Remember the Toyota X-Van Concept showcased at Japan Mobility Show last year? This concept was an amalgamation of the practicality and comfort associated with minivans along with rugged SUV appeal. Toyota has trademarked this vehicle on its home turf, raising speculations of a probable launch.
The X-Van Concept shown at Japan Mobility Show last year seems to be headed in the direction of a probable production proposition. It was Toyota Auto Body, a subsidiary of Toyota, which had showcased X-Van Concept at Japan Mobility Show along with X-Van Core, X-Van Tool and X-Van Gear variations.
The same Toyota Auto Body has now registered the production version of X-Van at Japan Patent and Trademark Office. Toyota Auto Body division handles assembly operations of Land Cruiser vehicles along with MPVs and Minivans like Alphard, Noah, Voxy and the iconic Hiace.
Where design is concerned, we don’t see any differences from the concept, except for the wheels. It is still very outlandish and looks slightly difficult to achieve this exact design in mass manufacturing. Final production version is likely to be slightly more toned down. But the boxy and quirky design theme will probably stay.
Notable highlights on the outside of this patented design are body cladding all around, boxy proportions, interesting pillar designs, sliding doors and high ground clearance. This should cater to the rising demand for high-riding jacked-up vehicles seen across the world.
Where design is concerned, we have a rugged yet futuristic fascia. Sleek LED DRLs adorn the van’s face and there are vertically arranged and split headlights. The large fascia is dominated by black trims. We don’t see a large grill for air intake, suggesting this could be a fully electric vehicle when launched.
The sliding doors should ensure easy ingress and egress. A large greenhouse area should ensure excellent visibility as well. On the inside, there are multiple seating and interior layouts that Toyota showcased with X-Van at Japan Mobility Show.
These interior layouts are associated with the three variations of X-Van Concept – X-van Gear, X-Van Core and X-Van Tool. The variations also boast quite a few exterior changes. X-Van Gear is more lifestyle-oriented with a slight hint of off-road DNA in the form of rugged roof rails and more.
If launched, it should be around the same size as Voxy or Noah. Which is, slightly smaller than Alphard. We can expect it to go on sale in Japan and a few ASEAN nations. Possibilities of a launch in India are meek.