Toyota to unveil new Granace at the Tokyo Motor Show



At the 46th Tokyo Motor Show happening at the tail end of this month, Toyota will put to stage the new Granace – an MPV with the option for six or eight seats.

The model’s name is taken from the word “gran,” which means “big or great” in Spanish, and “ace,” which means “top or excellent person” in English.

Could this be the new darling of local parallel importers and “taukes”? It sure looks every bit a worth replacement of the Alphard/Vellfire duo with a commanding front end featuring twin projector LED headlamps that flow into the oversized chrome grille – a similar trait shared with the current generation of oversized toasters.

Speaking of the most favourite people-carrier in Malaysia, the black-infused instrument cluster does bear some resemblance with Alphards and Vellfires that litter our streets but unlike the go-to choice of business owners here, the Granace comes with two different seating configurations.

It’s available either as a three-row six-seater or a four-row eight-seater although it’s uncertain how the upper management of Malaysian corporations would feel being cramped up in such a luxurious setting.

Mechanical specifications are scarce but it’s said that the Granace would be powered by a 2.8-litre “clean diesel” engine paired to a six-speed automatic transmission.

The Granace also sits on a newly-developed trailing-link rigid-axle suspension at the rear while the highly rigid body and the adoption of a ring-shaped frame helps achieve a comfortable ride with stable handling – the latter being an elusive traits of the Alphards and Vellfires until the current generation came about.


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