Indian Advertising icon Bharat Dabholkar, recently dumped the sedan for an old auto-rickshaw (what Thailand knows as a Tuk Tuk) that he converted into a private mode of transport in flourishing colours and flamboyant style. If he wanted to drive differently, pay grudgingly and squeeze-in seven of his kin, what he should have done instead is buy a Toyota Rush.
FIND BELOW THE 2019 RUSH GX SPEC AND PRICES. QUICK DRIVE REVIEW HAS BEEN ADDED AT THE END OF ARTICLE.
2019 Rush GX: smoke finish radiator grille, front fog lamps and headlights, full-colour infotainment system and Bluetooth, 8-speaker audio system. STANDARD: Rear-View Camera, Smart Entry, leather inserts on the steering wheel and gear shifter, steering mounted telematics controls, higher quality fabric seats and automatically folding door mirrors
2019 PRICE: AED 68,500 for EX and AED 73,000 for GX version
The Rush looks something between the Innova and the Fortuner, and seats 7 functionally and five comfortably. Think two extra guests – possibly children – when taking visiting friends to the new Dubai Safari or the Bollywood Parks. Your option is to either call a taxi, and pay as much as a ticket would cost, or simply unfold the third row seats in your new Rush.
A compact adventure
Toyota calls it an “authentic small SUV designed for an active lifestyle” – not without reason. While it is not a 4 x 4 – in fact it is a rear wheel drive and hence should be more engaging to drive – beneath the MPV styled shell, the Rush has some impressive statistics that can give you a rush of confidence. A 220 mm clearance, a 31º approach angle and 26º departure angle doesn’t make it a junior Land Cruiser but can save you from getting stuck with mall to mall weekend drives. The rigid body, ample suspension stroke and rear stabilizers are designed for stable steering and ride comfort that save you the fatigue of long trips.
The 1.5 L engine with 102 hp and 134 Nm torque could get you squinting but the Rush has been on a successful outing in over a hundred countries and the engine has been tested in the Avenza. So, what’s the difference between an Avanza and the Rush? Toyota’s other compact seven-seat van is more of a business choice built on the Yaris platform. The Rush is built for the new generation that prefers an ‘SUV’ no matter its size or substance. There is a one in four market for the compact SUV or crossover utility vehicle in the SUV universe of the UAE. It’s the share that Nissan Kicks aimed at tapping when it ruthlessly replaced the Tiida and the Juke in this market in one sweep! Thankfully, the Toyota Yaris is still alive and kicking.
Read the popular Nissan Kicks first drive report
Well-managed space within
The new Toyota Rush is an honest car built on ‘value’. The Rush opts for a smooth fabric seats and thin practical skin on the dash and doors, rather than faux cabin leather or obnoxiously fancy wraps. Good to say it feels as cheap as you would expect in some places. Because it bundles up even more value than you would expect for what you pay.
Incidentally, there is something about the Rush cabin that brings to mind Bharat’s recent acquisition – it could be the brute functionality, Houdini-esque use of space to squeeze in the whole household, or even the remote likeness of the lean space within!
However, where it matters, the Rush doesn’t flinch from reassuring levels of comfort and convenience. The double-folding feature on the second and third rows provides easy access and ample cargo space when needed. Even with 7-seats up, the Rush manages to keep a hatchback like boot.
Watch the video shot at the UAE launch
Standard Safety
More importantly, the Rush offers a 5-star ASEAN N-CAP rated collision safety features (N-CAP: New Car Assessment Program), a sturdy body structure, 17” alloy wheels, and 6 airbags – SRS driver and front passenger air bags, SRS side air bags and SRS curtain shield air bags. While it is a tall boy, the Rush is fitted with Vehicle Stability Control to keep sudden swerves stable even in emergency braking situations. Rush makes it easier for sedan drivers to manage the larger vehicle, and also justifies its adventure claims, with a Hill-start Assist Control as well. The only thing you wish for is a rear view camera but fitting sensors or a camera isn’t expensive these days!
Toyota Rush runs on a 1.5L in-line 4-cylinder petrol engine with Dual variable Valve Timing-intelligent (VVT-i), which along with an optimised combustion chamber claims 16.5 km per litre and enough power to call this a spirited crossover utility vehicle. It is available in one trim only, with all the features mentioned and 5 body colour choices. The cost has been kept competitive at AED 68,500 – Toyota must have benchmarked the mid-level Kicks – considering the safety features, SUV-styling and the two extra seats.
Quick Drive Report
The seat comfort seems to be good for long drives. The music system and the mildly glossy dashboard screen and other features do explain why the Rush has increased the rush into the entry level of SUVs in a hundred odd markets, and doing the same in the UAE. The rear drive wheel seems to be contributing to making the Rush a better driving experience than the similar-sized Avenza. Rush is a practically impressive family car for those who can get past the tortuous initial few hundred metres, when the 1.5 L engine announces itself loudly like a stubborn child being pulled out of the village fair. Seven seats and space in a reasonably stylish wrap can be a crowd-puller even though you really might not need the extra seats.
