[Diesel vehicles] A review of 13 diesel vehicle purchase strategies | 8 things you must know when buying a diesel vehicle | Vans, Pick-Ups, SUVs, MPVs

Since October 1, 2017, the Hong Kong government has tightened the exhaust emission standards for diesel private cars from California LEV II to California LEV III , making it impossible for existing diesel private cars to pass the new regulations. Therefore, after the implementation of the new regulations, all diesel vehicles sold in Hong Kong, whether they are vans, private cars, or even farm vehicles, as long as they use diesel engines, are sold as vans, and the licensing conditions are naturally based on van regulations. Major automobile dealers have also launched different types of diesel vehicles in response to the policy, resulting in "diesel vehicles" in Hong Kong being more than just passenger and freight vehicles.

• Vehicle licence fees ( licence fees ) are calculated based on the category of goods vehicle and special purpose vehicle (based on gross vehicle weight, $2,229 per year for vehicles below 1.9 tonnes and $4,254 per year for vehicles above 1.9 tonnes)
• Annual vehicle inspection required
• All newly registered diesel passenger and freight vehicles have a 15-year retirement period (commonly known as the death period) after which they need to be destroyed.
• Drivers must hold a No. 2 license plate
• each toll tunnel are based on passenger and freight vehicle types
• A partition is provided between the passenger seat and the cargo box
• When picking up or dropping off passengers at the airport, you must use the van area
• Truck parking space available

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As the local "king of food trucks", the Toyota Hiace is very popular. The sixth-generation Hiace currently on sale in Hong Kong was released in 2019, but it still wins the hearts of many commercial vehicle owners thanks to its 3,210 mm wheelbase and spacious cargo space.

The current Hong Kong version of Hiace is divided into the Superior Edition and the Deluxe Edition (the Superior Edition also has a manual transmission version), and the body colors are white, silver and black to choose from. In terms of power, it is equipped with a 2,755 cc turbo diesel engine, providing 176 ps horsepower and 450 Nm torque (420 Nm torque for the manual transmission version). The luxury version has the most complete equipment, such as front and rear handlebars in the same color, door handles, electroplated ghost mask, fog lights, electric sliding doors, electric tailgate, remote control key and cruise control.

At the end of last year, Mercedes-Benz launched the new generation diesel version of Vito in Hong Kong, including 114CDI and 116CDI. Both models are equipped with standard and long engines. The exterior features a newly designed mask, front and rear handlebars and 17-inch alloy wheels. The interior configuration is also very complete, including a multi-function touch steering wheel, a 5.5-inch digital instrument panel, a 10.25-inch touch screen, a 360-degree video system and a keyless system.

In terms of safety, there are active brake assist systems, electric parking brake systems, rain-sensing driving light assist systems, and attention assist systems. Users can also upgrade the blind spot assist system and active lane keeping assist system.

The Hyundai STARIA has a sci-fi appearance and a low waistline design that gives it extra-large windows, providing ample vision and a sense of openness. STARIA's tailgate style can be customized, offering traditional top-opening or double-opening styles to suit users with different needs. In terms of cargo space, the height and width are 1,436 mm and 1,640 mm respectively. The 3-seater version provides a depth of up to 2.5 m, while the 6-seater version has a depth of 1,600 mm.

STARIA uses a 2,199cc inline 4-cylinder turbo engine, which outputs 177ps horsepower and 431Nm torque, matched with an 8-speed gearbox, and has a fuel consumption of 12.2km/L. It is worth mentioning that STARIA adopts a button-type shift design, which is simple and easy to operate.

The new generation Peugeot Traveller, which was just launched in Hong Kong, continues to use the style of the previous generation European passenger and cargo vehicles, but is equipped with new LED lion claw-style headlights and a closed ghost mask. There is a floating TRAVELLER badge on the rear of the car, and the rims are also blackened, making it feel more domineering.
The interior has also been completely renewed, with a new multi-function steering wheel and a digital instrument panel. The center part is equipped with a 10-inch floating touch screen and wireless charging underneath. Other features include dual electric sliding doors with a foot-operated sensor door closing system, electronic parking lever, independent air conditioning and heating for the second row and air supply for the third row.

The Ford Transit Custom is equipped with a hexagonal family ghost mask, body-colored handlebars and electric folding door mirrors, automatic switching headlights, daytime running lights and front and rear fog lights, etc., making the square-shaped Transit Custom more like a 7-seater MPV. In terms of cargo capacity, the cargo bed is 1,300 mm high and 1,760 mm at its widest point, and can withstand a load of one ton, making it easy to handle large cargo or heavy objects.

The mechanical configuration is a 2-liter turbo diesel engine paired with a 6-speed gearbox, with 170 ps of horsepower and 390 Nm of torque. The car is also equipped with a series of safety assistance driving systems, including intelligent start and stop system, hill start system, body stability system and front and rear parking sensor warnings.

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If you think traditional vans are too big but want more cargo space, the smaller Peugeot Partner is a good choice. With a body size of only 4,753 x 1,848 x 1,805 mm, it is more suitable for entering and exiting the narrow parking environment in Hong Kong. The Partner offers 5 seats, with a rear cargo space of 3.5 cubic meters and a load capacity of approximately 735 kg. The middle row of seats has a lie-flat design to further improve cargo capacity.

Partner uses the EMP2 chassis platform, which features shorter overhangs, more flexible turns, and a turning diameter of only 11.43 m. In terms of power, it is equipped with a 1,499cc inline 4-cylinder turbo diesel engine, which provides 131 ps horsepower and 300 Nm torque. The car is equipped with an 8-inch central touch screen, a multi-function steering wheel and a shift knob.

