Toyota Hiace vs Hyundai Staria Panelvan

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Toyota Hiace in South Africa

Toyota Hiace

2.5D Panel Van MT Diesel 5-Speed Manual Current
ZAR 680,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 75 kW 🔧 260 Nm ⛽ 11.8 km/l
VS
Hyundai Staria Panelvan in South Africa

Hyundai Staria Panelvan

2.2D Panel Van 8AT Diesel Current
ZAR 699,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 130 kW 🔧 430 Nm ⛽ 11.5 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Staria Panelvan
Fuel Economy Staria Panelvan
🛡 Safety Staria Panelvan
📦 Practicality Staria Panelvan
🔑 Ownership Staria Panelvan
Hiace starts ZAR 19,000 cheaper Hiace from ZAR 680,900 · Staria Panelvan from ZAR 699,900

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec Hiace Staria Panelvan
Maximum Power 75 kW 130 kW
Maximum Torque 260 Nm 430 Nm
Engine Size 2494 cc 2199 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 11.8 km/l 11.5 km/l
Ground Clearance 175 mm 186 mm
Boot / Load Bay 5200 l 4935 l
Airbags 2 Driver, passenger, side and curtain airbags
Kerb Weight 2080 kg -
Seating Capacity 2 seats 3 seats
Warranty 3 years / 100 000 km 5

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Staria Panelvan holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over Hiace.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Staria Panelvan +30 pts
Efficiency Staria Panelvan +3 pts
Safety Staria Panelvan +45 pts
Practicality Staria Panelvan +7 pts
Ownership Staria Panelvan +22 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Hiace

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
  • Lower published ownership cover
Best suited to: General Use
Catalogue-index leader

Staria Panelvan

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
  • Stronger published ownership cover
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

Hiace

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

Staria Panelvan

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published warranty or service cover

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Hiace Staria Panelvan
Model Introduced Year 2019 Current local generation year not confirmed
Generation H300 generation – front-engine layout replacing the previous cab-over design Current South African Staria Panelvan listing; generation notes should be kept tied to the local model year and confirmed derivative data.
Facelift History Current H300 generation launched in SA in 2019 – major redesign from rear-engine layout Model-year updates can affect trim, wheels, screens, safety equipment and colours. Use the latest South African price list when checking a specific vehicle.
Facelift Launched Since 2019 Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Van Panel van
Color Note White, Silver Colour availability changes by model year, production batch and dealer stock, check the current colour selector before ordering.
Dealer Stock Note Base grade in the South Africa lineup Base grade in the South Africa lineup
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published published
Segment Van Van
Tare Mass Kg 2080 kg 1990+ kg
Vehicle Type Van Van
Spec Hiace Staria Panelvan
Length 5380 mm 5253 mm
Width 1880 mm 1997 mm
Height 2285 mm 1990 mm
Wheelbase 2985 mm 3273 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 175 mm 186 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 70 l 75 l
Boot/Cargo Space 5200 l 4935 l
Kerb Weight 2080 kg -
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 3500 kg -
Towing Capacity 2000 kg 2500 kg
Seating Capacity 2 seats 3 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 6.5 m -

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

Staria Panelvan leads by 23 points

Staria Panelvan holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over Hiace.

Index leader 70 /100
Lead 23 points
Data 71% source coverage
70
#1 Index leader

Staria Panelvan

71% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 89 Check Efficiency 51
Performance 67
Efficiency 51
Safety 89
Practicality 72
Ownership 65
Leads by 23 points
47
#2

Hiace

81% source coverage 0 strong categories
Best at Practicality 65 Check Performance 37
Performance 37
Efficiency 48
Safety 44
Practicality 65
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Staria Panelvan +30 Efficiency Staria Panelvan +3 Safety Staria Panelvan +45 Practicality Staria Panelvan +7 Ownership Staria Panelvan +22

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

Staria Panelvan

Performance 67/100
Efficiency 51/100
Safety 89/100
Practicality 72/100
Ownership 65/100

Hiace

Performance 37/100
Efficiency 48/100
Safety 44/100
Practicality 65/100
Ownership 43/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Hyundai Staria Panelvan leads the catalogue index with 70 pts vs 47 pts for Hiace

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, Staria Panelvan leads. However, Hiace may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This Hiace and Staria Panelvan comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Hiace 37 vs Staria Panelvan 67.

Efficiency index: Hiace 48 vs Staria Panelvan 51.

Safety-equipment index: Hiace 44 vs Staria Panelvan 89.

Practicality index: Hiace 65 vs Staria Panelvan 72.

Ownership-cover index: Hiace 43 vs Staria Panelvan 65.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.