Toyota ProAce Review

If you weren't sure about the origins of the Toyota ProAce, it's well worth having a look. After all, it wasn't always the ProAce. In fact, it wasn't even always a Toyota.

Let's go right back to 1995 to when Citroen started manufacturing the Jumpy van. It was joint developed by the Fiat Group and mainly manufactured by Sevel. If you've not really heard of Sevel either, it's an acronym of "Societa Europea Veicoli Leggeri" (European Light Vehicle Company in Italian), and is an Italian automotive company which produces light commercial vehicles.

The beginnings of the Toyota ProAce

The Jumpy got a much deserved facelift in March 2004, before being replaced by a new second generation model in January 2007.

These redesigned models again shared the same design and engineering, with subtle trim changes between each brand.

They were then upgraded again in February 2012, and from July 2013, the ProAce story really begins. Toyota began sales of a rebadged version called the Toyota ProAce, and the rest is history.

How is the ProAce?

The ProAce looked sleek and classy and is a popular van. People say that it has much more street credibility than its Jumpy predecessor and in fact, the ProAce did really well at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show.

This was mainly due to the commitment Toyota made to introduce a new 2.0-litre EcoJet diesel engine which they promised would be 11% more fuel efficient than the older 1.6 litre engine.

The future's bright, the future's electric

We all know that it's the way forward, and Toyota have got on board and buckled up too. The ProAce Electric, available in passenger (Verso) and cargo versions, is a Toyota-badged twin of the electric vans from Groupe PSA.

There are two battery options, 50 kWh and 75 kWh, and the WLTP range (Miles per full charge) of the latter variant is up to 330 km (205 miles). When you take into account that most electric cars today are designed to travel between 150-250 miles on a charge, the ProAce Electric offers more than enough for both casual drivers, as well as people who commute long distances every day for work.

Indeed, the ProAce Electric is the first all-electric passenger vehicle offered under the Toyota brand in Europe.

Overall, this is a great van which can carry more than a tonne in weight, as well as being fuel efficient, and easy to drive.