Which Daihatsu Hijet Version Should You Buy?
The best Daihatsu Hijet version depends on whether you prioritize lower kerb weight, AWD, an Automatic gearbox, or the strongest listed engine. Among the supplied specifications, the lightest choice is an eighth-generation 0.7 MT at 720 kg, while the highest output is the tenth-generation 0.7 AT with 53 hp and 63 Nm. Buyers wanting AWD can find it in every generation covered here.
The best Daihatsu Hijet version depends on whether you prioritize lower kerb weight, AWD, an Automatic gearbox, or the strongest listed engine. Among the supplied specifications, the lightest choice is an eighth-generation 0.7 MT at 720 kg, while the highest output is the tenth-generation 0.7 AT with 53 hp and 63 Nm. Buyers wanting AWD can find it in every generation covered here. The key trade-off is clear: AWD versions generally weigh more than comparable RWD versions, while later versions offer more transmission and engine combinations. Prices, reliability, parts availability, and vehicles for sale are not measured in the supplied data, so this comparison is based solely on specifications.
Daihatsu Hijet generations compared
The eighth-generation Daihatsu Hijet was produced from April 1990 through December 1998 as a Microvan, with 10 versions in the data. Every listed engine displaces 659 cc and uses Gasoline, distributed injection (multi-point), and no boost. Output ranges from 40 hp and 54 Nm to 46 hp and 61 Nm. Buyers can choose RWD or AWD, a 5-speed Manual or 3-speed Automatic, and kerb weights from 720 to 890 kg. The fuel tank is 35 litres, while ground clearance is either 160 or 170 mm. Its rear suspension is dependent, leaf spring.
The ninth-generation Microvan ran from January 1999 through December 2004 and has 26 versions in the catalogue. The 12 versions shown here use 659 cc Gasoline engines producing 43–50 hp and 57–63 Nm. RWD and AWD are both represented, as are Manual and Automatic gearboxes. Kerb weight spans 850–940 kg, the fuel tank is 46 litres, and clearance is 160 or 170 mm. Like the preceding generation, it combines independent, spring front suspension with dependent, leaf-spring rear suspension.
The tenth-generation Daihatsu Hijet began in December 2004. It is a Microvan with 18 versions, of which 12 are shown in the supplied data. All listed engines displace 659 cc, but the selection includes both Gasoline and LPG. Output ranges from 39 to 53 hp, torque from 52 to 63 Nm, and kerb weight from 860 to 1,070 kg. RWD and AWD remain available. The transmission selection comprises 5-speed Manual, 3-speed Automatic, and 4-speed Automatic units. Ground clearance is consistently 160 mm, while the rear suspension changes to dependent, spring.
Daihatsu Hijet engine specs and versions
Repeated names such as 0.7 MT and 0.7 AT refer to distinct versions, so power, gearbox, drive, and generation must be checked together.
| Generation and exact version | Power | Torque | Displacement | Fuel | Cylinders/layout | Boost | Gearbox | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 generation — 0.7 MT (40 hp) | 40 hp | 54 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / not measured | No | 5-speed Manual | AWD |
| 8 generation — 0.7 MT (40 hp) | 40 hp | 54 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / not measured | No | 5-speed Manual | RWD |
| 8 generation — 0.7 MT (42 hp) | 42 hp | 56 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 5-speed Manual | RWD |
| 8 generation — 0.7 MT (42 hp) | 42 hp | 56 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / not measured | No | 5-speed Manual | AWD |
| 8 generation — 0.7 AT (42 hp) | 42 hp | 56 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 3-speed Automatic | RWD |
| 8 generation — 0.7 AT (44 hp) | 44 hp | 59 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 3-speed Automatic | RWD |
| 8 generation — 0.7 MT (44 hp) | 44 hp | 59 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 5-speed Manual | RWD |
| 8 generation — 0.7 MT (44 hp) | 44 hp | 59 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 5-speed Manual | AWD |
| 8 generation — 0.7 AT (46 hp) | 46 hp | 61 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 3-speed Automatic | AWD |
