Thanks to a tuning shop, the cheap and practical ProBox has been given a serious off-road look, with the upgrade package including a new front end, raised suspension, LED headlights and massive off-road tires. Japanese buyers can also choose off-road accessories and interior modifications to suit their individual needs.
The Toyota ProBox, designed primarily as a light commercial vehicle, was launched in Japan and developing markets in July 2002, more than four years before the Dacia Logan MCV, which was developed using a similar concept. Its design priorities were ease of use and low price and running costs achieved through simplicity. In order to reduce costs and weight, the station wagon, which was slightly shorter than 4,2 meters, used the platform of the first generation Yaris, but the rear part of its floorpan and rear suspension were unique. Initially, its powertrain range consisted of three engines, a 1,3-liter (88 hp) and a 1,5-liter (105 hp with all-wheel drive, 109 hp without) petrol engines, and a 1,4-liter common rail diesel (75 hp). Toyota sold most ProBoxes in the inexpensive van version, but the model was also available as a comfortable passenger station wagon, much to the satisfaction of local taxi drivers.
The second generation (160 series), which is still in production, was launched in 2014, and was created with a strong model update and can be recognized by the redesigned front end. In 2020, the cheap van/station wagon received further improvements, with a self-charging hybrid powertrain that is 30 percent more economical than the 1,5-liter gasoline engine (average consumption of 4,13 liters) appearing in the range, in which the 73-horsepower Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine is assisted by a 61-horsepower, 169 Nm torque electric motor. Recently, Toyota made some more minor updates to the Probox for the 2026 model year, which mainly served to comply with new Japanese safety regulations. Inside, the ProBox's analog dashboard remained, but it received a new 4,2-inch multi-information display and a multi-function steering wheel. By 2026, Toyota reduced the range: the 1,3-liter base engine disappeared, leaving only the 1,5-liter, 109-horsepower four-cylinder engine alongside the self-charging hybrid.
The ProBox has always been the unsung hero of Asian markets, a no-frills workhorse known for its low price, good usability and understated style. But recently, a Japanese tuning company decided to give it a more assertive character, almost a new identity, inspired by the legendary Toyota Land Cruiser 70 series, an off-roader that has been in production for over 40 years.
From Fukuoka Hakovanya Custom Car Shop The off-road station wagon created by is called the 70 BOX. It's as if the Land Cruiser station wagon that Toyota never built was born: the nose has been completely redesigned to make the ProBox look like the latest, updated version of the 70 series. The ProBox has unique front fenders, a strikingly bulging hood, round LED headlights, a honeycomb grille and a new, unpainted plastic bumper, which has made its appearance much more assertive, robust and off-road-like.
Hakovanya also recreated the Land Cruiser's details – a fender-mounted rearview mirror, unique turn signals, and AdBlue tank cap – even though the donor diesel engine is no longer available. The factory Toyota powertrains have been retained, but of course the gasoline 4WD version is the most suitable for the donor conversion, especially if the raised suspension and off-road tires are also included.
Of course, the profile view has also changed, thanks to plastic covers around the wheel arches, fake air vents on the rear fenders and alloy wheels with white-badged, knobby off-road tires – replacing the metal rims. The raised suspension and roof rack also hint at off-roading, although the body proportions are still awkward due to the donor vehicle’s small wheels and long front overhang. At the rear, the original ProBox taillights have been creatively hidden behind body-colored covers, replaced by rectangular units mounted on the unique rear bumper. It would have been a big hit if the spare wheel had somehow been secured to the trunk (as on the original Land Cruiser), but that was ultimately not the case.
Hakovanya immediately presented three different versions: a black version with retro yellow-red stickers and roof-mounted LEDs, a beige version in a street style, and a Vintage Blue version with a retro-inspired design.
Depending on the owner's preferences, the interior can also be upgraded with genuine leather seat upholstery, new carpets, an aftermarket infotainment display, a wooden sports steering wheel and dashboard trim, and cargo area liners in a wood-grain or aluminum checkered pattern.
How much does it cost?
In Japan, the conversion costs a minimum of 1,5 million yen (3,18 million forints), but you can spend even more at Hakovanya than the price of a new donor car. By the way, the price list of the updated, 2026 model year ProBox starts at 1.918.400 yen (4,054 million forints) and goes up to 2.261.600 yen (4,78 million forints), the latter being the price of the top-equipped hybrid version. If someone wants to buy a complete 70 BOX directly from the manufacturer, Hakovanya currently has several examples in stock starting at 3,85 million yen (8,167 million forints), which is still much less than the price of a real Toyota Land Cruiser 70 of 4,8 million yen (10,183 million forints). Of course, it won't go that far off-road.
Photos: CarScoops, Hakovanya
Published by Smarter Media Communications Agency (http://news.smartermedia.hu)
Source: https://news.smartermedia.hu/tuning/meno-terepkombiva-valtozott-a-toyota-olcso-igaslova
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