Malaysia still doesn’t get the new Toyota HiAce H300 nearly 3 years after its official launch.
The Toyota HiAce has been the backbone of the commercial sector for many decades. While many other competitors have dropped out of the commercial van market over the years, UMW Toyota Motor has stuck to its guns and has been locally-assembling the HiAce in Malaysia for many, many years. Despite this commitment to the HiAce, they’ve shown no indication of introducing the new 6th generation H300 model in the country.
The Toyota HiAce H300 was first shown in 2019 when it was launched in the Philippines. Two body types were offered – normal length with standard roof and long length with high roof, both on a revised body with a longer hood. Two engine options, the 2.8L diesel and a 3.5L V6 petrol were both shown at launch.
Since that launch, the Toyota HiAce has been introduced to many of our neighbouring countries including Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Laos. It’s even present in Australia and Mexico, but nowhere to be seen in Malaysia!
Why is that? We’re not sure. Perhaps there are still CKD packs of the outgoing HiAce that still have yet to find customers, or perhaps UMW Toyota Motor doesn’t see the urgency in introducing a new commercial vehicle to the Malaysian market at this time, as other CKD operations like the Corolla Cross are taking priority.
In Malaysia, we’re still being sold the 5th generation Toyota HiAce 2nd facelift called the H200. This HiAce H200 first debuted in 2004. But if you’re feeling shortchanged as a Malaysian, don’t fret. This model is also still being sold in Singapore, Japan, Brunei and some other markets. But here’s what the H300 offers that H200 customers miss out on:
The new 2.8L diesel engine with a 6-speed manual or automatic. This is a much more modern diesel engine with 176hp on tap. It’s a big increase from the current model’s 2.5L with just 107hp.
The new Hiace also comes with a more car-like interior that features better infotainment, better ergonomics, increased number of storage bins, and a more aesthetically-pleasing cabin with revised switchgear and instrumentation.
Most importantly, the new HiAce H300 comes with class-leading safety. Toyota Safety Sense is present on the new HiAce and the revised chassis allowed it to attain 5-stars ANCAP safety rating.
