Toyota Rush (Parallel Imported)

Bought this car in May23 to replace my outgoing M8 MPV, went for test drive with my daughter & place deposit on the spot! Paid about 10k for 8mths drive till end COE. So far spent less than 1k on car servicing + 4 new tyres to last till the end

I remember driving this car back in 2007-2008. It was my 2nd car. This car has a tall height ride which is perfect for me.Even though you could not drive this car fast it is still a great valued for money car you can buy now. I checked the internet and they sold it around 38-57k. The FC is great too!. This car would travel you from Singapore to KL smoothly. The cabin noise is loud sometimes. I hope from the next generation of the Rush the AC would be much better.

I had just changed my Nissan Presage to this little cuty Rush. Before changing, I have heard many people feedback that Rush is not powerful, consumption not so good etc etc. But when I went for a test drive, it was a big surprise for me.

The first sight at this car, it really attracts me alot. It is cute, tall(which is a must for me to choose a car) and stylish. Once sit inside, my mum instantly exclaimed that it is very spacious, she can fold her legs and sit comfortably, just like sitting in my presage.

The acceleration is not so fast but I thinkone reason is because most Japanese cars take into consideration of safety. But it speed rather well on the highway. Swift andAs you accelerate to a higher speed, the car seems a bit noisy but it sound so much better to me compared to my presage, a 2.5L MPV, sounds much more noiser than it, and also draggy like an old man when it moves.

Stability is another reason I like about Rush. With such a high CG, the car is still so stable when going up a slope and travelling on a rough road. Fuel consumption is low. I drove this car to KL and only need to top up twice half 3/4 tank of petrol for the whole trip. Handling is easy, especially with the overall clear view of the surrounding.

The rear cargo space is spacious too, even presage doesn't give such a big space, unless you knock down the third row seats.

Overall it is a handy, functional and economical SUV and I really love driving in it. It has given me the comfort and ease of driving.

My dad bought this car in 2009. And when he brought it home, i decided to test it. The looks of the car, it has a cheerful look, but with a dash of evil. It looks like the Mona Lisa painting, a mysterious unexplainable expression. Then came the performance.. Not bad. The acceleration (0-100km/h in about 12secs). Which was relatively alright being a 1.4L SUV car. It is relatively silent while cruising at about 80-90km/h. But when i decided to speed up a little, to about 110 km/h, it began to rumble quite a bit. So yeah, it isn't made for speed. So what is it made for then? Well, easy said, it is for practicality, easy, fun and cheerful driving, which is a +1 for woman drivers and it is a breeze to handle and drive this car. It ride height is also high, so it is easier to see on the road while driving. Easy to park too as it comes with rear parking sensors and a kerb mirror at the hood. The car also came with an LCD touch screen monitor, which is good as it plays my favourite DVD's and CD's with Bluetooth and Radio function. However, there are the downsides.. On a HOT day, the car feels like an oven. The single fan is not capable of cooling the whole car on a really hot sunny day, which is very bad as sometimes it gets really stuffy and warm. This agitates me abit, but well, i can't be expecting a Mercedes Benz cooling Airconditioning system in a 1.4L Toyota Rush. So in conclusion, it is a car that is made for fun and practicality.. Not much for its speed and comfort.

The comfort and the features for this is rather average, but it's the handling and the exterior looks that keep me driving this car for 2 years. i like the exterior look as it gives me a sporty look and this car is damn easy to drive due to is light handling and tall view from the driver position, however, the legroom space is rather small for a height of 180 as i have to push the seat to the back all the way, causing passenger behind me to suffer.

I bought this Rush ever since it was launch in 2006. Now, I've been driving this car up to Penang Malaysia. At 1st I thought I might need at least 2l engine car but with Rush, hassle free. Further more, I'm not the drive which into performance type. 90% of my car cosmetic is still original especially the engine. I would recomend this car for a 1st time buyer on SUV. Very reliable in every most aspect.

Before I start my review, I would like to point out that this review is for a compact budget SUV, not a saloon car. So readers have to tune their mindsets to evaluate an SUV. It would be a total mismatch to compare a mini SUV with a saloon car's character.

I have been driving a Rush for 14 months now and I've not regretted changing from a 3 year old Corolla G9 to this Rush. Of course, not comparing what the Corolla can offer me but what a SUV is suppose to offer me.

Comfort: The ride is a little bouncy for the rear passengers when going over uneven roads. Front passengers are still ok. Typical of a SUV since their suspensions cannot be soft.

Reliability: No issues so far, except for some slight rattling in the boot area due to the spare tyre mounts, expected for such mounts.

Handling: Pretty decent for a SUV, not much body-roll during corners but try not to do it too fast due to the high CG. Steering is light but accurate, good news for ladies.

Exterior design: Nothing to complain about. Good looking and compact.

Interior design/features: Typical SUV practicality with fully split rear seats to give good cargo space. Two 12V socket (one in the boot). Foldable power side mirrors, height adjustable headlights and driver seats. Leather seats of my choice of colour and trimmings. Kerb mirror is especially helpful during parking.

Engine performance: Typical of a SUV, it's initial gear ratios are taller than saloon cars, meant for better torque. First 2 gears are a little lethargic and noisy, but once it goes into 3rd gear, it's quiet cruising. I did some grounding and intake modification (cost less than $500) and the low end performance improved quite a bit. At cruising speed, engine noise is audible above 100kph. Again, SUV gear ratios are not meant for cruising, they are meant to be multi-purpose, including moderate off-roads.

Fuel consumption: I have been getting 11-12+km/l constantly with 60-70% highway driving. This considering the fact that I'm lugging 2 amplifiers, one big sub and 50kg of sound-proofing around. I sound-proofed the whole car from 2 layers on the roof to floor pan and 4 layers on the doors.

Off-road: One big let down if you're into off-roading is the lack of 4WD. Rushes here are RWD. Hence, it's only suitable for light to moderate off-roading. Any ditches deeper than the tyre radius should be avoided.

I bought a Toyota Rush in 2006, when it was recently launched.

At that time, it was one of the cheapest Jap SUV. It was also touted to be small and easy to drive. A lifestyle vehicle for young singles. Exterior looks great, many colours to choose from.

As it was a parallel imported vehicle, I only got a short test drive after I have signed on the dotted line. After I took delivery of the car, I started t realise its shortcomings.

The engine is very noisy. Everytime I rev it, the engine has to go to 3,000rpm before changing gears. Acceleration from start is also slow. At above 100kmh, the engine is straining, and handling is also compromised. Interior is also very sparse, and does not come with much features.Overall, a very uncomfortable-to-drive car.