Toyota Motor PH brings back Lite Ace, price starts at Php 570K
Rumors of Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) competing in the light commercial vehicle (LCV) segment with the likes of the Suzuki Carry and Mitsubishi L300 have gone on for quite some time now. Finally, those rumors can be put to rest as TMP has just officially launched the Toyota Lite Ace.
Available in pickup and panel van body styles or configurations, and also known as the Town Ace in other markets, the Lite Ace is derived from the Daihatsu Gran Max ever since it was first unveiled back in 2008. Now it’s back in the local market to help support Filipino businesses and their mobility needs.
It is good to note that despite TMP showcasing different configurations for the Lite Ace at the launch event, only the Pick-Up and Panel Van body styles will be available for now. The Utility Van and Aluminum Van will be available by September 2022, while the Cab & Chassis by January 2023.
In terms of looks, the 2022 Toyota Lite Ace is essentially a rebadged Daihatsu Gran Max. In front are halogen headlights and an unpainted plastic bumper. The rear on the other hand differs depending on the body style. Inside is seating for two people (driver and passenger), a polyurethane steering wheel, and a 2DIN audio head unit with USB and bluetooth connectivity.
Under the hood of the 2022 Toyota Lite Ace is a 1.5-liter 2NR-VE Inline 4-cylinder Dual VVT-i petrol engine that produces 98 horsepower and 134 Nm of torque, paired to a 5-speed manual transmission. The Panel Van has a payload capacity of 790 kg while the Pick-up can carry 950 kg. Meanwhile, the Utility Van, Aluminum Van, and Cab & Chassis can carry 720 kg, 625 kg, and 1,050 kg respectively.
In terms of safety, both Panel Van and Pick-up variants get dual front airbags, anti-lock braking system, and seatbelts for the driver and passenger. Vehicle stability control is exclusively available with the Panel Van.
For pricing, the 2022 Toyota LiteAce starts at Php 570,000 for the Pick-up variant. On the other hand, the Panel Van variant is priced at Php 655,000. Again, the other mentioned configurations will follow within the coming months.
