Meet Toyota’s new light commercial vehicle, the Yaris ECOVan

KUALA LUMPUR: Over a year after the fourth-generation Yaris went on sale in Europe, Toyota introduces its new commercial derivative in the market. The new model goes with the name “Toyota Yaris ECOVan” and it is a hybrid light commercial vehicle that brings more cargo space to provide a solution for urban transportation. It joins the Toyota Professional range in Spain in two versions - Business Plus and Active Tech.

Let’s see what are the changes made by the automaker to convert the Yaris car into a commercial vehicle.

First of all, Toyota replaced the rear seats of the car with a raised wooden floor and installed a durable rubber matting on that. The surface area of the flat floor measures 0.9 m³. It also placed a safety partition grid behind the front seats for securing large and heavy items. Tie hooks for cargo hauling are also there.

According to the automaker, the Yaris ECOVan is able to carry the cargo of around 720 litres, in comparison the passenger version carries only 286 liters. However, the cargo weight that the ECOVan can handle is 430 kg.

Interior changes apart, the 2021 Toyota Yaris ECOVan exterior looks exactly the same as the passenger car. Although Toyota is offering optional vinyl-covered rear windows for the buyers who want to have corporate branding on their vehicles.

Included in the Yaris ECOVan equipment list are 15-inch alloys, rain-sensing wipers, auto high-beam, a 7.0-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, climate control, and Toyota Safety Sense pack. However, the higher trim adds more features to the mix, which include LED tail lights, an 8-inch infotainment unit, a leather-wrapped steering wheel. A rear-view camera, and smart entry.

Powering the new Yaris van is a hybrid powertrain that consists of a 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated 3-cylinder mill and an electric motor. The setup combinedly produces a maximum power of 116 PS and a peak torque of 120 Nm. Power is sent to the front wheels of the van via an e-CVT.’

The Toyota Yaris ECOVan price in Spain starts at €23,373 (RM 117,237) and goes all the way to €24,498 (RM 122,880).

Also read: Toyota puts a ban on the new Land Cruiser 300 resale