The Toyota Hiace and Nissan Caravan (Urvan) have dominated the 14 to 18-seater vans section. Toyota seems to have an upper hand since it is a trusted name and a number of Kenyans cannot trust any other brand. Nissan comes close and is very popular in some areas, especially at the Coast. Let us delve into these vehicles in no particular order of preference.
Toyota Hiace
The Hiace comes in a 2.5 Litre 4-cylinder inline diesel engine with direct injection mated to a 5-speed manual transmission gearbox. The engine produces 102hp at 3600rpm and a torque of 260Nm at 1600-2400rpm. The Hiace can also come in a 3.0Litre engine though the 2.5Litre version is the most common. The van either be used as a passenger vehicle or a cargo van. For the passenger vehicle, it can be modified to carry between 14 to 18 passengers depending on the seat spacing.
Suspension-wise, the Hiace incorporates a Double triangle front suspension and the rear suspension comprises leaf springs. The front brakes consist of ventilated disc brakes and rear drum brakes with a manual parking brake. It has a ground clearance of 180mm and a wheelbase of 3110mm. The curb weight is 2145kgs and a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of 3300kgs. It comes with a 70Litre fuel tank (Diesel).
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Some of the safety features in this vehicle include; driver & passenger airbags and ABS. Other features incorporated in the vehicle are; Adjustable steering wheel, Air Conditioning, Central door locking, Cup holder(s), Driver footrest, Adjustable Driver’s Seat, Demister, and Sequential electric windows among others.
Currently, the high-roof Hiace is the most popular Hiace model and is commonly referred to as “9L” although this does not necessarily mean that it has a 9-litre engine. As stated above, it comes in a 2.5 or 3.0 Litre engine. Toyota Kenya still has a standard roof commonly referred to as “7L”.
The starting price of the Toyota Hiace is quoted at Kenya Shillings 4,410,000/-. Please note that this price may vary with the addition of features and customization preferences.
Nissan NV 350 Urvan
The Nissan NV 350 Urvan comes in four models which are; Panel Van: Standard Body, Standard Roof, Panel Van: Std Body & Roof Optional Windows, MiniBus: Wide Body, High Roof Wide Long Body, High Roof, and the MiniBus: Standard Body, Standard Roof.
The NV 350 features a YD25 4-cylinder, in-line, DOHC, turbo diesel engine with an intercooler. For context, this is the same engine that you find in a Nissan Navara D40 and the Nissan Pathfinder (R51). The engine produces 129hp at 3200rpm and 356Nm at 2000rpm. The engine is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission with advanced computerized technologies that maximize efficiency while ensuring a smooth, dynamic ride at all times.
Suspension-wise, the NV 350 incorporates a Double wishbone torsion bar with stabilizer front suspension and the rear suspension comprises a Rigid axle with leaf spring. The front brakes consist of ventilated disc brakes and rear drum brakes with a manual parking brake. It has a ground clearance of 195mm and a wheelbase of 2555mm except for the wide-body minibus which has a wheelbase of 2940mm. The curb weight is 1820kgs except for the wide-body minibus which comes in at 2150kgs and a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of 3300kgs except for the narrow minibus which comes in at 2910mm. It uses a Direct injection and common rail fuel system with a 65 Litre fuel tank.
Other features incorporated in the vehicle are; Remote door entry opening and closing with a panic alarm for the minibusses, Door open and lights on warning for all four models and a manual tilt height adjust Steering wheel for all four models, Airconditioner for all models. The ABS system is standard in the narrow minibus and optional in the other three models. The Narrow Minibus has Airbags for both the Driver and passenger while the others only have an airbag for the driver. All models feature an auto door lock.
The starting price for the Nissan NV 350 Urvan is pegged at Kenya Shillings 5,100,000/- exclusive of Value Added Tax (VAT). Again, the price may vary depending on the particular model chosen, features, and customization preferences.
Young Lawyer with a passion for vehicles.
Upcoming Motor Journalist.
L'écriture est ma passion.
Nissan Patrol Y 62 is the goal.
www.karimi.co.ke
karimi@spaceyamagari.com
Excellent Mr. Karimi.