In the past five years, European sales of Toyota Professional LCVs have more than doubled, aiming to reach more than 165,000 units in 2026. This growth has also delivered a doubling of Toyota’s market share to more than 7%, reinforcing the role of LCVs as a strategic pillar of the company’s European business.

Today, Toyota offers models in all the principal LCV segments, including compact, medium and heavy-duty PROACE vans, people carriers and the legendary Hilux pick-up, recently making its debut in an all-new ninth generation.

Towards 2030

Toyota is targeting further strengthening of its European LCV market performance, based on the three pillars that have supported its growth to-date. By 2030 it aims to achieve 200,000 Toyota Professional sales and an 8% market share.

It will also develop its reputation as an innovator in the segment with the roll-out of new hydrogen solutions with the introduction of the Hilux FCEV in 2028. Early target performance data for this model are a driving range of more than 400 km (WLTP) and the ability to tow loads of up to 2,500 kg.

Till Conrad, Toyota Motor Europe (TME) Executive Vice President, Sales, said: “Scale alone is not success. If quality does not follow this pace, it’s just a number. Real success is measured by consistent standards, strong execution and a network that delivers the Toyota Professional promise every day.”

Electrification and a multi-path approach are key to growth

With the introduction this summer of the all-new Hilux battery electric pick-up, Toyota offers BEV versions across its entire LCV range. BEVs now account for 22% of all Toyota Professional sales, compared to a market average of around 11%. This demonstrates customers’ appreciation of not just Toyota vehicles, but also the quality of service and associated products such as finance and insurance that are focused on meeting their business needs and priorities.

Highlighting Toyota’s commitment to its multi-path technology approach, Till Conrad said: “While our BEV results are strong, we believe the scale of the decarbonisation challenge facing Europe requires every available technology to play a role. Different customers have different operational requirements, which is why there is no single solution for every business. Toyota continues to offer the right technology for the right application.”

Success founded on three pillars

Toyota Professional’s success in achieving sustained growth is founded on three customer-focused pillars.

The first is customer choice: simply put, being able to provide each customer with the right vehicle, the right powertrain and the right package to meet their needs.

Toyota’s multi-path approach increases choice, with different powertrain technologies helping drive decarbonisation while meeting diverse customer needs. Toyota recognises that a single technology solution cannot address the business requirements, mobility needs or the local operating environments of all customers, so its LCVs are offered – according to market and model – with battery electric, Hybrid 48V and diesel combustion engines. The latter include units that can run on renewable fuels such as HVO, contributing to Toyota’s wide-ranging actions to reduce carbon emissions.

The second pillar is Toyota’s commitment to delivering complete service satisfaction, ensuring customer needs and priorities are met. Dedicated business customer support is provided by a network of more than 500 specialist Toyota Professional centres across Europe – a number that has grown by more than 165% since 2019.

Vehicle uptime is critical to business operations, so Toyota helps keep vehicles on the road with express servicing, courtesy vehicles and roadside assistance as part of its new vehicle sales promise*.

Further peace of mind is provided by Toyota Relax, an unmatched service-activated manufacturer warranty programme. On completion of the initial three-year warranty period, all Toyota vehicles – LCVs included – qualify for an additional 12 months’/15,000 km cover – at no extra cost – when they have a qualifying service at a Toyota workshop, up to 10 years or 185,000 km driven.

*Details may vary according to local market.

Convenience and quality are also intrinsic to the third pillar, the provision of a one-stop-shop Toyota Professional ecosystem that gives customers quick and easy access to Toyota products and services to support their vehicle purchase and day-to-day operation. These include Toyota Financial Services, Toyota Insurance Services and KINTO, Toyota’s provider of innovative, sustainable and high-quality fleet and mobility services, including vehicle leasing and fleet management.

Most customers require their vehicle to be customised, whether it’s simply the addition of a business livery or a more complex conversion such as a refrigerated van or tipper body. Toyota makes the process easy and time-efficient by offering both factory and local conversion options. The factory conversions are for industry-standard solutions while the local conversions are carried out by specialist partner businesses working to Toyota-specified standards, providing the customer with a market-specific solution.

