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- English
Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2026-06-02 Origin: Site
In the world of micro and compact commercial vehicles, Daihatsu is a legendary name. Two of its ace models—the historic Kei-car Hijet and the compact Gran Max, which dominates the overseas and domestic markets—have built Daihatsu's unshakable commercial empire. Today, let's break down the generational evolution and historical timelines of these two classic vehicles.
As Daihatsu's first four-wheeled micro-vehicle, the Hijet was born in 1960 during the early days of Japan's rapid economic growth. To comply with Japan's strict Kei-car regulations, its engine capacity evolved from 360cc to 550cc, and finally settled at 660cc in 1990.
Throughout its long history, several generations have become true classics:
Generation | Details |
|---|---|
8th Generation (1994–1999) | Featuring the S100/S110/S120/S130 chassis series, it perfectly blended practicality with compact design, earning a stellar reputation among light truck enthusiasts. |
9th Generation (1999–2014) | This generation showed astonishing longevity. The truck versions (like the S210P, S211P) relied on extreme reliability and remained in production until 2014, even though the van version of the same generation was replaced back in 2004. |
0th Generation (2004–2021 for Vans / 2014–2021 for Trucks) | This is the generation most familiar to us. In late 2004, the 10th-gen Hijet Cargo van took the lead (S320V/S331V, etc.); however, the truck version arrived a full ten years later in September 2014 (S500P/S510P), creating a rare "same generation, different year" phenomenon. |
11th Generation (Late 2021–Present) | The latest generation currently on sale. Daihatsu introduced a more modern CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) and advanced active safety features. |
Compared to the 60-plus-year-old Hijet, the Gran Max is a younger, formidable force. Born in late 2007, it was developed by Daihatsu and manufactured right here in Indonesia.
The Gran Max has an interesting positioning. Essentially, it is an elongated and widened version based on the 10th-gen Hijet Cargo chassis (specifically its semi-cab layout). Breaking free from Japan's restrictive Kei-car dimensions, it is equipped with more powerful 1.3L and 1.5L engines, delivering a massive leap in payload capacity and spatial performance.
The Gran Max carries the chassis code S400 series. For nearly 20 years since its production began in Indonesia in 2007, it has undergone several powertrain and cosmetic facelifts, but it is still technically in its first generation and has never been completely redesigned.
Not only is it a best-seller in Indonesia, but Daihatsu also exports the Gran Max back to Japan. Starting in 2008, it was rebadged and sold by Toyota as the famous Toyota TownAce and LiteAce. In 2020, it donned the Mazda badge as the Mazda Bongo, and Daihatsu also finally began selling it under its own Gran Max
The Hijet and the Gran Max—one is the ultimate space-saving product under Japan's micro commercial vehicle regulations, and the other is a globalized model that broke free from those constraints to reach the pinnacle of practicality. Whether navigating narrow Tokyo alleys or driving across the vast Southeast Asian market, they demonstrate Daihatsu's "compact cars, big impact" philosophy through solid quality and continuous generational inheritance.
