Toyota HiAce

The Toyota HiAce (Japanese: トヨタ・ハイエース, Hepburn: Toyota Haiēsu) (pronounced "High Ace") is a light commercial vehicle produced by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. First launched in October 1967, the HiAce has since been available in a wide range of body configurations, including a minivan/MPV, minibus, panel van, crew van, pickup truck, taxi and an ambulance.

In the late 1960s, Toyota Auto Body, a Toyota subcontracting company, led the development of the HiAce as a small van with a one-box design, similar to European ones at the time, but, according to former Toyota senior employee Akira Kawahara, something unseen in the Japanese industry.

Introduced in 1967, the HiAce was offered as a cab over pick-up, delivery van, and a stretched commuter vehicle. It was also called the HiAce Commercial in camper van configuration. It was brought to market two years after the introduction of the Nissan Homy, acquired by Nissan when they assumed operations of the Prince Motor Company. A few engines of different sizes were available upon introduction, ranging from the 70 PS (51 kW) 1.35 to a 83 PS (61 kW) 1.6-litre version. In 1975, the 1.8-litre 16R engine was added. The HiAce was available with a heater, considered a luxury item at the time.

The HiAce was primarily designed as a commuter vehicle, able to transport up to 8 people. With this goal in consideration, the HiAce exterior dimensions and engine displacement were in compliance with Japanese government regulations so as to encourage sales, and accommodate the most passengers by utilizing a cabover body style, with the engine installed underneath and between the front passengers. It was a smaller alternative to the larger Toyota Coaster minibus, and was introduced to Japan after the 1950 Volkswagen Transporter, and the 1961 Chevrolet Greenbrier cabover vans. It was introduced in the same year as the much smaller Toyota MiniAce, which was based on the Toyota Publica, a predecessor to the Toyota Corolla.

This type of HiAce is a rare model these days mostly because of weather wear and rust. HiAce vans originally sold on the European market have largely been exported to Africa and to Southeast Asia where they are used as public transport vehicles. The first generation Hiace was also sold in Indonesia beginning in August 1975 until late 1979 when the second generation was introduced.

The new HiAce of 1977 featured a longer, and more streamlined cab with single headlights. As the second generations dimensions grew, it was joined by a smaller, junior-level cabover van called the Toyota LiteAce to continue to offer dimensions closer to the first generation. In addition to the petrol engines, a 2.2-litre diesel engine was offered in certain markets. New for the "20–40 series" HiAce was a double-cab pick-up, super-long-wheelbase van, and a super long, high-roof Commuter. The Commuter models can seat up to 15 passengers. The short wheelbase truck initially carried the "H11"-series chassis codes. For the vans, 20 series vans have short wheelbases, 30 series have long, and 40 series have super long wheelbases.

After the third generation was introduced in 1982, certain variants of the second generation such as the truck continued to be manufactured for several years. A majority of the second generation models were exported from Europe and Japan to African and Asian countries after production ended and are used as public transport vehicles.

A new HiAce van was launched in 1982, with the HiAce pickup truck coming in August 1985. The truck's cab design was common to the bigger ToyoAce light truck, though it had different frontal styling. The truck was a completely different model than the van.