| 8 generation — 0.7 AT (46 hp) | 46 hp | 61 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 3-speed Automatic | RWD |
| 9 generation — 0.7 MT (43 hp) | 43 hp | 57 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / not measured | No | 5-speed Manual | AWD |
| 9 generation — 0.7 MT (43 hp) | 43 hp | 57 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 5-speed Manual | RWD |
| 9 generation — 0.7 AT (43 hp) | 43 hp | 57 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 5-speed Automatic | RWD |
| 9 generation — 0.7 MT (45 hp) | 45 hp | 57 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 5-speed Manual | RWD |
| 9 generation — 0.7 MT (45 hp) | 45 hp | 57 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 5-speed Manual | AWD |
| 9 generation — 0.7 AT (45 hp) | 45 hp | 57 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 3-speed Automatic | RWD |
| 9 generation — 0.7 MT (48 hp) | 48 hp | 63 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 5-speed Manual | RWD |
| 9 generation — 0.7 MT (48 hp) | 48 hp | 63 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / not measured | No | 5-speed Manual | AWD |
| 9 generation — 0.7 AT (48 hp, AWD) | 48 hp | 63 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / not measured | No | 3-speed Automatic | AWD |
| 9 generation — 0.7 AT (48 hp, RWD) | 48 hp | 63 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / not measured | No | 3-speed Automatic | RWD |
| 9 generation — 0.7 MT (50 hp, AWD) | 50 hp | 63 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 5-speed Manual | AWD |
| 9 generation — 0.7 MT (50 hp, RWD) | 50 hp | 63 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 5-speed Manual | RWD |
| 10 generation — 0.7 AT (39 hp, AWD) | 39 hp | 52 Nm | 659 cc | LPG | 3 / Inline | No | 3-speed Automatic | AWD |
| 10 generation — 0.7 AT (39 hp, RWD) | 39 hp | 52 Nm | 659 cc | LPG | 3 / Inline | No | 3-speed Automatic | RWD |
| 10 generation — 0.7 MT (45 hp, RWD) | 45 hp | 57 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 5-speed Manual | RWD |
| 10 generation — 0.7 MT (45 hp, AWD) | 45 hp | 57 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 5-speed Manual | AWD |
| 10 generation — 0.7 AT (45 hp) | 45 hp | 57 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 3-speed Automatic | RWD |
| 10 generation — 0.7 MT (46 hp, AWD) | 46 hp | 60 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 5-speed Manual | AWD |
| 10 generation — 0.7 MT (46 hp, RWD) | 46 hp | 60 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 5-speed Manual | RWD |
| 10 generation — 0.7 MT (50 hp, AWD) | 50 hp | 63 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 5-speed Manual | AWD |
| 10 generation — 0.7 MT (50 hp, RWD) | 50 hp | 63 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 5-speed Manual | RWD |
| 10 generation — 0.7 AT (50 hp, AWD) | 50 hp | 63 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 4-speed Automatic | AWD |
| 10 generation — 0.7 AT (50 hp, RWD) | 50 hp | 63 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 4-speed Automatic | RWD |
| 10 generation — 0.7 AT (53 hp) | 53 hp | 63 Nm | 659 cc | Gasoline | 3 / Inline | No | 3-speed Automatic | AWD |
Because every listed engine is 659 cc, output provides a direct comparison. The 40 hp engines deliver about 60.7 hp per litre, the 50 hp engines about 75.9 hp per litre, and the 53 hp engine about 80.4 hp per litre. The tenth-generation 0.7 AT with 53 hp therefore has the highest specific output in the supplied catalogue.
Daihatsu Hijet top speed, acceleration, and fuel economy
Top speed is not measured for any listed Daihatsu Hijet version. Acceleration from 0–100 km/h is also not measured for any version. City, highway, and combined fuel consumption are not measured throughout the supplied data, and CO₂ output and ecological class are not measured either.
These omissions prevent a defensible claim that the 53 hp version is fastest or that any particular RWD, AWD, Manual, Automatic, Gasoline, or LPG version is most economical. Engine output can be compared, but real acceleration, top speed, and fuel use cannot.
