We get all sorts of inquiries here at Top Gear Philippines. Occasionally, we’re asked about car parts and accessories, which at this point no longer comes as a surprise. But more often than not, the questions we receive are about car-buying decisions.
The most recent one we got was from someone who’s set to buy a Toyota Hiace. He’s currently in line for a Super Grandia Elite—the creme de la creme of the range. The problem? Stocks. Shocker. Supply issues are so 2022 right?
There’s no available unit yet for the top-spec Hiace, but he was told that there was already a unit of the GL Grandia at that dealership. The dilemma now is whether he should wait (probably indefinitely) for a Super Grandia Elite unit to arrive, or settle for the GL Grandia and get his vehicle now. Apart from the less premium interior, the GL Grandia also has leaf springs at the rear, whereas the Super Grandia gets a four-link suspension. Having laid down these factors, what should he do now?
REVIEWS YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK OUT:
Toyota Hiace Super Grandia Elite 2020 2.8 AT Review
Review: Toyota Hiace GL Grandia Tourer AT
Okay, so a few questions here, Sir. How often are you going to use the Hiace? Where will it be driven? Who will be riding it? Most important, how urgently do you need a new people-hauler? Mechanically, they’re similar. Both are equipped with the same 2.8-liter turbodiesel, so we won’t bother peeking under the hood.
We wouldn’t bother asking about how many passengers will usually ride the van, either, because your initial choice in the Super Grandia has two fewer seats than the alternative you were considering. However, it’s important to factor in the usage here. If it’s you who’s going to be riding the van—I’m assuming you have a driver—and you’re going to use it as a daily, then you have to note the suspension difference we mentioned.
The Super Grandia will always have a much better and plusher ride than the GL Grandia. It’ll also have a much more pleasant interior than its lower-spec sibling—let’s not forget the captain seats with those butterfly headrests. So if you’ll be riding this regularly and around Metro Manila and its poorly paved streets at that, you might just want to wait it out. Comfort should be your biggest consideration here, and it’s going to be night and day between these two.
If, however, you’re merely looking for a vehicle big enough to ferry around the whole family for weekend dinners or the occasional extended out-of-town road trips, then you might want to think about that GL Grandia. Who knows, the two extra seats might come in handy during a long trip, right?
Now, if you badly need that van as soon as possible, then you already have your answer. There’s never any assurance that stocks for any model from any brand will arrive until they actually get driven into the dealership. If it’s that urgent, then pull the trigger now and deal with your decisions later.
Our editor-in-chief Dinzo Tabamo also chimed in, and he said one option this would-be Toyota customer could do is buy the GL Grandia now, then sell it once the Super Grandia is available. If you have deeper pockets than most, this might just be sound advice that you should look into. You definitely won’t profit from this, but at least once the Super Grandia arrives—whenever that is —you can just cut your losses. The high resale value of Toyotas should also ease the financial pain. At least you got that van early, right?
Good luck, and do tell us how it goes!
