Chinese car manufacturers have come a long way here in the Philippines. We aren’t just referring to the products they offer, but the way they present themselves as well. Names like Geely and MG have made great strides for the way brands from the People’s Republic are perceived.
And then you come across stuff like this online that leaves you scratching your head and raising an eyebrow.
If it isn’t apparent at first glance, this is a painfully obvious copy of the previous-generation Toyota Hiace. It’s called the A6, and is built by a company in China called Joylong.
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Odd name? Check. A familiar design from a foreign manufacturer? You bet. Hell, even the interior layout and appearance of the dashboard look practically identical to what we used to get in the Hiace in the Philippines.
Now, before you think that the design is too similar to the Hiace’s for Joylong’s products to not be made in collaboration with Toyota, think again. Initially, this is what we thought as well. But we’ve come across reports online indicating no such partnership exists between the two brands, and a portion of the van’s official Wikipedia entry is dedicated to the design controversy caused by the similarity in looks.
Anyway, back to the van. The Joylong A6 is available with four engines: A pair of 2.8-liter diesels that do between 138-141hp and 350-360Nm of torque, a 2.0-liter turbo with 188hp and 290Nm, and a 2.7-liter gasoline with 161hp and 260Nm. Only a five-speed manual transmission is available across the range. There’s also an electric variant called the E6 that runs on a 384-volt motor and a 61kWh lithium ion battery back.
Like we said, even the cabin looks identical to the Hiace’s. This is true right down to the small cubby hole storage compartment beside the head unit and the shape of the A/C vents. Geez.
On a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the highest, how identical is the Joylong A6 to the previous-generation Toyota Hiace in terms of design? Let us know in the comments.
2022 Joylong A6
