It’s only been half a month since the Toyota Lite Ace has been (re)launched in the Philippines. Albeit not the same family van that we remember it to be, it remains to be an option for micro small, and medium enterprises as a means to support their businesses’ transportation needs. In that light, two new variants of the all-new Lite Ace have been added to the lineup: the FX Utility Van and the Cargo Aluminum Van.
The Lite Ace is ready to be your “Kasosyo sa Asenso”
During its launch, Toyota touted the Lite Ace as everyone’s partner in prosperity, or more accurately in the vernacular, your “kasosyo sa asenso”. From having only two variants available since the launch – the panel van and the pickup – two more have been added as capable commercial vehicles for business owners.
What you see in the photo above is the Cargo Aluminum Van. This variant, while not a people-mover, best fits agricultural businesses or the transportation of dry goods and other materials. What you see below, on the other hand, is the FX Utility Van. It has a capacity for up to 12 people (including the driver), which makes it perfect for transporting people.
Photo: Toyota
“We are very encouraged by the warm reception and positive product feedback that we received from customers when we released the first two variants of the All-New Lite Ace,” said Sherwin Chualim, TMP’s First Vice President for Vehicle Sales Operations. “One of the key strengths of the All-New Lite Ace line is its versatility and flexibility, and with the availability of the FX Utility Van and Cargo Aluminum variants, we will be able to address the needs of more entrepreneurs and business operators for efficient and economical transport.”
Both of the added Lite Ace variants are powered by a 1.5-liter gasoline engine that is paired with a 5-speed manual transmission, which is common among all of the variants. SRS airbags also come standard on both the FX and Cargo variants.
As of yesterday, preorders for these new models have already been opened. Those who are interested can also take advantage of special MSME financing packages for these two variants through Toyota Financial Services Philippines (TFSPH). The prices for these variants are as follows:
FX Utility Van = PHP 727,000
Cargo Aluminum Van = PHP 699,000
Those who purchase either of these models can expect the release of their units within September of this year.