Daihatsu Hijet dimensions, weight, and capacity
Exterior dimensions, dimensions in feet or metres, cargo dimensions, and wheel sizes are not measured for any of the listed versions. Payload or weight capacity is also not measured. One tenth-generation 0.7 MT with 50 hp and RWD has both a kerb weight of 910 kg and a gross weight of 1,260 kg; the arithmetic difference is 350 kg, but the data does not label that difference as payload capacity.
The eighth generation is the lightest overall at 720–890 kg. Its lightest 0.7 MT combines 40 hp, RWD, and a 720 kg kerb weight, equal to 18.0 kg per horsepower. The corresponding 40 hp AWD version weighs 800 kg, adding 80 kg and producing 20.0 kg per horsepower.
The ninth generation weighs 850–940 kg. Among the shown versions, the 50 hp RWD 0.7 MT weighs 880 kg, or 17.6 kg per horsepower. Its 50 hp AWD counterpart weighs 930 kg, a 50 kg increase and 18.6 kg per horsepower.
The tenth generation spans 860–1,070 kg. Its 50 hp RWD 0.7 MT weighs 910 kg, or 18.2 kg per horsepower, while the 50 hp AWD 0.7 MT weighs 960 kg, adding 50 kg and reaching 19.2 kg per horsepower. The 53 hp AWD 0.7 AT weighs 970 kg, or about 18.3 kg per horsepower. The LPG 0.7 AT weighs 1,010 kg with RWD and 1,070 kg with AWD; AWD adds 60 kg while power remains 39 hp.
Ground clearance is 160 or 170 mm in the eighth and ninth generations, but every shown tenth-generation version has 160 mm. Tank capacity rises from 35 litres in the eighth generation to 46 litres in the ninth, a difference of 11 litres. Tenth-generation tank capacity is not measured.
Which Daihatsu Hijet version to choose
For the lowest kerb weight and best weight-per-horsepower result in the supplied data, choose the eighth-generation 0.7 MT with 40 hp and RWD at 720 kg. Although it is not the most powerful, its 18.0 kg-per-horsepower figure is better than the corresponding 40 hp AWD version’s 20.0 kg per horsepower.
For the strongest engine, choose the tenth-generation 0.7 AT with 53 hp, 63 Nm, AWD, and a 3-speed Automatic. It offers 3 hp more than the 50 hp versions, although torque remains 63 Nm. Its 970 kg kerb weight is 70 kg greater than that of the tenth-generation 50 hp RWD 0.7 AT, which uses a 4-speed Automatic and weighs 900 kg.
For an AWD Manual with a comparatively favorable power-to-weight balance, the ninth-generation 0.7 MT with 50 hp is a strong numerical choice. It produces 63 Nm, weighs 930 kg, and has 160 mm of clearance. The tenth-generation AWD 0.7 MT with the same 50 hp, 63 Nm, and 160 mm clearance weighs 960 kg, a 30 kg increase.
For an Automatic RWD version, the eighth-generation 0.7 AT with 46 hp weighs 840 kg. The ninth-generation 0.7 AT with 48 hp and RWD weighs 890 kg, bringing 2 additional hp and 2 additional Nm for 50 kg more kerb weight. The tenth-generation 0.7 AT with 50 hp, RWD, and a 4-speed Automatic weighs 900 kg, adding another 2 hp with 10 kg more than that ninth-generation example.
For LPG, the choice is restricted to the shown tenth-generation 0.7 AT versions with 39 hp and 52 Nm. The RWD version weighs 1,010 kg, while the AWD version weighs 1,070 kg. Fuel consumption is not measured, so the supplied figures do not establish an economy advantage.
No evidence-based recommendation can be made here about price, vehicles for sale, engine swaps, parts, oil capacity, problems, or reliability because those items are not measured in the data. On specifications alone, the eighth-generation 0.7 MT with 40 hp and RWD favors minimum weight, the ninth-generation 0.7 MT with 50 hp and AWD offers a balanced AWD Manual specification, and the tenth-generation 0.7 AT with 53 hp is the output leader.