Believe it or not, it's been nearly over two decades since the fifth-generation Toyota Hiace made its Philippine debut. Launched way back in June 2005, the fifth-generation Hiace continues to be sold alongside the all-new sixth-generation model that made its world debut here in the Philippines back in February 2019.

Currently, the fifth-generation Hiace is only being sold as an ambulance, a commuter van, and as a cargo van, with the sixth-generation model now serving as the new passenger van. But over in its home market, the previous generation Hiace continues to be updated and upgraded.

Fresh from its facelift back in 2024, Toyota has given the fifth-generation Hiace another update, this time giving it a new set of headlights, along with plenty of new features & amenities. Starting with the obvious, the Hiace now comes with sleeker LED headlights with bi-beam technology. The result is a fresher look while keeping the signature cabover design that the van has become known for.

Hop inside, and the Toyota was busy giving the Hiace a more modern interior, complete with new features. All variants now come with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system and support Apple CarPlay & Android Auto. The touchscreen also doubles as a panoramic view monitor and satellite navigation. Also new is a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, which further gives the 20-year old van a more modern look & feel.

Other key upgrades available inside are new USB-C charging ports, a digital air-conditioning system, heated front seats, and Toyota Safety Sense features for extra peace of mind while on the road.

Under the hood, the Hiace continues to be available with gasoline and turbo-diesel power. First are the gasoline engines, which consist of a 2.0L and 2.7L naturally aspirated gasoline inline-fours that make 136 PS with 182 Nm of torque and 160 PS with 243 Nm of torque, respectively. Last but not least is the 2.8L turbo-diesel engine that produces 151 PS and 300 Nm of torque. All three engine variants are mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox.

Despite the sixth-generation Hiace essentially succeeding the fifth-generation van, it's nice to see that the previous model is still a favorite in its home market and is still being updated by Toyota.