Quoting Zoltan Kuthy <zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET>:

> It just had to happen.  The world famous Hi-Ace made into a Westfalia
> camper.  And I think, it is an improvement on the ones we have.  A
> modern
> alternative.  Though, I still like our Westy better.  But I think, the
> fuel
> mileage is about 25mpg with the Hi-Ace.  It will be very popular but it
> will
> not come here.  The Hi-Ace was so popular in the world, that it was
> prohibited to come over here and push everyone out of the way.  And now
> with
> this outfit, it would be a real ace.  But we will see.  The engine is
> super
> reliable.
> Zoltan

It's totally beyond me why the Japanese manufacturers do what they do in
the American market. They stopped bringing in the Estima/Previa and
instead developed a Camry-based equivalent (Sienna). Never brought in the
Hiace and stopped bringing in the Liteace and Delica. Honda & Nissan
reskin their cars (Cefiro/Maxima, Bluebird/Primera etc) and sell them with
different badges (Altima, Stanza etc) or rebadge them (Euro Accord as ?TSX
etc).

As to milage, it depends on the engine type. You'd be lucky to see better
than 20mpg IMPERIAL (let alone US) gallon from a gas Hiace. Vans are NEVER
economical; the gearing is too low and the frontal area too big and bluff.

Reliability depends on the engine type. 4th-gen Hiaces came with these
engines:
2L 2.4 diesel
2L-T 2.4 turbodiesel
3L 2.8 diesel
1KZ-T turbodiesel
2.0 gas
2.4 gas

The 2L-T has a reputation for expensive failures.

Sometimes Toyota spells the name Hi-Ace. However the badges on the
vehicles, from 1960s to today, say Hiace. No hyphen.