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Based on a 2023 concept, reports claim Toyota is preparing to launch a shrunken Kia Carnival rival with rugged adventure-ready styling and hybrid power.
Toyota is preparing to launch an off-road-themed, three-row people mover – as a shrunken, rugged alternative to a Kia Carnival – a report out of Japan has claimed.
It will reportedly be based on the X-Van Gear concept shown at the 2023 Tokyo motor show, with boxy styling, plenty of black body cladding, and a pillarless design that featured sliding rear doors and parallel-opening front doors.
Toyota dived deep into the rugged-SUV playbook for design cues, with black bumpers, metallic protector plates, and raised suspension.
Now, it appears the X-Van Gear concept could become a production reality before the end of 2025.
Despite the rugged looks, the X-Van Gear would reportedly share its underpinnings with Toyota’s passenger car range, and looks set to be based on the Japanese market Voxy and Noah vans, on sale since 2022.
The concept has the same overall length (4695mm) and wheelbase (2850mm) as the Voxy, but is wider (1820mm v 1730mm) and slightly lower (1855mm v 1895mm) than the current generation Voxy.
Those dimensions also make the X-Van Gear considerably smaller than the last people-mover sold by Toyota Australia, the HiAce-based Granvia (5300mm long), the last-generation Tarago (4795mm) and roughly the same size as the Avensis Verso, last sold in 2010 (4690mm).
The Voxy-derived underpinnings would see the X-Van adopt the same 1.8-litre petrol hybrid and available e-Four all-wheel drive system with an electrically powered rear axle (103kW combined), or a 2.0-litre non-hybrid petrol engine (125kW) with front-wheel drive.
Motor Fan reports the standard interior layout will be a six-seat, 2+2+2 format with optional seven (2+2+3) and eight-seat (2+3+3) configurations, plus a commercial van version with a 2+1 seat split front bench.
The focus on adventure and versatility means the interior will feature sliding and removable seats that can be configured in a number of different formats to allow the X-Van Gear to function as a minivan, camper van, or goods van.
Toyota Japan is yet to confirm the X-Van Gear’s production plans, with pricing reportedly set to start from around 3.5 million yen ($AU36,000).
The similarly boxy and off-road styled Mitsubishi Delica – a popular vehicle as a 'grey import', which could come to Australia officially in its next generation – is targeted as a key rival.
While Toyota currently has no entries in the Australian people-mover market, Toyota Japan offers the Alphard, Vellfire, Voxy, Noah, and Sienta in Japan and has models like the Sienna available in North America and China, and the Innova in South-East Asia.
Kez Casey migrated from behind spare parts counters to writing about cars over ten years ago. Raised by a family of automotive workers, Kez grew up in workshops and panel shops before making the switch to reviews and road tests for The Motor Report, Drive and CarAdvice.
