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Toyota Proace Max is firm’s first large van
New Toyota Proace Max large van arrives with diesel power and a lot to prove...
On sale 2024 | Price from £30,000 (est, excluding VAT)
Where large vans are concerned, bigger is most certainly better – and the new Toyota Proace Max is the firm’s biggest yet.
The Proace Max is the third and final model to join the Proace line-up, marking its long-awaited entry into the large van market.
But if you think it looks strangely familiar, you’d be right, because like the medium Proace and small Proace City, it’s produced as part of a joint venture with Citroen, Fiat, Peugeot and Vauxhall.
The Proace Max, then, is Toyota’s version of the Citroen Relay, Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer and Vauxhall Movano.
And like those models, the Proace Max will be offered with the choice of diesel power or as a fully electric van. The smaller Proace City is one of our favourite small electric vans.
Buyers will have the choice of four different sizes based on two wheelbase options (the distance between the front and rear axles), three different body lengths and two heights. The cargo area ranges from 11 to 17m³, which can accommodate five Euro pallets.
For more specialised tasks, the Proace Max can be converted and is available in factory-built one-way tipper, dropside and seven-seat Crew Cab versions.
Depending on the configuration, the panel vans can carry up to 2270kg with a maximum towing capacity of up to 3000kg. Electric Proace Max models can carry 1800kg and tow 2000kg.
Access to the rear is through full-height doors with a useful square opening measuring 1562mm wide and 2030mm high, while double sliding doors are fitted as standard.
Under the bonnet, diesel-powered Proace Max vans are fitted with a 2.2-litre, 138bhp engine, while Proace Max electric versions produce a heady 268bhp, and are capable of covering up to 261 miles on a single charge, under official figures. That’s significantly more than the 196 miles offered by our current favourite electric van the Ford E-Transit.
Charging the 110kWh battery from 0-80% takes 55 minutes from a 150kW charger, which matches that of the E-Ducato and e-Relay, but is faster than the speeds currently offered by the e-Boxer and Movano Electric – although we expect those models to receive a boost in the coming months.
Higher-spec versions of the Proace Max feature Toyota’s latest infotainment system centred around a 10in touchscreen. It has an embedded SIM card for constant connectivity and cloud-based navigation provides real-time traffic information. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is fitted, and owners can lock, unlock and control climate settings via a smartphone app.
While Toyota hasn’t revealed prices, they’re likely to be close to its sister models. That means entry-level models are likely to start at around £30,000, with electric versions closer to £60,000.
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