Toyota Raize

The subcompact crossover is still one of the hottest car segments in the Philippines. It combines the ease of driving of a subcompact hatchback, but with more ground clearance. The Koreans have generally had a steady presence here, especially now with the likes of the Kia Stonic. But now, Toyota Motor Philippines are keen to capture this segment with its little Toyota Raize.

History

The Raize is the product of a collaboration between Toyota and renowned small-car manufacturer Daihatsu. It is a rebadged version of the Daihatsu Rocky, which debuted at the 46th Tokyo Motor Show on October 2019. It is also sold in Malaysia as the Perodua Ativa.

Toyota Motor Philippines launched the Raize locally on February 2022.

Variant and Price

There are four Toyota Raize variants available, with either a naturally aspirated or a turbocharged three-cylinder engine. The Toyota Raize price in the Philippines starts at PHP 751,000 for the Toyota Raize 1.2 E M/T. Here’s how much they cost:

The Toyota Raize’s exterior differ little from the Rocky, except for the badging and the front grill. Unlike the hexagonal grill on the Daihatsu, the Toyota twin doesn’t get one at all. Instead, some black trim connects the large, pointed headlights. There’s also a much larger lower grill with black plastic undercladding.

Down the side, the Raize gets more black plastic on the slightly flared wheel arches and the side skirt. The oddly shaped rear-quarter window adds a distinct appearance to the crossover.

When you get to the rear, you find a wide variety of shapes and contours. These include the big taillights with black trim, the plastic trim for the rear reflectors and even more black plastic at the bottom of the rear bumper.

Wheels

The E and G variants get 16-inch alloy wheels, while the Turbo model has 17-inch alloy wheels.

Dimensions

As a B-segment crossover, the Toyota Raize has an identical footprint to subcompact sedans like the Toyota Vios. Here are the dimensions:

The Raize’s cabin combines typical Toyota sensibility with some chunky styling. These include the silver accents on the hexagonal air-con vents, the door pulls and the center console.

In addition, the touchscreen infotainment system sits on a neat little perch on the dashboard, with the airconditioning controls neatly arranged below.

The E variants come with analog gauges with Optitron lighting, while the G and Turbo models have a fully digital gauge cluster plus a leather steering wheel.

Safety features

All Toyota Raize models come with dual front airbags, anti-lock brakes, Vehicle Stability Control, hill-start assist and child restraint anchors.

The top-range Turbo model adds a blind-spot monitoring system and rear cross-traffic alert, along with front-side and curtain airbags.

Ride comfort

Because it is a crossover, the Raize retains the comfort of a subcompact sedan with greater ground clearance. The front end uses MacPherson struts, while the rear uses a torsion beam.

Storage space

The Raize’s interior has plenty of places to put your bottles, cups and other things.

There’s a big glove compartment, generously sized door pockets and a cubby under the center armrest. With the 60/40 split-folding rear seats up, you get 369 liters of cargo space.

Engine and Transmission

You get a choice of two engines with the Toyota Raize. The E and G models are powered by 1.2-liter, twin-cam, 12-valve inline-3 producing 88 PS and 113 Nm of torque. This is mated to either a 5-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

The top-range Turbo model uses a turbocharged 1.0-liter, twin-cam, 12-valve inline-3 that puts out 98 PS and 140 Nm of torque. This is paired solely with the CVT.

Driving characteristics

The Toyota Raize rides and drives like other subcompact crossovers, with light controls and a tight turning radius. The three-cylinder engine provides a throaty growl at full throttle. A full test of the Toyota Raize will tell more about how it drives.

Because of the light body and the small engines, the Raize can get 10 to 12 km/L in the city and 18 to 20 km/L on the expressway. As expected, the CVT returns better fuel consumption figures than the manual.

The Toyota Raize is a practical, well-priced and fairly stylish subcompact crossover that has what it takes to win over people who want to get out of their sedans. It also fills in the gap left by the old and strong-selling Ford Ecosport, along with providing strong competition to Korean subcompacts.

Perhaps the fiercest competition to the Raize would be Chinese crossovers like the MG ZS and ZS T, which offer more space and more power at the same price point.