The first article already covers what this minivan is. This one is only about which of the seven 1999–2002 versions to pick, using the catalogue numbers as they stand.
One generation, one body (Minivan), seven named versions, all built from 1999-01-01 to 2002-12-31. There is no later generation in this catalogue to “step up to,” so the choice is entirely inside this set: Diesel or Gasoline, Automatic or Manual, AWD or RWD.
The first article already covers what this minivan is. This one is only about which of the seven 1999–2002 versions to pick, using the catalogue numbers as they stand.
# Toyota HiAce Grand: which version to buy (1999–2002)
One generation, one body (Minivan), seven named versions, all built from 1999-01-01 to 2002-12-31. There is no later generation in this catalogue to “step up to,” so the choice is entirely inside this set: Diesel or Gasoline, Automatic or Manual, AWD or RWD. Acceleration to 100, top speed, fuel use, CO2, eco class, gross weight, and wheel size are not measured on every version — those cannot decide the purchase.
Specs that actually differ between versions
| Version | hp / kW | Nm | cc | Fuel | Cylinders / layout | Boost | Gearbox | Drive | Clearance, mm | Kerb, kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0 AT (AWD, 140 hp) | 140 / 103 @ 3600 | 343 @ 2000 | 2982 | Diesel | 4, Inline | Turbo | Automatic, 4 | AWD | 175 | 2070 |
| 3.0 AT (RWD, 140 hp) | 140 / 103 @ 3600 | 343 @ 2000 | 2982 | Diesel | 4, Inline | Turbo | Automatic, 4 | RWD | 185 | not measured |
| 3.0 MT | 140 / 103 @ 3600 | 343 @ 2000 | 2982 | Diesel | 4, Inline | Turbo | Manual, 5 | RWD | 185 | not measured |
| 3.4 AT (AWD, 180 hp) | 180 / 132 @ 4800 | 294 @ 3600 | 3378 | Gasoline | 6, V-shaped | No | Automatic, 4 | AWD | 185 | not measured |
| 3.4 AT (RWD, 180 hp) | 180 / 132 @ 4800 | 294 @ 3600 | 3378 | Gasoline | 6, V-shaped | No | Automatic, 4 | RWD | 185 | not measured |
| 3.4 MT (RWD, 180 hp) | 180 / 132 @ 4800 | 294 @ 3600 | 3378 | Gasoline | 6, V-shaped | No | Manual, 5 | RWD | 185 | not measured |
| 3.4 MT (AWD, 180 hp) | 180 / 132 @ 4800 | 294 @ 3600 | 3378 | Gasoline | 6, V-shaped | No | Manual, 5 | AWD | 185 | not measured |
Two versions share the name 3.0 AT: distinguish them by drive (AWD vs RWD), not by power — both are 140 hp. Two share 3.4 AT (AWD vs RWD, both 180 hp). Two share 3.4 MT (RWD vs AWD, both 180 hp). 3.0 MT is unique: Diesel, Manual, RWD only.
Engine: what the extra 40 hp buys — and what it costs in torque
All three Diesel versions use the same 2982 cc Turbo Inline 4: 140 hp (103 kW) at 3600 rpm and 343 Nm at 2000 rpm, compression 21, bore × stroke 96 × 103, Diesel fuel. All four Gasoline versions use the same 3378 cc naturally aspirated V-shaped 6: 180 hp (132 kW) at 4800 rpm and 294 Nm at 3600 rpm, compression 10, bore × stroke 94 × 82, fuel 92, boost No.
Arithmetic on those figures:
- Peak power: Gasoline is 40 hp and 29 kW above Diesel (180 − 140; 132 − 103).
- Peak torque: Diesel is 49 Nm above Gasoline (343 − 294).
- Displacement: Gasoline is 396 cc larger (3378 − 2982).
- Specific power: Diesel 140 / 2.982 ≈ 47.0 hp per litre; Gasoline 180 / 3.378 ≈ 53.3 hp per litre. The 3.4 makes more power per litre despite having no turbo.
- Specific torque: Diesel 343 / 2.982 ≈ 115 Nm per litre; Gasoline 294 / 3.378 ≈ 87 Nm per litre. The 3.0 Turbo is the torque-dense engine.
- Where the peaks sit: Diesel torque at 2000 rpm, Gasoline torque at 3600 rpm (1600 rpm later). Diesel power at 3600 rpm, Gasoline power at 4800 rpm (1200 rpm later).
If the job is loaded starts, hills, and pulling a minivan body at low engine speed, the three 3.0 versions win on paper: more newton-metres, earlier. If the job is higher peak horsepower, the four 3.4 versions are the only ones at 180 hp.
Fuel system is named only where the data names it. The AWD 3.0 AT and all 3.4 versions list Distributed injection (multi-point). The RWD 3.0 AT and 3.0 MT have fuel system not measured. Valves per cylinder: 4 on the AWD 3.0 AT and on every 3.4; not measured on RWD 3.0 AT and 3.0 MT. Engine placement is named only on the AWD 3.0 AT: Front, transverse. On the other six versions that field is not measured — do not assume it.
Tank volume does not break a tie: 75 litres on all seven.
Gearbox: 4-speed Automatic vs 5-speed Manual
Automatic is always 4 gears; Manual is always 5. Pairing with engines:
- Diesel Automatic: 3.0 AT (AWD) and 3.0 AT (RWD).