It is a light passenger and cargo vehicle of the same level as the Peugeot Partner, but slightly larger in size, with a length, width and height of 4,832 x 1,839 x 1,820 mm respectively. At the same time, the rear seats can be folded forward to provide more storage space. To enhance the feeling of a "private car", Connect is also equipped with a number of devices, including a multi-function steering wheel, a 6.5-inch touch screen on the center console with a Sync 3 multimedia system, a rear parking camera, Apple CarPlay, dual-zone air conditioning and wireless charging, and of course, the extra-large glass skylight with electric sunshades.

In addition, Ford Connect is also equipped with a lot of safety technologies, such as ESP electronic stability system, TCS traction control device, LKS lane departure assist and ACC active cruise control and other active safety systems. In addition to improving safety, handling is also a focus of Connect. The gear lever is equipped with plus and minus shift switches to increase driving pleasure.

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The new RANGER was unveiled at IMXpo at the end of last year. At that time, two models were exhibited: RANGER WILDTRAK and RANGER RAPTOR, each with a different appearance. The WILDTRAK has been equipped with a newly designed large black ghost mask, front handlebars, headlights and C-shaped daytime running lights, and has also added a top rack and black side mirrors with ground spotlights. The RAPTOR has a more rugged and powerful appearance, with a giant three-dimensional "FORD" word and the same new light group as the WILDTRAK. The rear cargo box is equipped with guard plates, buckles, rope buckle fixing rods and other devices.

Many pick-up car owners use them for personal purposes, and the interior of the new RANGER does not resemble a commercial vehicle at all. It is equipped with a 12-inch central touch screen, which is comparable to many electric vehicles and supports Apple CarPlay. Other equipment includes electric driver's seat, electronic hand controls and 6-channel audio (RAPTOR is a B&O 8-channel system).

Although the choice of Mitsubishi cars in Hong Kong has become increasingly scarce, the L200 still stands out. Indeed, the appearance of this generation of L200 has greatly gotten rid of the flavor of commercial vehicles. The slender headlights are matched with large electroplated ghost masks. Whether standing outside the car or sitting in the car, it is not easy to notice that you are driving a farmer's car. Because the layout and configuration inside the car are no different from private cars, such as the leather multi-function steering wheel, leather seats throughout the car, rear parking lens and shift paddles, the equipment is very complete.

The L200 is equipped with a 2,268cc inline 4-cylinder diesel turbo engine, which provides 148 ps of horsepower and 400 Nm of torque. Although the numbers are not very outstanding, one of the highlights of the L200 is its Super Select four-wheel drive system, which also has Off Road off-road mode and Hill Descent Control automatic downhill speed mode, allowing the L200 to easily cope with any road conditions.

ISUZU, which mainly produces medium and heavy-duty commercial trucks, has actually always been popular among local car fans for its D-Max. The D-Max launched in Hong Kong at the end of last year is a brand new version. Although it still has the traditional pick-up appearance, the agent positioned the new D-Max as an SUV multi-purpose vehicle. The domineering appearance, coupled with the new LED headlights and angular design are full of science fiction, and have no commercial vehicle flavor at all.

The D-Max's interior is very well equipped, with plenty of storage space, a center armrest and cup holder in the rear seat, and an electric driver's seat. The entire car is equipped with leather seats, which provide excellent support and are very suitable for long-distance driving. The engine specification is 1,898cc inline 4-cylinder diesel turbo, providing 163 ps horsepower and 360 Nm torque. It is equipped with an electronic four-wheel drive converter to switch the driving mode at any time, greatly reducing fuel consumption.

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The Hong Kong version of Carnival is available in gasoline and diesel versions. The biggest difference, apart from the engine specifications, is that the gasoline version has 7 seats while the diesel version only has 5 seats, but in return it has a very spacious cargo space with a capacity of 2,785 liters. In the past, Carnival was positioned as a luxury MPV, so even the diesel version has all the luxury equipment, including electric sliding doors, electric tailgate, electric adjustment of the front seats, a 12.3-inch touch-screen audio system and wireless charging.

In terms of power, it uses a 2,161 cc diesel turbo engine, which provides 202 ps horsepower and 440 Nm. The powerful torque fully demonstrates the advantages of diesel. In addition, the diesel version of Carnival also has excellent fuel consumption, which is 13.3 km/L according to manufacturer's data, which is better than the gasoline version's 9.4 km/L.

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KIA Hong Kong quickly introduced the diesel version of Sorento after the exhaust emission standards were changed in the early years, and successfully created a sales miracle. Although South Korea released the facelift version of Sorento as early as 2023, the version sold in Hong Kong so far is still the unmodified version. Having said that, it is still very attractive because the price starts from only $219,800. Not only can you get the driving feel of a mid-size SUV, but also there are many luxury equipment, such as smart key and push-button start system, leather seats, 12-angle electric adjustment of the driver's seat, hot and cold front seats and cruise control.

The SUV-shaped Santa Fe is available in both gasoline and diesel versions. The diesel version must be licensed as a van due to restrictions on exhaust emission standards. Although the two versions are similar in appearance, the diesel version of Santa Fe is equipped with a partition behind the rear seat because the law requires the installation of partitions inside passenger and vans. In addition, the rear windows on both sides of the car body also need to be sealed, and the agent will paint them black or stick black cellophane on them when the car leaves the house.

Although the appearance of the diesel version of Santa Fe is slightly different from that of the gasoline version, it is equally well equipped, including a multi-function steering wheel, a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, an 8-inch central touch screen, a head-up display, wireless charging and an electric driver's seat, among countless other devices. It is as luxurious as the gasoline version, and the price is much lower than the gasoline version, making it extremely cost-effective.