Toyota Rush

The 2019 Toyota Rush is a B-segment SUV that challenges the Perodua Aruz and Honda BR-V.

It made its debut back in 2018, and is built in Perodua's Rawang plant. 

Priced between RM 93,000 to RM 97,000, the Toyota Rush commands a price premium over the Perodua Aruz, which is essentially the same car. (Toyota Rush – Don’t rush into buying one until you read this)

Design

Compared to the tame-looking Perodua Aruz, the Toyota Rush gets a more aggressive "R-Blade" body kit, which includes silver black front, side, and rear skirts.

Dimensions

Lighting

All variants of the Toyota Rush get LED headlights and LED tail lights.

The Rush 1.5 S adds automatic LED headlights and front fog lights.

Wheels

Like the Perodua Aruz, both variants of the Toyota get 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 215/60 R17 tires.

Despite the similarities in size, the Rush gets a different wheel design.

Dashboard

The Toyota Rush gets a dual-tone black and beige dashboard design, which looks more stylish than the Aruz. 

It also gets a different digital air-conditioning control system. 

Space and Practicality

The Toyota Rush's interior practicality is average at best - storage spaces are sufficient, but the Rush lacks a centre armrest storage box, which is useful to keep items safe from prying eyes.

It also gets decent-size door pockets for storing water bottles. 

Boot

With the third-row seats up right, the Rush's boot measures 213 litres. 

Fold and tumble the seat forwards, you can expand the boot space to 514 litres.

Safety Features

Perodua calls their ADAS suite ASA 2.0, Toyota calls it Pre-Collision System (PCS). Different name, but essentially the same thing. 

The Rush's PCS includes pedestrian detection (up to 50 km/h), while Pre-Collision Warning works up to 100 km/h and Pre-Collision Braking up to 80 km/h. 

Like the Aruz, both variants of the Rush are fitted with 6 airbags, stability control, and traction control.

To justify its price premium over the Aruz, the Rush adds features such as a 360-degree monitor, Blind Spot Monitor, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and a front digital video recorder (DVR).

Comfort Features

The Toyota Rush gets rear air-conditioning vents, 12V socket for the third-row seats, and USB port for charging located on the driver seat. 

The Rush 1.5 S also adds leather upholstery.

Infotainment

Both the Rush 1.5 G and 1.5 S get a 6.8-inch touchscreen head unit with support for MirrorLink, but not Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. Audio is routed through 6 speakers fitted in the cabin of the Rush.

Engine

The Toyota Rush is powered by a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine that does 105 PS and 136 Nm. 

This particular engine is shared with the Toyota Avanza.

Transmission

A 4-speed automatic is the sole transmission option available in Malaysia.

Drivetrain

The Toyota Rush is a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive model. 

Acceleration

During our tests, the Toyota Rush took 15.7 seconds to complete the 0-100 km/h sprint.

Engine Performance

With 105 PS and 136 Nm available, the Toyota Rush is not exactly powerful. 

It has sufficient power to propel itself up to speed, though if more power is needed, then the Honda BR-V (120 PS/145 Nm) is a better option.

Transmission Performance

Gear shifts of the 4-speed automatic are smooth, though kick-down could be more responsive.

The transmission does take its own sweet time to downshift.

Steering and Handling

The Toyota Rush's steering is on the light side, which eases maneuvering. Couple that with the tight turning radius and 360-degree view monitor, parking the Rush is a breeze.

Just like the Perodua Aruz, the Rush is built on a (semi) body-on-frame platform.

As such, handling cannot match rivals with a unibody construction, like the Honda BR-V.

The Honda BR-V, despite being an MPV, offers a more refined ride over the Aruz, exhibiting a car-like driving experience.

Sound Proofing

Sound proofing of the Toyota Rush is just about average. 

At 110 km/h, we recorded the cabin noise level to be at 70.3 dB.

At idle, the cabin registers 46.6 dB, with the air-conditioning switched on.

Passenger Comfort

The Toyota Rush was engineered to carry around a full load (7 passengers + luggage) in mind. 

As such, with 2 people on board, the suspension can be described as "under damped" and ride comfort is on the firm side.

Fuel Consumption

Considering its rear-wheel-drive format and 4-speed automatic transmission, expect the Toyota Rush to consume 8- to 9-litre/100 km in the city and 7-litre/100 km on highways, depending on your driving style.

While the Toyota Rush has a lot going for it, including its generous safety equipment, handsome looks, and proven reliability, it is hard to ignore the fact that the Perodua Aruz can be had for a lot less.

The Perodua Aruz is essentially the same car as the Rush, but priced much cheaper than the Rush. 

So is it worth the price premium over the Perodua Aruz? (Perodua Aruz vs Toyota Rush, the choice is obvious)

In short, if you have no interest being seen driving a Perodua or stepping inside a Perodua service centre and prefer Toyota's after-sales, then there's no denying the Rush's appeal.