Toyota Rush

The cabin of the Toyota Rush is very functional. You will not like the steering wheel much, though the built-in audio controls are pleasing. The seats are very comfortable and are decently cushioned to impart plushness. The legroom and headroom are ample on the front and middle row, though the third-row faces a bit of a problem when it comes to very long drives.

The G AT model has a lot of convenience features added to the list too. The dashboard holds a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment display that gets Weblink connectivity for Android and iOS smartphones. Dual climate control also makes it to the feature list, along with automatic front vents.

The Toyota Rush is designed to be the perfect 7-seater family car. It is not overly dramatic as the Mitsubishi Xpander, its top rival. The front end has a good amount of chrome on the grille, which adds a premium touch. The fog lamp housing also gets chrome surrounds. The vase model of the SUV rides on 16-inch wheels, while the range-topping G AT gets bigger 17-inch wheels.

Get to the rear and you will find a very attractive face. The best visual part is the combination of taillights and the roof spoiler. The faux skid plate lower down the bumper is another attractive touch to add sportiness.

When it comes to performance, the Toyota Rush is very similar to the Mitsubishi Xpander as the numbers are similar. The Rush is good and smooth on city roads, where the power and acceleration are decent. However, the engine fails to impress on the highway, especially with the ar packed to its capacity.

But not on the handling, though. The car feels extremely poised on the steering and the chassis does well to keep it planted on the road while doing high speeds. The suspension system is on the softer side and that makes for a very bumpy ride, especially with a lot of passengers on board.

The Toyota Rush offers very smooth drive capabilities. Though the engine is not outright powerful, the linear-ness is what ensures a fun drive. The 1.5-litre, in-line 4-cylinder engine can churn out a maximum power of 102 bhp at 6,000 rpm and a peak torque of 134 Nm, coming in at 4,200 rpm. The base model gets a 5-speed manual gearbox while the top trim gets a 4-speed automatic unit.

The braking duties on the Toyota Rush are handled by ventilated disc brakes on the front, while the rear makes use of a leading and trailing drum unit. The anti-lock braking system and electronic brakeforce distribution are standard. There are 3-point seat belts for all the rows (two front, three middle and 2 third row).

Added to that is vehicle stability control, traction control, emergency braking signal, hill start assist, etc. Hence, despite being a very affordable car, Rush does not compromise on the safety front at all.

The Toyota Rush is a neck-to-neck competitor to the Mitsubishi Xpander but is marginally more affordable. And since the features are similar on both the cars, the more versatile design and cost-saving might cause you to choose it over the Xpander. Plus, the trust of Toyota is always an advantage to have.