Toyota ProAce City. Roominess and comfort
The Toyota ProAce City is a front-wheel drive multipurpose compact van by Toyota (Japan). It has been produced since 2018. And we sincerely hope that it will be possible to buy it in Israel. The manufacturer promised to release the Proace City Van and Proace City Verso in Europe in 2020.
The electric Toyota ProAce City with a capacity of five to nine people is expected to be released very soon, whereas European buyers can purchase this vehicle since March 2021. In addition to this, there is a slightly larger option, the Toyota ProAce minivan, the second generation of which was successfully sold in the Israeli market (as of 2021).
There are two versions of the ProAce City compact van, including the ‘Van’ cargo version and the ‘Verso’ passenger version. Both Van and Verso can have two length modifications: 4,403 mm with a wheelbase of 2,785 mm or 4,753 mm with a wheelbase of 2,975 mm. In either case, the vehicle can be ordered with a 7-seater interior.
- The Van version can have a two- or three-seater first row, plus it has a second folding row.
- For the Verso, you can choose the type of the second row with three separate seats or a bench seat divided in a 40:60 ratio. Moreover, this version features the third row. The ProAce City Verso can be 7-seater in both short and long body.
The first generation
It has been produced from 2018 to the present (as of 2021). Toyota and the French PSA group have been cooperating quite successfully on the basis of commercial vehicles for quite a long time. Their joint ‘creativity’ has long established itself: Citroen SpaceTourer, Peugeot Traveller, Toyota ProAce and Opel Zafira.
The ProAce City is a new product in the compact van niche, which accounts for a third of commercial vehicle sales in Europe. The new Japanese compact van will be produced at the same plant in the Spanish Vigo as the cars of the PSA brands. Moreover, it doesn’t have that many elements of the original Toyota vehicle: headlights, a radiator grille and a corporate logo on the steering wheel. The steering wheel itself has been developed by Citroen, whereas the dashboard is by Opel, however, it has a mirror arrangement of the scales. That, in fact, is the whole difference, but the cost of original parts is minimal.
Appearance and equipment
The compact van is 1,848 mm wide, while its height depends on the modification and ranges from 1,796 to 1,880 mm. The volume of the cargo compartment of the Van version is 3.3-4.3 m³, the carrying capacity is 650-1,000 kg, depending on the variation and options. The Verso can have a load capacity ranging from 65 liters (seven-seater short version in the maximum layout of the seats) to 2,693 liters (long five-seater with the second row folded down).
The new Toyota ProAce City features an 8-inch touchscreen display with access to MirrorLink, Apple CarPlay including Siri, and Android Auto. Options include voice-guided navigation with TomTom Traffic and head-up display.
The entry-level trim of all compact vans includes a collision avoidance system, traffic sign and marking recognition system, cruise control and even a reminder of a coffee break, automatic communication with emergency services. Options include advanced sign recognition, automatic light switching, adaptive cruise control, and mirror blind spot monitoring.
Engines
The set of power units of the 2018/2019 Toyota ProAce City comprises petrol and diesel engines producing from 75 to 130 hp. The most common version is equipped with a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder BlueHDi diesel engine with 130 hp, which is complemented by an 8-speed automatic transmission. The vehicle is front-wheel drive. There is also an advanced traction control system with a Toyota Traction Select rotary controller and Normal, Snow, Sand and All-terrain modes.
Toyota ProAce City Electric Compact Van
The Toyota ProAce City Electric Compact Van is presented in three bodies, which determine the trunk volume: 280, 640 or 1060 liters. The electric van is available in four versions: Combi, Shuttle, Family and VIP. Passenger capacity varies from five to nine people. The carrying capacity is indicated at the level of a ton, but a vehicle with a smaller battery can be prepared for transportation of 1,200 kg.
The electric version of the ProAce City is standardly equipped with a 50 kW / h battery with a WLTP driving range of 230 km. There is an optional 75 kW / h battery with a driving range of 330 km. The total output of the electric motor is 136 hp and 260 Nm. At a maximum of 130 km / h, the range will be halved. The lithium-ion battery is equipped with a 7.4 kW charger. An optional 11 kW unit is able to charge the smaller battery up to 80% in 30 minutes, whereas for the more powerful battery it will take 45 minutes. The set includes a six-meter cable for eight amperes.
The newest Toyota Safety Sense safety package is offered for the model. With it, the vehicle can detect pedestrians and apply emergency braking, read traffic signs and control the high beam. Lane keeping assist and cruise control are also available. Heated seats, 7-inch touchscreen, keyless entry, electric parking brake, auto-folding mirrors, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto interfaces are standard.
The E-toggle selector is offered to control the driving modes. In addition to drive, reverse, neutral and parking, there is an option that implements regenerative braking. The Normal and Eco energy consumption settings are available separately.
