3-way comparison: Toyota Lite Ace vs. Suzuki Carry vs. Foton Harabas
The Toyota Lite Ace has made a triumphant return to the Philippine market. This time around though, it’s back in the guise of a light commercial vehicle (LCV) instead of a pure super-minivan.
This has put it squarely in the ring against an already established nameplate; the Suzuki Carry. Let’s not forget too that there is another contender as well, the often forgotten but equally as capable Foton Harabas.
Yes, it’s time for another comparison!
Do take note that for the purpose of this comparison, we chose to highlight the top-of-the-line variants of each model.
Below are the criteria we used, which are based on what we think matters most to the consumers.
Toyota Lite Ace Panel Van
Table of Contents
Dimensions (Length x Width x Height): 4,045mm x 1,665mm x 1,930mm
Loading Capacity: 790 Kg
Engine: 1.5-Liter 4-Cylinder, In-line, 16-Valve DOHC, with Dual VVT-i, Gasoline
Power and Torque: 98PS and 140Nm
Transmission: 5-speed manual transmission
Fuel Tank Capacity: 43 Liters
Safety: anti-lock brakes, dual srs airbags, vehicle stability control
Photo: Suzuki
Suzuki Carry Truck
Dimensions (Length x Width x Height): 4,195mm x 1,765mm x 1,910mm
Loading Capacity: 940 Kg
Engine: 1.5-Liter 4-Cylinder, K15B, Gasoline engine
Power and Torque: 95PS and 135Nm
Transmission: 5-speed manual transmission
Fuel Tank Capacity: 43 Liters
Safety: Seatbelt
Photo: Foton
Foton Harabas TM300 MPV (DIESEL)
Dimensions (Length x Width x Height): 4,800mm x 1,700mm x 2,100mm
Loading Capacity: 1.1 Tons
Engine: 2.2-Liter 4-Cylinder, turbocharged, diesel
Power and Torque: 87PS and 220Nm
Transmission: 5-speed manual transmission
Fuel Tank Capacity: 60 Liters
Safety: anti-lock braking system
Verdict
Based on the specs above, the most bang-for-buck option is the newly launched Toyota Lite Ace. The reason? it’s because the Toyota Lite Ace has the most safety features and is the second most affordable option. Now I know that these are primarily commercial vehicles meant to be used for utilitarian purposes, however, we must not discount the lack of safety equipment in both the Suzuki Carry and Foton Harabas. In this day and age, no matter the vehicle application safety is paramount even for business owners, most especially Small-medium enterprise (SME) owners who self-drive their vehicles. Also, it’s quite surprising how much more expensive the Foton Harabas is compared to its chief rivals.
It must be pointed out though, that in terms of cargo capacity, the Lite Ace is trumped by the Carry (940 kg) and Harabas (1.1 Tons) by a wide margin. When it comes to torque the Toyota Lite Ace is significantly beaten by the Foton Harabas’ diesel engine, the former only putting up 140 Nm compared to the latter’s 220 Nm.
So if you’re in the market for an LCV, these 3 each have their own pros and cons depending on your intended use. Again though, based on the specs alone the Toyota Lite Ace seems to be the most versatile option.
