Here are 2 Imported People Carriers Instead of Suzuki Bolan in Pakistan
For quite some time now, we only had Suzuki Bolan as a people carrier/loader kind of vehicle in Pakistan. Like Mehran, Ravi and Bolan have been under production for more than a decade now. There was no other substitute to a car like that. Bolan has been long discontinued in other countries of the world but unfortunately or fortunately, however you want to see it, it’s still very much alive and kicking here in Pakistan. Bolan is the ST90V version of Suzuki Carry van. Bolan and Ravi still come with the same 3-cylinder 800 cc engine but since 2012, Pak Suzuki made them EFi. Only manual transmission is offered.
Also Read: 10 Common Features Missing In Pak Suzuki Bolan Carry Van And Ravi Pickup
There were some options, but they were either too big or too expensive. The Toyota Hiace is the most obvious one. But it’s fairly bigger and costlier. Then there was the option of a people carrier like Toyota Liteace or Townace. But that is an ancient story now, and no one is importing these anymore. And then there was Suzuki APV, but it was also bigger and cost more. But the story has changed a bit since the dawn of used imported cars. There are more options in automobiles generally, including this people carrier segment as well. Let’s have a look at a couple of those vehicles.
Suzuki Every
To start with, let talk about Suzuki Every first. Every is made on the same concept. It’s compact, has a high roof, you can fit quite a lot of people inside, and then there is space for your things as well. It is an evolution of what Suzuki Carry aka Bolan used to be. Every van comes with a 660 cc engine. There are both NA and turbo engines Every Wagon. Best thing is that it has an automatic gearbox. There are manual Every vans as well, but they are a hard find. The gearbox powers the rear wheels like in Bolan. It’s a little smaller than the Bolan but packs quite a punch. The Bolan sized van is called Every Plus or Every Landy but I don’t think any of them were imported. If you are looking for a used Suzuki Every van, you should be able to find one between 8 to 10 lacs depending upon the model and variants. There are of course cheaper and similarly expensive Every van models as well. The Every Wagon can go as high as Rs1.3 million.
Suzuki Every GA
Suzuki Every Wagon
Daihatsu Hijet
The second similar vehicle we have is Daihatsu Hijet. It has the same recipe as the Suzuki Every. It comes with a Daihatsu 660 cc engine and is also rear wheel drive. There are both manual and automatic gearbox options available but just like Suzuki Every van, the manuals are bit hard to find. You have a seat in the middle, and then there is cargo space in the rear. The higher variant comes with sofa seats as well. Hijet is also available with a loading platform like you have in Suzuki Ravi. Currently, Hijet is in its tenth generation. And the Hijet vans available in Pakistan are also mostly this latest tenth gen. A Hijet can be found for as low as six lacs for a 2007 Hijet (9th gen). And newer models will cost you as much as Rs1.1 million.
Both of these are fall in the similar price range and offer solid and tough performance. If you don’t fancy Bolan’s all-wheel drum brakes and want a reliable small van/people carrier, why not try one of these vehicles. Or if none of these float your boat, you can just get a FAW XPV.