MID-SIZED VAN FOR PROS (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 73

Back in 2016, the second generation Proace was the most credible van Toyota had ever brought us, being comfortable to drive, practical to use and supremely efficient to run. Its development came courtesy of a platform shared with rival products from Peugeot and Citroen, but Toyota added its own feel to the finished product. In 2021 there was a full-electric variant too. Here, we look at the original versions of this MK2 design.

Modelsword count: 10

Van - 1.5, 2.0 diesel / EV [Comfort, Active, Icon])

Historyword count: 436

Though Toyota has been selling vans in this country since 1977, prior to 2016 the company had never been a significant player in the LCV segment. But by mid-way through this century's second decade, the brand had decided that it wanted that to change. Just how serious its aspirations were became obvious when buyers took a closer look at this model, the second generation Proace. Like most vans, it was a re-branded version of an existing design - in this case, the medium segment contender design we then knew as either a Peugeot Expert or a Citroen Dispatch (and later also the Vauxhall Vivaro and the Fiat Scudo). The first generation Proace, launched in 2012, also shared its design with these two rivals but with this MK2 version, Toyota had a much greater say in the look and feel of the finished product. Unlike some other mid-sized LCVs of this era, this model ran on a set of brand new underpinnings, rather than the kind of carry-over chassis that back in 2016 you'd have found beneath the skin of direct sector competitors like Renault's Trafic, Ford's Transit Custom and Volkswagen's Transporter. This meant that, like its French stablemates, this Toyota could be class-leadingly light and therefore also class-leadingly efficient. There were also other differences between this model and its wider competition. Most panel vans in this class from this era provided a choice of two body styles: this Proace gave you three, thanks to the availability of a (rarely chosen) extra 'Compact' derivative at the foot of the range. Offering customers this kind of extra choice was particularly important in this case because the clever 'Smart Cargo' system that was optional across the Proace range allowed greater flexibility in the way operators could poke longer items through from the load area into the cab. That in turn sometimes enabled them to settle for a smaller, more affordable bodyshape than you they might otherwise have chosen. It all sounded quite promising, especially since the proposition was backed up by strong safety technology, decent media connectivity and a five year warranty from new that the opposition couldn't match. Plus Toyota claimed a maximum payload capability of around 1.4-tonnes that was un-bettered in the class. What we didn't know back in 2016 was that this MK2 Proace would form the basis for something quite significant - Toyota's first full-electric vehicle, the Proace Electric launched in 2021. Diesel and EV versions of this Proace van sold in this original form until late-2023 when a significant facelift was introduced. It's the earlier 2016-2023-era version of this model we look at here.

What You Getword count: 239

This second generation Proace was a far more confident-looking thing than its predecessor, with smart, unassuming styling that might at first lead you to believe that it's not a hugely spacious thing. Actually though, there's versatility in the model configurations and the range covers a lot of bases. In the cab, as usual in a mid-sized van from this segment, your position is high and commanding and as long as you avoid entry-level trim, you'll find the seat provided with height and lumbar adjustment. Fitted as standard was the dual front passenger bench that most users will want. We'd recommend trying to find an example fitted with the 'Smart Cargo' system with its fold-up front seat, movable desk and opening bulkhead. Pull up the outer passenger seat and, via a hatch in the bulkhead, long items can be pushed through from the cargo area. Or you can simply place a big box on the cab floor. As for the cargo area, well even the 'Compact' body style offers 4.6m3 of capacity and 2,162mm of floor length - enough to carry two fully loaded Euro pallets, which is pretty impressive given that in this form, this Proace is only 4.6m long. Go for the mid-range 'Medium' body shape and you get 5.3m3 of cargo capacity and 2,512mm of floor length. As for the top 'Long' body style, well there, you're looking at 6.1m3 of capacity and 2,862mm of floor length.

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