2018 Toyota Rush: First impression

The new Toyota Rush is here, and it is going to remind you of the ugly duckling story for sure. We mean just look at it. The previous one was basically a longer and rebadged Daihatsu Terios. As is the current one. But, if the previous model looked like a school kid, the new one looks like its handsome dad.

It’s much bigger now. It's 230 mm longer. The front and rear spacing alone take up 1450 mm of the 4435 mm total length. A lot of design inspiration seems to have come from the Fortuner. The swept back LED headlights and DRLs with the huge four slat grille sit high above the bulging bumper and fenders. The hood gets some muscular bulges too. The new door opens upwards instead from the side. Other changes include rear LED lighting and a handsome rear spoiler. The side gets swanky directional 17” wheels for the seven-seater and 16” on the five-seater.

This is an entry-level SUV. But that does not mean that Toyota has scrimped on making the interior a nice place to be in. Again it takes a lot of inspiration from the Fortuner. The dashboard is coated in soft touch material and comes in a refreshed design. All variants come with a 7.0-inch touchscreen that is capable of linking with smartphones over the web along with all the other usual connectivity options. The more preferred seven-seater G grade comes with 8 speakers while the five-seater comes with 6 speakers. All variants have front and rear air conditioning, tilt adjustable steering with audio controls, reversing camera and parking sensors. The expanded dimensions of the Rush mean there is ample space on all rows for passengers. The seven-seater only has 213-litre of cargo space while the five-seater has 514-litre. Thankfully, the seven-seater does come with roof rails. The interior then becomes such a nice place to be mainly because of Toyota’s decision to not differentiate between the variants when deciding interior features. This socialistic approach means that all the major creature comforts are available across the range. And it goes beyond the interior features.

There is only one engine option which is the 1496cc In-line 4 cylinder, 16 Valve Dual VVT-I producing maximum power output of 102 PS at 6000 rpm and 134 Nm of peak torque at 4200 rpm. The seven-seater gets only a 4-speed automatic while you also have the choice of a 5-speed manual in the five-seater. The smaller engine translates to better mileage while still being adequately powerful. Best of all the Rush is rear wheel drive that means better power delivery especially on hills.  

Like we said, in the Toyota, the base does not mean bare. And surprisingly they have stuck with this mantra even when it came to safety features. There are 6 airbags for the driver, passenger, side and curtain. ABS with EBD is standard as is hill start assist, vehicle stability control, traction control, an emergency stop signal, and seat belt reminders for all seats. Such delightful levels of safety equipment come with the added assurance of a 5-star ASEAN NCAP safety rating with a score of 84.03 out of 100.

The Rush then leaves a first impression worthy of all the hype it generated in the market. Competing in the entry-level SUV market means that pricing starts from Php 948000 for the manual five-seater and goes up to Php 1070000 for the seven-seater. The SUV enthusiasts in the Philippines now only have to wait for the Mitsubishi Xpander to hit the road for the battle to get heated. But, if any SUV can beat the Xpander in the entry-level SUV battleground, it has to be the Toyota Rush.