Toyota Rumion hits the right MPV notes
FOR the past 15 years the Avanza has been the go-to Toyota for those seeking a lot of interior space on a relatively modest budget. But it’s time to say goodbye to Toyota’s seven-seat stalwart as the new Rumion has arrived to take its place.
The new Rumion bears no resemblance to its Daihatsu-based predecessor, neither on the surface nor beneath the skin. That’s because the Rumion is the third product to come out of Toyota’s partnership with Maruti Suzuki in India. Apart from the badge and grille, it appears virtually identical to the Suzuki Ertiga, which hit South African shores in its latest iteration back in 2019.
That means Toyota’s compact MPV is now front-wheel-driven (remember, the Avanza was a rear-wheel drive product), and that should make for safer and more predictable handling in adverse driving conditions which is a very important point given that this vehicle is aimed at families.
The Rumion is cheaper than its predecessor, with its starting price of R245 600 undercutting the cheapest Avanza by over R20 000. Toyota admits that the latter’s price, styling and equipment counted against it. The carmaker is pinning its hopes on the Rumion to make things right. What’s it like to drive?
We got to briefly sample a range-topping Toyota Ertiga 1.5 TX at its launch in Johannesburg this week, and were mostly impressed.
We’ll have to wait for a full road test with some highway driving to deliver a definitive verdict on the Rumion, but the short stint in Joburg’s northern suburbs did highlight its everyday usability to a degree.
The vehicle is easy and painless to drive, everything falls to hand easily and the ride quality was sufficiently comfortable. I also enjoyed the solid, thunky feel of the smooth-shifting five-speed manual gearbox. Toyota offers a four-speed autobox option too, but this was not available to sample at the launch.
All Rumion models are powered by Suzuki’s proven 1.5-litre normally
aspirated petrol engine, which produces 77kw and 138Nm.
Although wi appreciated its free-revving nature, it did feel a little underpowered at altitude and the engine had to be worked hard to maintain a brisk pace. However, the engine of our test vehicle was nowhere near to being run in, with less than 100km on the odometer.
How practical is it?
The second row seats, which have a 60:40 split, can slide back and forth, allowing occupants to vary the amount of space between the two back rows. Jumping into the second row of the vehicle, I was impressed by the amount of rear legroom available.
Next, I squeezed into the third row.although there was no seat tumble
function for the second row, getting in wasn’t hard butthe middle row did need to be slid forward.
The interior of the Toyota Rumion is not going to win awards for its elegance, but it is solidly put together and the harder materials in the cabin are par for the course in this segment.
The Toyota Rumion is available in three specification flavours: S, SX and TX. See more details, on the Latest Launches page of IOL Motoring. Toyota Rumion Prices
1.5 S manual – R245 600
1.5 SX manual – R273 500
1.5 SX automatic – R289 200
1.5 TX manual – R301 600
1.5 TX automatic – R317 200
Prices include a four-service/60 000km service plan and three-year/100 000km warranty.