Will there still be a next-generation Toyota Rush?
In Toyota’s small seven-seater lineup, the Rush is the most seasoned of them all. While the Avanza and Veloz have shifted to a front-wheel drive platform, the Rush remains resolutely old-school.
The Toyota Rush still uses a ladder frame chassis (albeit wrapped within the body), rear-wheel drive, and a four-speed automatic. But the with new DNGA platform, what does the future lie for the Rush?
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PHOTO BY Toyota
Over in Malaysia, the Rush has been discontinued. As reported by Paultan.org, it was confirmed by the company. The reason for its discontinuation is not because of age. Instead, the Rush has been axed over there due to low sales. A likely reason for that is the Perodua Aruz, essentially a rebadged, budget version of the Rush.
Still, one can’t deny the age of the Toyota Rush. The model is already creeping towards six years old and the platform it uses is well over a decade. One has to wonder if there will be a new generation Rush coming soon or if Toyota/Daihatsu will even make one at all.
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PHOTO BY Toyota
At this point, there are three likely possibilities for the Rush. The first is that it remains in its current form to serve as a rugged, rear-wheel drive alternative to the Avanza and Veloz. The second is to shift to the new Daihatsu New Global Architecture to put it in line with the other subcompact seven seats. But Toyota/Daihatsu can skip those options and simply discontinue the model.
That said, the Toyota Rush remains a popular model in most parts of Southeast Asia despite its age. But just because a car still ranks as a best-seller, it doesn’t always mean it’ll hang around forever. Sure, there are models such as the Land Cruiser 70 Series and L300 that defy that, but those are notable exceptions. Either way, Toyota has to make a decision soon with newer and fresher competition luring customers away from the Rush.