For the first time, Toyota will be present at this year's IAA Transportation Hannover with a 700 m² booth displaying the brand’s full Professional line-up.

With the launch of the PROACE MAX, the Toyota commercial vehicle business in Europe reaches a new milestone, by entering the class of large vans in Europe for the first time.

Having already proven its competitiveness in the compact- and medium-sized van market in recent years, Toyota is now present in all important LCV market segments.

Toyota offers the new PROACE MAX in a battery-electric version and is prepared for all conceivable requirements with a wealth of conversion options. Among other things, dropside and chassis versions and tippers are available from the factory; further special adaptations can be made by certified converters.

Toyota also launched this year the updated, mid-size van PROACE, the compact PROACE CITY and the respective VERSO passenger car variants, all of which feature a striking new family design.

In addition, the legendary Hilux pick-up will receive a 48V hybrid system for the first-time next year, which enables efficiency with further improved driving performance and offers extra driving comfort in the city as well as off-road.

KINTO Mobility, Toyota Financial Services and Toyota Insurance Services complete the Toyota Professional offering and will also present their services at the Toyota booth.

A section of the Toyota booth will be dedicated for Toyota’s solutions for hydrogen mobility, including a Fuel Cell Hilux prototype, and fuel cell systems that can be provided to other OEMs for integration in trucks, buses or other means of transportation.

The Toyota on-stand press conference is scheduled on September 16 at 10:20 AM. On September 17 at 2:30 PM, Toyota will also join an IAA Commercial Vehicle Talk in Room 12 of the Convention Center to discuss alternative drive systems for commercial vehicles.

IAA Transportation 2024 opens from Sept 17 to 22 at the Deutsche Messe in Hanover, Germany.

Developed in collaboration with Groupe PSA, the PROACE CITY will join the established PROACE medium duty van and legendary Hilux pick-up in building Toyota’s LCV market presence, competing in a segment that’s enjoying steady growth and on course to achieve around 900,000 annual sales by 2021.

The new model provides a perfect fit with the PROACE range in terms of size and payloads. Launched in 2016, PROACE is approaching a five per cent share of the medium duty van market and is on course to record around 30,000 sales in Europe in 2019.

Performance and capabilities: size, space and performance

The PROACE CITY range meets a wide range of business needs, with different loading and seating configurations and powertrain options.

The compact van is presented in two different lengths – short at 4.4m and long at 4.7m. Both can be specified with three front seats, and as panel or glass vans; the long version is also available as a crew cab. The passenger version is offered with five or seven seats both in the short and long version.

The dimensions and packaging give the PROACE CITY excellent load capacity, with maximum volume from 3.3m³ (short model) to 4.3m³ (long version with Smart Cargo option). Notably the Toyota is one of few vehicles in its class that can accommodate two Europalettes. Adding the option system Smart Cargo gives best-in-class load length capability of 3.1m for the short version and 3.4m for the long, while the PROACE CITY’s maximum payload is another class-best figure at one tonne (both versions). For those who need to carry even greater or heavier loads, the van can tow braked trailers up to 1.5 tonnes. Asymmetrical rear doors (glazed or unglazed) or a top-hinged tailgate can be specified.

The choice of petrol and diesel powertrains offers a power spread from 75 to 130 DIN hp, and a choice of five or six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmissions.

The PROACE CITY range amply covers business and fleet customer requirements in the segment in terms of capability, versatility, performance and efficiency, ensuring it can realise its potential to strengthen Toyota’s position in the LCV market.

Practical and versatile design

The PROACE CITY offers a full range of interior configurations to cater for different passenger and load requirements.

The van is available with either two individual front seats or a three-seat bench, the latter additionally offering a Smart Cargo option, like that seen on the larger PROACE model. The Smart Cargo system uses a folding outer passenger seat and a hatch in the bulkhead to provide an extra 0.4 m³ of load space and to increase maximum load length by 1.3 m; the centre passenger seatback can be rotated to create a handy desk space, with additional under-seat storage.

In the crew cab version, when the second row seats are not being used, the bench can be folded flat and the bulkhead moved forwards to increase load space. A hatch in the bulkhead can be opened to carry longer loads.

