Toyota Hiace

About this car

The Toyota Hiace has long been a workhorse across various industries, and its reputation for reliability, spaciousness, and practicality makes it an excellent choice for transporting pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. Here’s a breakdown of why it’s an ideal vehicle, considering passenger and luggage capacity, and other useful information:

Why the Toyota Hiace is Ideal for Pilgrims

1. Exceptional Reliability and Durability: Toyota’s legendary reputation for building robust and long-lasting vehicles is a major advantage for long-distance journeys like a pilgrimage. The Hiace is known to withstand demanding conditions and accumulate high mileage with proper maintenance. This minimizes the risk of breakdowns, ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted journey, which is crucial for pilgrims adhering to strict schedules.

2. Generous Passenger Capacity: The Toyota Hiace is designed to be a people-mover. While specific configurations can vary, the Hiace Commuter models typically offer seating for around 10 to 11 passengers, including the driver. Some versions can even accommodate up to 15 passengers. This makes it highly efficient for group travel, allowing families or smaller groups of pilgrims to travel together. The spacious interior, especially in Super Long Wheelbase (SLWB) and high-roof variants, provides ample headroom and legroom, which is vital for comfort on extended trips.

3. Ample Luggage Capacity: Pilgrims often travel with a significant amount of luggage, including personal belongings, religious items, and provisions. The Hiace, particularly the Long Wheelbase (LWB) and Super Long Wheelbase (SLWB) versions, offers substantial cargo space.

• LWB vans can provide up to 6.2 cubic meters of load space.
• SLWB vans can offer up to 9.3 cubic meters of load space, capable of accommodating multiple standard European pallets. The smart design and wider side door openings facilitate easy loading and unloading of bulky items, which is a major convenience for groups with considerable luggage.

4. Comfort for Long Journeys: While often considered a commercial vehicle, newer generations of the Hiace have significantly improved passenger comfort.

• Spacious Interior: The semi-bonneted design in newer models moves the engine forward, resulting in a quieter and more spacious cabin, reducing heat and vibration under the seats.
• Seating: Many Hiace models feature comfortable seating, some with reclining functions and headrests, designed to reduce fatigue on long drives.
• Air Conditioning: High-performance air conditioning with enlarged outlets ensures a comfortable climate for all passengers, a critical feature for travel in hot climates like Saudi Arabia.
• Suspension: Optimized suspension systems, like MacPherson struts in the front and leaf springs in the rear, contribute to a stable and smooth ride, even on varying road conditions.

5. Fuel Efficiency: For long journeys, fuel efficiency is a key consideration. The Toyota Hiace, especially the diesel variants, is known for its relatively good fuel economy for a vehicle of its size. Some diesel models can achieve around 7.2 L/100km (approximately 15 kmpl) or better in combined driving conditions, helping to keep running costs down.

6. Safety Features: Modern Hiace models come equipped with a range of safety features that enhance peace of mind during travel:

• SRS Airbags: Driver and front passenger airbags are standard, with some configurations offering additional passenger airbags.
• Anti-lock Braking System (ABS): Prevents wheels from locking during emergency braking, maintaining steering control.
• Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) with Traction Control System (TRC): Helps prevent skidding and stabilizes the vehicle during cornering or sudden maneuvers.
• Hill-start Assist Control: Prevents the vehicle from rolling backward on inclines.
• Emergency Stop Signal (ESS): Automatically activates hazard lights during emergency braking to warn following drivers.
• Reversing Camera and Parking Sensors: Aid in maneuvering and parking, especially in crowded areas.

7. Ease of Maintenance and Widespread Support: Toyota’s global presence means that spare parts and qualified technicians for the Hiace are readily available in many parts of the world, including regions around Saudi Arabia. This ensures that any unexpected maintenance needs can be addressed efficiently, minimizing downtime.

In summary, for pilgrims traveling to Saudi Arabia, the Toyota Hiace stands out as a highly practical and reliable transport solution. Its ability to comfortably accommodate a significant number of passengers and their luggage, combined with its renowned durability and safety features, makes it an excellent choice for such an important and often arduous journey.