Toyota Hiace vs Suzuki Super Carry

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 Manual
ZAR 680,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 75 kW 🔧 260 Nm ⛽ 11.8 km/l
VS
Suzuki Super Carry in South Africa

Suzuki Super Carry

1.2 Flatdeck MT Petrol Manual
ZAR 209,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 59 kW 🔧 104 Nm ⛽ 17.2 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Hiace
Fuel Economy Tie
🛡 Safety Hiace
📦 Practicality Hiace
🔑 Ownership Super Carry
Super Carry starts ZAR 549300 cheaper Hiace from ZAR 549,300 · Super Carry from ZAR 197,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Hiace Super Carry
Engine Power 75 59
Torque 260 104
Engine Size 2494 1196
Claimed Mileage 11.8 17.2
Ground Clearance 175 175
Boot Space 5200 0
Airbags 2 1 — Driver Only
Kerb Weight 2080 850
Seating Capacity Available 2
Warranty 3 5

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Hiace

46
/ 100
+11
pts
#2

Super Carry

35
/ 100

Moderate difference between the models.

The Bottom Line

Hiace has a slight advantage, but Super Carry remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Hiace +3 pts
Efficiency Equal
Safety Hiace +3 pts
Practicality Hiace +13 pts
Ownership Super Carry +8 pts

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Hiace

Performance 8/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 6/20
Practicality 20/20
Ownership 12/20

Super Carry

Performance 5/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 3/20
Practicality 7/20
Ownership 20/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Hiace

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage

Super Carry

Strengths
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

Hiace

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Super Carry

  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Hiace Super Carry
Ground Clearance 175 175
Wheelbase 2985 2110
Length 5380 3800
Width 1880 1562
Height 2285 1730
Kerb Weight 2080 850
Gross Vehicle Weight 3500 1280
Seating Capacity 2 5
Boot Space 5200 0
Towing Capacity 2000 0
Turning Radius 6.5 4.5
Number of Doors 5 4
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 1200
Front Track Width 1550 1285
Rear Track Width 1540 1285
Load Bed Length Available 1750
Load Bed Width Available 1250
Front Legroom Available 930
Rear Legroom Available 750
Front Headroom Available 1020
Rear Headroom Available 1000
Front Shoulder Room Available 1200
Rear Shoulder Room Available 1180
Max Payload Available 390
Boot Volume Available 0
Doors Available 2
Seats Available 2
Front Overhang Available Available
Fuel Tank Capacity Available Available
Rear Overhang Available Available
Spec Hiace Super Carry
Engine 2KD-FTV 1.2L GB14 4-Cylinder Petrol
Engine Type Inline 4 Diesel Inline 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated
Displacement 2494 1196
Cylinders 4 4
Valves per Cylinder 16 4
Power 75 59
Torque 260 104
Fuel System Common Rail Direct Injection Multi-Point Fuel Injection (MPFI)
Top Speed 150 120
0-100 km/h 18.0 20.0
Power @ RPM 3600 rpm 6,000 rpm
Torque @ RPM 1800 rpm 2,900 rpm
Turbocharger Yes Not Applicable
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Naturally Aspirated
Engine Code Standard GB14
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 9.5:1
Cylinder Bore 82.0 68.5
Piston Stroke 92.0 81.3
Fuel Grade Required Petrol 93 RON Unleaded Petrol
Engine Position Available Transverse Front-Mounted
Engine Oil Capacity Available 3.0
Power 150 80
Variable Valve Timing Available Not Available — Fixed Cam Timing
Maximum Engine RPM Available 6200
Engine Type Config Available Available
0–100 km/h Available Available
Battery Capacity Available Available
Charging Port Available Available
AC Charging Time Available Available
Engine Displacement Available Available
EV Range Available Available

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Toyota Hiace wins with 46 pts vs 35 pts for Super Carry

In structured scoring, Hiace emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Super Carry may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. 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

On our scoring the Hiace edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: Hiace 0 vs Super Carry 0. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: Hiace 6, Super Carry 3. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: Hiace 12, Super Carry 20. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: Hiace 20, Super Carry 7. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Hiace 8, Super Carry 5. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Hiace edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Hiace scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between Hiace and Super Carry in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Hiace scores 8 vs 5.

Efficiency: Hiace scores 0 vs 0.

Safety: Hiace scores 6 vs 3.

Practicality: Hiace scores 20 vs 7.

Ownership: Hiace scores 12 vs 20.

Final structured scoring gives Hiace the advantage in this comparison.