The PROACE CITY van can fitted with a rear hatch in the roof as another useful option when longer items need to be carried. This comes with a cross-bar that can support up to 100kg.

Clever and capacious storage points are featured throughout the cabin (according to model), ranging from coin and cup holders and open stowage areas, to an underseat drawer and spaces designed into the roof, doors and floor. In the passenger version, the panoramic roof option can specified with aircraft-style overhead storage in a locker and a central ‘floating’ arch structure that have a combined 74-litre capacity, accessible from the second row seats and the boot.

Access to the boot is made easy when parked in confined spaces, thanks to an opening window in the tailgate.

The PROACE CITY Verso offers flexible passenger accommodation, with the option of three individual seats or a 60:40 split-folding bench in the second row. Both in long and short forms, a third row can be added, large enough and with slide-adjustment to accommodate adults in comfort. When three separate second row seats are specified, each one has Isofix child seat mounts – another unique-in-class feature. All passenger seats fold flat, including the front seat, to maximise load capacity and convenience.

Safety, comfort and convenience with superior equipment features

The PROACE CITY benefits from equipment specifications that include a series of features, delivering enhanced safety, a comfortable driving environment and improved performance and practicality, both in van and Verso passenger vehicle versions.

The safety features provide high levels of active safety, meeting customer requirements in three different packs. As standard, these will include a Pre-Collision System, Road Sign Assist, Lane Keep Assist, Cruise Control and a “coffee cup warning” that recommends the driver takes a break if they have spent a long time at the wheel. The content is increased in as second pack with Automatic High Beam, Sway Warning and an extended Road Sign Assist system, while the most comprehensive package will further add Adaptive Cruise Control and a Blind Spot Monitor. All models will also come with eCall for automatic connection with the emergency services in the event of a serious accident.

Where multimedia and connectivity are concerned, PROACE CITY is equipped with an eight-inch touchscreen to access audio and smartphone functions, with MirrorLink, Apple CarPlay (including Siri assistant) and Android Auto (including Google assistant), plus Bluetooth, and USB/Aux-in connections. It can be used with navigation and online functions, including 3D mapping, voice command recognition and connected traffic information (via Tomtom Traffic).

The PROACE CITY is also offering a head-up display, presenting key driving information, such as navigation, speed limits and safety functions comfortably and clearly in the driver’s forward sightline.

Safety and ease of manoeuvring are supported by a rear-view camera that provides both a 180-degree and overhead dynamic images of the area behind the vehicle, and a static view covering an even wider (180-degree-plus) area. A Blind Spot Monitor warns the driver of other road users moving in their blind spot with an alert in the display audio screen.

A higher level of driver support is provided by Smart Active Vision. This uses two dedicated cameras and a ceiling-mounted five-inch screen to relay a clear, real-time view behind and alongside the vehicle – effectively letting the driver see through the metal panels. A long-distance rear view can be selected when moving or stationary, or a short-distance view when reversing. The view can also be switched to the blind spot on the passenger side of the vehicle.

The PROACE CITY’s performance can be adapted to tackle different driving conditions with Toyota Traction Select. Using a rotary controller, the driver can choose between Normal, Snow, Sand and All-terrain modes. Van users can keep a check on their payload with a Smart Load Indicator – another feature unique in the PROACE CITY’s class – that warns when 90 per cent of the maximum weight is reached and adds an alert in the combimeter when the maximum is exceeded.

Other advanced equipment features available for the PROACE CITY include a wireless smartphone charger, unique-in-class electric parking brake and, for the passenger version, a panoramic roof with electric shade and a parking assist system.

Main vehicle dimensions see pdf under Downloads.

The new PROACE CITY will give Toyota a strong presence in the key compact van segment, increasing the breadth and appeal of its light commercial vehicle range.

The new PROACE CITY will join the PROACE medium duty van and Hilux pick-up to further strengthen Toyota’s presence in the European LCV market, where compact duty van sales account for approx. 35% of the total.

The new PROACE CITY is a further result of Toyota’s successful collaboration with Groupe PSA, a relationship that has already produced the PROACE medium duty van family.

Full details of the new Toyota PROACE CITY, including powertrains, body styles and dimensions will be announced at the time of the model’s world debut.