's already plenty big enough inside as it is, so the packaging advantages of FWD aren't as useful for an application like this. and you won't exactly be driving this van like a race car right hehe (save for emergency situations where rear wheel-drive may mean more agility).

biggest downside to this all-new Grandia, imo, is the lack of folding, sliding, tumbling, or easily-removable seats. it's 2005 already hehe, seats should be 2005-smart :D

[isketi]

...biggest downside to this all-new Grandia, imo, is the lack of folding, sliding, tumbling, or easily-removable seats. it's 2005 already hehe, seats should be 2005-smart :D

The best seating configuration for me so far is that of the Kia Pregio GS, all bench type fully reclining (parang kang may kama) and folding 4th row seat for increased cargo space.

[BlueBimmer]

mukhang value for money ito if for hauling a bunch of people or family around...hmmm oks to pang kasalan hehe

[OTEP]

Sana maging available option ito:

[carlocaraddict]

Sana maging available option ito:

astig!

[busy road]

Generally it looks good. Though it was a little bit noselifted, unsafe parin siya. Your feet are just 1 foot away from the outside grill.

[OTEP]

Generally it looks good. Though it was a little bit noselifted, unsafe parin siya. Your feet are just 1 foot away from the outside grill.

I wouldn't call it 'unsafe'. The current crop of forward control vans (Hi Ace, Pregio, Urvan GE, MB100, etc.) still do have safety standards to meet in the markets where they are sold (mostly in Asia and Australia). And that includes crash testing. And they did pass. I've seen Pregios and MB100's perform in real-world crashes and they do react pretty well. Locally made jeeps with their long hoods and 'thick' steel even perform worse.

There are 'safer' alternatives out there but I wouldn't dismiss these maxi-vans as unsafe.

[glntVR]

galing ah! napagkasiya nila yung CR dyan! astig. Sana nga may mga ganyan din dito!

[mbt]

nakupo, baka ang bantot/baho niyan sa loob kapag gamitin yung protalet na yan hehehe

[wilcats]

well, hindi mo naman cguro hahatawin yan. so easy easy lng sa pagdrive lalo na mdami ka pang sakay sa likod nyan. you wouldnt wana risk the lives of your pasengers.

[Hero]

i remember our old 79 hiace..1.2L gas engine...say nyo!

[IMm29]

The new Grandia is quite a massive (though boxy) beast. I was having Coffee at Starbucks Fort when a black Grandia slowly drove as it was in slow-moving traffic. The front and rear really say "boxy minibus", but the side view makes it more "big van". It does look larger than the Commuter due to the different body kit. I wonder how much bigger it's gonna look with a lighter color.

Has anyone gotten to ride it while it's in motion? I wonder how bumpy the ride could be coz of the rear leaf springs, and if the engine is noisy on the inside.

[BlackPrince]

The new Grandia is quite a massive (though boxy) beast. I was having Coffee at Starbucks Fort when a black Grandia slowly drove as it was in slow-moving traffic. The front and rear really say "boxy minibus", but the side view makes it more "big van". It does look larger than the Commuter due to the different body kit. I wonder how much bigger it's gonna look with a lighter color.

Has anyone gotten to ride it while it's in motion? I wonder how bumpy the ride could be coz of the rear leaf springs, and if the engine is noisy on the inside.

hmmmm, parang mas malapad ang Grandia (with chrome in the hood) than the commuter (black fr bumper)? sabi sa motioncars.com they have the same width and sa TOYOTA webpage naman isa lang andun - commuter lang. wat ya tink guys?

[vicoyski]

hmmmm, parang mas malapad ang Grandia (with chrome in the hood) than the commuter (black fr bumper)? sabi sa motioncars.com they have the same width and sa TOYOTA webpage naman isa lang andun - commuter lang. wat ya tink guys?

They have the same width talaga. The black bumpers on the Commuter add to the illusion that it is thinner than the Grandia. Ganyan talaga, 'di ba? If you wanna look slimmer, wear black...

[number001]

They have the same width talaga. The black bumpers on the Commuter add to the illusion that it is thinner than the Grandia. Ganyan talaga, 'di ba? If you wanna look slimmer, wear black...

TMPC, in their website, specify four body types for the Hi-Ace. But looking closely, there are essentially two bodies only (notwithstanding any errors from the TMPC website). In Thailand, they also have two body types.

"Van Wide Body"
Overall Length (mm) 5380
Overall Width (mm) 1880
Overall Height*1 (mm) 2285
Wheelbase (mm) 3110

"Van Standard Body" same as "Commuter Wide Body" and "Commuter Standard Body"

Overall Length (mm) 4695
Overall Width (mm) 1695
Overall Height*1 (mm) 1980
Wheelbase (mm) 2570

[trader]

They have the same width talaga. The black bumpers on the Commuter add to the illusion that it is thinner than the Grandia. Ganyan talaga, 'di ba? If you wanna look slimmer, wear black...

Vicoyski, we have one. Malapad talaga ang Grandia compared to the commuter. Even the dashboard is longer. It is almost as wide as the American vans/SUVs.