- Diesel Manual: only 3.0 MT (RWD). There is no Diesel Manual AWD in this catalogue.
- Gasoline Automatic: 3.4 AT (AWD) and 3.4 AT (RWD).
- Gasoline Manual: 3.4 MT (RWD) and 3.4 MT (AWD).
The only Diesel you can buy with a fifth gear is 3.0 MT, and it is RWD only. The only way to get AWD plus five gears is a Gasoline 3.4 MT (AWD). The only way to get AWD plus Diesel is the 140 hp 3.0 AT (AWD) — four Automatic gears, no Manual option.
Drive and ground clearance: the 10 mm exception
Six of seven versions sit at 185 mm ground clearance. The exception is 3.0 AT (AWD, 140 hp) at 175 mm — 10 mm lower than every other version, including the Gasoline AWD pair (3.4 AT AWD and 3.4 MT AWD), which stay at 185 mm.
AWD appears on four versions: 3.0 AT (Diesel), 3.4 AT, 3.4 MT. RWD appears on four versions: 3.0 AT (Diesel), 3.0 MT, 3.4 AT, 3.4 MT. So AWD is not exclusive to one fuel, and RWD is not exclusive to one gearbox.
If you need Diesel + AWD, there is exactly one row: 3.0 AT (AWD). Accept 175 mm clearance and the only kerb weight in the table (2070 kg). If you need Gasoline + AWD, choose between Automatic 3.4 AT (AWD) and Manual 3.4 MT (AWD); both keep 185 mm.
Dimensions, weight, chassis — what is measured and what is not
Kerb weight is measured on one version: 3.0 AT (AWD) at 2070 kg. That is 14.8 kg per hp (2070 / 140). Gross weight is not measured on all seven. Wheel size is not measured on all seven.
For the other six versions, kerb is not measured, so you cannot compute kg/hp and must not invent a weight.
Front suspension is Independent, spring on all seven. Rear suspension is Independent, spring only on 3.0 AT (AWD); on the other six it is not measured.
Brakes:
- Front: Ventilated disc on all seven.
- Rear: Ventilated disc only on 3.0 AT (AWD). The other six list rear brakes as Disc.
The AWD Diesel Automatic is the only version with a full measured chassis picture: both axles Independent, spring; both axles Ventilated disc; kerb 2070 kg; clearance 175 mm.
Performance and mpg: not measured, so they cannot pick a winner
0–100, maximum speed, city / highway / combined consumption, CO2, and eco class are not measured for every version. There is no mpg ranking and no “fastest HiAce Grand” in this dataset. Compare power, torque, gears, drive, clearance, and the one kerb figure instead.
Which version to choose
Buy 3.0 AT (AWD, 140 hp) if the combination you need is Diesel + Turbo + AWD. It is the only version that has all three. It is also the only version with measured kerb (2070 kg), measured rear Independent, spring suspension, rear Ventilated disc, Front, transverse placement, 4 valves per cylinder, and Distributed injection (multi-point) among the Diesels. Trade-off: 175 mm clearance (10 mm less than the rest) and a 4-speed Automatic — no fifth gear.
Buy 3.0 AT (RWD, 140 hp) if you want the same 140 hp / 343 Nm Turbo Diesel and a 4-speed Automatic, but RWD and 185 mm clearance. Kerb, rear suspension, valves per cylinder, engine placement, and fuel system are not measured. Rear brakes are Disc, not Ventilated disc.
Buy 3.0 MT if you want Diesel torque (343 Nm at 2000 rpm) and the only 5-speed Manual in the Diesel group. Drive is RWD only; there is no AWD 3.0 MT. Clearance 185 mm. Same not measured gaps as the RWD 3.0 AT.
Buy 3.4 AT (AWD, 180 hp) if you want the 40 hp step (180 vs 140) plus AWD without a clutch. You give up 49 Nm of peak torque and move the torque peak from 2000 to 3600 rpm. Boost is No. Clearance stays 185 mm (unlike Diesel AWD). Kerb not measured.
Buy 3.4 AT (RWD, 180 hp) if you want 180 hp Gasoline and Automatic without AWD. Same engine numbers as the AWD Automatic 3.4; drive is the difference.
Buy 3.4 MT (RWD, 180 hp) if you want 180 hp and five Manual gears on RWD. Same engine as the other 3.4 versions.
Buy 3.4 MT (AWD, 180 hp) if you want the only pairing of 180 hp + AWD + 5-speed Manual. That combination does not exist on Diesel.
Short decision tree from the numbers:
1. Need AWD and Diesel → only 3.0 AT (AWD). 2. Need AWD, 180 hp, and Manual → only 3.4 MT (AWD). 3. Need AWD, 180 hp, and Automatic → only 3.4 AT (AWD). 4. Need Diesel and a fifth gear → only 3.0 MT (RWD). 5. Need maximum listed torque → any 3.0 (343 Nm), not any 3.4 (294 Nm). 6. Need maximum listed power → any 3.4 (180 hp), not any 3.0 (140 hp). 7. Need 185 mm and will not accept 175 mm → do not take 3.0 AT (AWD); the other six are 185 mm.
There is no second generation here, so nothing “newer” in the catalogue changes those arithmetic gaps. Production start and stop are the same for all seven: 1999-01-01 to 2002-12-31.