Toyota Liteace

Like the exterior, Toyota has kept things simple and no-nonsense for the cabin of the Liteace. The entire cabin of the commercial van carries an all-black theme for the panels, all of which are hard plastics to keep the cost in check. Here also, Toyota has focused more on function over form, by focusing lesser on design and more on practicality and ergonomics.

The Toyota Liteace has a very basic-looking driver’s cockpit comprising of a four-spoke steering wheel and an all-analogue instrument console, both of which look as if they belong to a two-decade-old vehicle. The centre console looks huge and is divided into two parts. While the upper centre console has an archaic 2-DIN audio system with vertical AC vents to its sides, the lower centre console houses the transmission lever and manual controls for the AC. The cabin of the Liteace is complete with power windows and cup holders in front of the AC vents placed on the corners of the dashboard.

In a time when carmakers are working hard on making their vehicles look modern and eye-pleasing, the Toyota Liteace turns out to be a stark contrast to the popular notion. The commercial van, staying true to its purpose, keeps function over form, but at the same time, looks too basic for the modern era.

The front profile of the Toyota Liteace has a slanted design with a bulged middle part for the compact bonnet. The lower corners of the bonnet have large and trapezoidal headlamp clusters, which house halogen headlights and clear lens turn indicators. A slim-looking grille is placed within the upper part of the front bumper, which here is an all-black plastic panel with a simple-looking air dam in the lower middle part.

The Toyota Liteace has a simple-looking design for the side profile too, with the commercial van having closed panels in place of windows to ensure that people recognise it as a luggage carrier and not a people mover. The van has rounded wheel arches with steel wheels and black-themed door handles and rearview mirrors, which go in sync with its simplistic appeal. As with all the other commercial vans, the Liteace also has sliding rear doors. The rear profile, like the side look of the van, also has a simple appearance with a rectangular windscreen, with vertical tail lamps on the outer edges of the boot lid.

For a commercial van, the load-hauling capacity is kept at the topmost priority, and the suspension combination of the Toyota Liteace ensures that the van is perfect for that task. The Liteace comes with Macpherson struts at the front and trailing-type coil springs at the back, which are tuned to make the Liteace capable of withstanding heavy loads. However, the ride quality can be bouncy and harsh at times.

The only engine option provided in the Toyota Liteace is a 1.5-litre four-cylinder naturally-aspirated petrol engine, which is offered with a 4-speed automatic transmission as standard. Claiming a fuel efficiency of 14.1 kmpl, this refined and reliable engine is capable of producing a maximum power output of 96 bhp and a peak torque output of 134 Nm. The engine might not be offering class-leading power and torque figures, but it is capable enough to give the Liteace an impressive load-carrying capacity.

The very basic safety equipment list of the Toyota Liteace consists of dual front airbags, ABS, rear fog lamps and vehicle stability control. The van owners also have access to a tyre pressure monitoring system and an e-call emergency service.

The Toyota Liteace might be a dull-looking commercial van inside-out with a bare-bones appeal. However, the van fulfills its purpose where it matters the most. The engine is refined and reliable, and its overall build quality makes it a proper workhorse.