When Toyota Australia announced it was bringing the Granvia to the Lucky Land, replacing the long-serving Tarrago (Previa to us), there was some speculation as to whether we would see it too…

And it turned out that yes, we would see it too, a few short weeks after its Australian debut. And – as we expected – it would come with the fairly hefty price tag as indicated by the Aussie market. 

Truth be told, the Previa – which the Granvia replaces – was never really an inexpensive consideration, so the price of the much more advanced Granvia should not really come as a surprise. 

Additionally, the Granvia doesn’t really fit in the same market as the Previa once did; rather it sits in the rare air of being an executive transport/shuttle – even if it is based on a somewhat humble trades vehicle – namely the Toyota HiAce. 

Toyota refers to the Granvia as a premium addition to its comprehensive van line up and that’s a fair call, given the luxury appointment of the rear cabin.

Here you’ll find four reclining and sliding captain’s chairs complete with armrests and a two-seat bench for the fourth row. Driver and passenger have their own individual seats of course.  

Granvia features front and rear climate controls for an incredibly effective air conditioning system, smart power sliding door entry left and right, passenger reading lights folding tables for the front row passengers and 6 USB charge ports.

While its roots are commercial, Granvia’s four-link coil rear suspension with front and rear stabiliser bars – as opposed to the leaf spring rigid rear of the HiAce – tells a different, more sophisticated and smooth riding story.

What is common between the vehicles is the inclusion of Toyota’s Safety Sense. 

This includes pre-collision system with autonomous emergency braking; vehicle, pedestrian (day and night) and cyclist daytime detection; lane departure alert with brake control, road sign assist, automatic high beam and dynamic radar cruise control.

 Other safety features include blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, trailer sway control, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera with dynamic guidelines, four ISOFIX and four tether anchor points and a tyre pressure warning system. 

And its about there, the resemblance to the HiAce ends. Wide and high at the front, Granvia affords a commanding road presence with excellent visibility from the driver’s perspective, which is a little different from what we have come to see in recent times. 

Typically, the driver sits low in a contemporary van—even the shuttle versions – but not in the Granvia, where the commanding road presence extends to height of the seat. 

This also means it is less of a reach to get to things like the latest multimedia system with its 7” touch screen which incorporates Satellite Navigation and SUNA Traffic channel, Mobile Assistant, Bluetooth and Voice Recognition, channelled through the six-speaker audio system.

What is it like to drive? While it’s tempting to say, “much like any other Toyota”, this would not be accurate. If anything, its closer to driving a Lexus in regards ride quality, comfort and noise levels. 

The Granvia cannot be said to be ‘car-like’ either, if only by virtue of the height of the vehicle which points to a little bit of an oversight on Toyota’s part, with the lack of a step-plate to board. It’s quite a way up into the passenger compartment, and a step would offset this.

We’re not about to naysay the Granvia as it is, fundamentally, what Toyota says it is: a competitively priced, multi-person luxury transport. 

Our question is, is such a vehicle necessary Toyota? Only time – and a few nights at luxury hotels to ensure said vehicles are being used – will tell.  

Specifications:

BODY TYPE 5 door van
DRIVE Rear/ 6-speed auto 
ENGINE TYPE Turbo diesel common rail, DOHC. 
ENGINE CAPACITY 2800cc
MAX POWER 130kW @ 3400rpm
MAX TORQUE 450Nm @ 1600rpm 
L/100KM (COMBINED) 8.0
CO2 EMISSIONS 211g/km
MAXIMUM PAYLOAD 755 kg 
ANCAP RATING 5 Star
PRICE $67,990