Unexpected option in the 80s minivan
Toyota has always been famous for reliability and quality, but many still consider its cars boring. However, the brand created true icons and introduced technologies that moved the industry forward. The classic Toyota Van, known as the LiteAce, had several unique features, although one of them never became popular.
Fridge with ice maker
Produced between 1984 and the early 1990s, this family van could have an option that even modern Rolls-Royce, Mercedes-Maybach, or new electric cars from China do not have. It was not just equipped with a refrigerator but also had an ice maker. Yes, real ice cubes, like in a home freezer, right in the minivan.
How it worked
Toyota called this device the “Cool & Hot Box” and placed it in the console between the front seats. It was large enough to hold six cans of drinks and had a separate freezer compartment with two ice trays that were filled with water and froze quickly. Cooling was provided by refrigerant tubes from an additional air conditioning system.
Useful or unnecessary?
Why would you need an ice maker in a car? That is a good question. In everyday use, it seems not very practical, and likely many owners rarely used it. It could come in handy during long family trips when you want to relax with a cold drink.
The later fate of the option
It is known that Toyota removed the “Cool & Hot Box” option in the US after replacing the LiteAce with the Previa. However, buyers in other countries, including Canada and Japan, could order this unit with an ice maker on the new model. It was only available for top trims, so surviving specimens have become collector’s items. Previa owners look for them in junkyards and pay real money: original cooling units with front consoles imported from Japan cost several hundred dollars each.
This story shows how bold and unconventional engineering solutions were in cars of the past. Today, when manufacturers compete over complex multimedia systems and autopilots, the simple yet amazing idea of a built-in ice maker in an 80s minivan looks like a real gem. It reminds us that sometimes the most unexpected features can become the most memorable, even if they did not become widespread.