Unlike the iLoad, you only get two front seats, and they’re pretty flat and hard at that. Between them is a large centre console with handy storage compartments on either side, and two cupholders behind (that’ll likely be the most useful to rear-seat occupants). There are two pop-out cupholders in the dash and slim door pockets too.
Where it falls shy of the average dual cab â€" or the iLoad â€" is in the engine department. It’s trusty 3.0-litre four-cylinder diesel might be capable of racking up a million clicks, but it’s no speed demon.
You get 100kW of power at 3400rpm and 300Nm of torque at 1200rpm, meaning like all commercial diesel engines it’s at its strongest right down in the bottom end. Climb up the rev band and you’ll find the odd flat spot â€" something one might clock up to the automatic transmission only having four ratios to use.
Power is sent to the rear wheels, to improve handling under heavy load.
The crucial 0-80km/h sprint took us a shade over 9.0 seconds. Combined-cycle fuel consumption is 9.2 litres per 100km. The maximum braked-trailer towing capacity is 1400kg â€" enough for a covered box trailer of tools, but less than half that of the average dual-cab.
Behind the wheel, the HiAce feels significantly less refined than its rivals. It’s loud, for starters, about 3dB louder than the iLoad. That doesn’t sound like much, but it is.
The wishbone front and beam rear suspension gives the van a skittish ride without a load, and the van bobs about on the straight-ahead (especially in a crosswind) more than it should. Unladen, it handles speed humps as well as a cat handles a bath. The front end is becalmed by a decent load over the rear axle.
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