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I was a fleet controller with 20 sprinters and they were simply the best van we had used and never gave us any trouble apart from a few early door limit straps preventing the door being closed and a few fan hubs. For the millions of K's and the flogging they got there is no better van in my experience.
It’s not out of whack, in Europe the big vans are are big business and the Toyota just doesn’t cut in. Just look at even the biggest Hiace any Hiace indeed, its very short front means no safety for driver, it’s design is from 80’s, ride comfort is not existent, their diesel engines are still very behind European ones.
Didn’t just Toyota updated the Hiace? ....and yes, they’re still so in the 90’s with their V6 3,5L petrol engine in it and the body design. I’m sure it will do the wanders for the fleet operators.
It’s not out of whack, in Europe the big vans are are big business and the Toyota just doesn’t cut in. Just look at even the biggest HiLux, any HiLux indeed, its very short front means no safety for driver, it’s design is from 80’s, ride comfort is not existent, their diesel engines are still very behind European ones.
Didn’t just Toyota updated the HiLux? ....and yes, they’re still so in the 90’s with their V6 3,5L petrol engine in it and the body design. I’m sure it will do the wanders for the fleet operators.
I’m not disputing the Japanese positions. I meant the article is all over the shop with the positions in the text compared to the table at the end.
“The closely-fought battle at the top of the table sees Volkswagen and Ford swap places, taking second and third respectively.
Mercedes-Benz has a second model at the top of the table this year, with the Vito taking third place.”
The key word in the article title is 'reliability'. Size, comfort, safety, tech, etc doesn't mean reliable. Driving it for 500 000 k's in 10 years with little mechanical trouble = reliable ! Anyway, good to see the Transporter up there with the Sprinter!
I think Transporter means Hi ACE , but from recent media reports Japanese vans will be almost non existant in the Euro market due to emmission problems . I had an early Hi Ace way back longer than I can remember driving was like sitting with your legs in a guillotine waiting for an accident , there was no forward safety from the chassis upwards so your legs would be buggered in a collision [I fitted a bull bar to mine out of concern ] The later ones were terible around roundabouts or over speed bumps , unloaded they would lift a rear wheel off the ground or over bunps just lift off the ground completly . Mechanically they were pretty good but that was it .
I've recently returned from a holiday in France & Scotland. While it doesn't directly apply to this survey, it was interesting to note in both countries:
The popular larger taxi is the black Vito 9 seater.
The preferred upmarket people transport vehicle is the LWB T6 Transporter or Multivan with three rows of captain seat.
I think Transporter means Hi ACE , but from recent media reports Japanese vans will be almost non existant in the Euro market due to emmission problems . I had an early Hi Ace way back longer than I can remember driving was like sitting with your legs in a guillotine waiting for an accident , there was no forward safety from the chassis upwards so your legs would be buggered in a collision [I fitted a bull bar to mine out of concern ] The later ones were terible around roundabouts or over speed bumps , unloaded they would lift a rear wheel off the ground or over bunps just lift off the ground completly . Mechanically they were pretty good but that was it .
It’s not out of whack, in Europe the big vans are are big business and the Toyota just doesn’t cut in. Just look at even the biggest Hiace any Hiace indeed, its very short front means no safety for driver, it’s design is from 80’s, ride comfort is not existent, their diesel engines are still very behind European ones.
Didn’t just Toyota updated the Hiace? ....and yes, they’re still so in the 90’s with their V6 3,5L petrol engine in it and the body design. I’m sure it will do the wanders for the fleet operators.
Toyota doesn't sell the Hiace in Europe and hasn't for a long time and probably won't sell the all-new Hiace just released here.
It sells a JV of the Citroen/Puegot and call it the Proace. I can't remember any Toyota in the large van Sprinter/Crafter/Transit class size in Europe.
PS. Is this a UK-only fleet leesor survey or all of Europe?
I think Transporter means Hi ACE , but from recent media reports Japanese vans will be almost non existant in the Euro market due to emmission problems . I had an early Hi Ace way back longer than I can remember driving was like sitting with your legs in a guillotine waiting for an accident , there was no forward safety from the chassis upwards so your legs would be buggered in a collision [I fitted a bull bar to mine out of concern ] The later ones were terible around roundabouts or over speed bumps , unloaded they would lift a rear wheel off the ground or over bunps just lift off the ground completly . Mechanically they were pretty good but that was it .
When I was in the fire brigade we had a special technique with Japanese vans in a front end smash, cut the top of the A pillars and the bottom as well IIRC and fold the whole front of it forward to release any trapped persons. I drove a lot of forward control trucks and it was always impressed on us that if we could to lift out legs as high as possible to avoid being trapped in a front ender.
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