New Toyota Rush reviewed by the South African media [Video]

The second-generation Toyota Rush, manufactured in Indonesia, is on sale in South Africa in two variants - High MT and High AT, priced at ZAR 302,900 (INR 15,19,658.94) and ZAR 316,600 (INR 15,88,392.27) respectively. Cars.co.za has reviewed the small SUV and here are the highlights from their test drive report -

South African reviewer Ciro De Siena feels that the Rush looks like a mini Fortuner, which should help it attract many South African car buyers who like a robust vehicle. He's appreciative of the sleek LED headlamps and the 17-inch dual-tone machined alloy wheels. Ciro feels that in spite of being based on the Avanza MPV, the company has done a good job of giving the Rush a unique identity.

Powering the Toyota Rush is a 1.5-litre 2NR-VE in-line four-cylinder engine that outputs 104 PS at 6,000 rpm and 136 Nm at 4,200 rpm. The engine comes mated to a five-speed manual transmission while the automatic variant gets a 4-speed unit. The South African reviewer goes on to state that "there is very little power and torque and to make full use of it Toyota has used very short gear ratios." Ciro also notes that the engine is "very noisy" and isn't relaxing on long drives. He goes on to add that while the Rush will feel at home in cities like Mumbai or Jakarta, where speeds remain low, it won't perform very well on the highways.

Next, the reviewer appreciates the huge boot space on offer. He also notes that the second-row seats tumbles to create more loading space. That said, he feels that a third row should be made optional. Ciro goes on to highlight the essential features of the cabin, which include a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with Apple Carplay and Android Auto, Automatic climate control, Push button start, and Keyless entry. He is also satisfied with the safety features on offer, which include six airbags, Vehicle Stability Control, Hill Start Assist, and ABS.

Ciro concludes his review by stating that the new Toyota Rush is a "pretty sold family car" but he would suggest the buyers to also look at used RAV4s that retail in the same price bracket.

Also Read: Toyota Rush heads into South Africa, No plans for India

While several reports in the past have indicated that Toyota could launch the Rush in the Indian market, these reports have got it wrong. In March 2018, Toyota Motor Corporation and Suzuki Motor Corporation inked an MOU under which Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) will source the Maruti Vitara Brezza, among other products, from Maruti Suzuki for sale in India under the Toyota branding. With this, it can venture into the highly competitive compact SUV market with a tried and tested product instead of risking millions by launching a product from its global lineup.