What Is The Toyota Rush Doing In India?

Could it form the base for the new MPV that Toyota and Suzuki are developing together? Or has Toyota decided to finally launch it?

• A trailer truck full of Toyota Rush (not sold in India) was spotted in West Bengal.

• The Rush is bigger than Creta and Ertiga, but smaller than the BR-V.

• Could be a base for developing a new C-segment MPV as part of its partnership with Suzuki?

• May launch in India in the meantime as a rival to the BR-V and Marazzo.

• Toyota Rush likely to be priced over Rs 10 lakh if launched.

Currently, Toyota doesn’t have a compact SUV like the Hyundai Creta or an MPV smaller than the Innova Crysta in the Indian market. However, there is one model in its international portfolio that fits in between - the Rush. Toyota has, in the past, denied bringing the Rush to India. But there have been reports lately that suggest that the carmaker has finally given a nod to the SUV. It has now been spotted for the first time on Indian soil, albeit on a transport trailer.

This compact SUV is a 7-seater and it is longer than the Hyundai Creta but shorter than the Honda BR-V. Its second-gen form was first unveiled in Indonesia in 2017 and is sold in various markets with a 1.5-litre petrol engine. It’s still based on a ladder-frame unlike its aforementioned rivals, which are monocoque offerings. There is no official word yet of Toyota planning to launch the Rush in India. However, it may be here to serve a dual purpose.

As part of Toyota’s partnership with Suzuki for model sharing and development, the two have decided to introduce a C-segment MPV, something that could sit between the Ertiga and the Innova Crysta and rival the Mahindra Marazzo. It was also announced that this new MPV would be sold as a Toyota model first and then by Suzuki. However, the timeline for its arrival was not disclosed.

We suspect the Rush’s ladder-frame type chassis could form the basis of this new MPV. The Marazzo also rides on a ladder-frame platform and so does the Innova Crysta. So Toyota or Maruti won’t really have a tough time pricing this MPV competitively against its sole rival in India due to platform constraints.

By the time the MPV is developed, Toyota might even introduce the Rush in the Indian market with the same 1.5-litre petrol engine as the Yaris compact sedan. As far as the diesel engine is concerned, it remains to be seen if the 1.4-litre diesel engine that does duty on the Corolla Altis is suitable for the Rush in India. If it is, Toyota will have the option to offer it in the Rush too.

If launched in India, expect the Toyota Rush to be priced over the Rs 10 lakh mark. The Rush would rival the likes of the Honda BR-V and the Mahindra Marazzo but the Honda is expected to leave the market by the end of 2019.

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