Daihatsu has introduced the new Gran Max
in Japan, which is set to go on sale from September 4, alongside its rebadged
cousin known as the Toyota Town Ace. The Gran Max will be produced by
Daihatsu’s Indonesian subsidiary – P.T. Astra Daihatsu Motor – and will be
exported to Japan, marking the first time that Daihatsu models produced
overseas will be sold in the country.
As before, both versions of the light
commercial vehicle are available as a panel van or a pick-up truck guises,
depending on the needs of businesses who purchase them. Toyota’s version of the
model can also be ordered with a refrigeration unit or a power lift mounted
behind the cab for more specialised requirements.
Power comes from a 2NR-VE 1.5 litre
four-cylinder engine – the same used for the Perodua Myvi and Aruz – that
develops 97 PS at 6,000 rpm and 134 Nm of torque at 4,400 rpm. The engine can
be paired with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic, along with a
choice of front- or all-wheel drive, regardless of the body type selected.
Visually, there’s very little to tell the
Gran Max and Town Ace apart aside from their badges, but they do differ
slightly from before thanks to new LED headlamps and restyled taillights. Besides
that, you still get A-pillars that are angled to promote more headroom and
improve visibility, as well as plenty of ergonomic and practical design
elements for easier ingress/egress and cargo loading.
A more significant update is the fitment
of active safety systems, including autonomous emergency braking with
pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, erroneous start prevention with
brake control, front vehicle departure alert and an automatic high beam
function. This is standard for both models, along with Vehicle Stability
Control (VSC), traction control and two airbags.
