Toyota Rumion Review 2023
Now, I know what you’re thinking. This is a very familiar car, isn’t it? this is the Toyota Rumion. It is a badge-engineered version of the Maruti, Suzuki Ertiga. And today I’m going to tell you what’s different and why you should consider a Toyota Rumion.
Badge Engineering for those less familiar is where One company takes the product of another, makes some modifications to it, and then rebrands it and sells it as its own.
Toyota Rumion Seat
So why is Toyota resorting to this strategy, you ask? Well, Toyota is leveraging its partnership with Suzuki and entering segments where it doesn’t have its presence.
And now, with the rumion, it is targeting those buyers who want a seven seater, but for whom the Inova is a bit of a stretch. From the front, it looks a bit different.
Toyota Rumion Vs Ertiga
Toyota Rumion knows bears some resemblance to the Inova Krista. Its grill is very similar to its diesel cousin and it also flaunts the Toyota logo proudly in the center. The bumper is a bit different and even the alloys are new in this car.
So while the front and sides bear some dissimilarities with the Ertiga from the rear, however, you will have to solely rely on the badges to identify a rumion.
The familiarities continue inside with an interior design layout and even the beige color scheme, which is identical to the Ertiga.
Only the Toyota logo on the steering gives away its credentials. What’s nice is that the seats are broad and comfortable.
Ergonomics are good and the rumions cabin is functional and practical. The middle row is spacious, the seats slide and even recline 40,60 for better comfort and flexibility.
Space in Toyota Rumion
The curbside section of the second row tilts forward and slides, facilitating easy access to the third row.
Space in the last row is good, even for adults. The large glass area ensures passengers don’t feel claustrophobic, and rear air vents with a dedicated blower aid faster cooling.
Engine and performance Toyota Rumion
Talking about the powertrain options, you get a 1.5 liter petrol engine, which comes with either a five speed manual or a six speed automatic gearbox that we are driving here today.
There’s also a CNG version, but that’s only available with a 5 speed manual gearbox, the 1.5 petrol engine and the six speed automatic.
This is a very smooth and a very relaxed powertrain. It is going to be doing its job in a very unhurried, but in a very bus free manner, and well for the point a to point b commutes, it does its job really well.
Aided by mild hybrid technology this petrol feels responsive, particularly at city speeds.
Gearbox Toyota Rumion
The six speed automatic is very smooth, although if I’m honest, it’s a bit too eager to upshift in the interest Of efficiency to give the driver manual control over the transmission.
It gets paddle shifters too, which come handy while driving in a spirited manner. However, driving in an aggressive manner brings its torque deficit light, and at higher engine speeds, progress is slower and the engine gets much louder.
Fuel efficiency Toyota Rumion
when you are behind the wheel of a rumion, you take it easy and become a calmer driver automatically. And then when you are driving in a sedate manner, this will reward you with impressive fuel efficiency
The Maruti XL six, with a similar powertrain and weight, achieved 9.2km/l in City and 17km/l on the highway in our fuel efficiency tests, thus giving a fair idea of what you can expect from the rumion in the real world.
Ride comfort in Toyota Rumion
Talking about the other things, the ride quality is really nice, it takes on bad roads really well, and there’s a surprising amount of cushioning that you get from the suspension over bad roads, which really makes it ideal for our kind of driving conditions.
Price Of Toyota Rumion
Coming to the variance and pricing like to like, the rumion is 50 to 60,000 more expensive than its Maruti counterpart.
For the premium Toyota commands over Analtica, a higher degree of differentiation would surely have been welcomed.
Warranty Toyota Rumion
What you get with the Toyota is a three year standard warranty, whereas Maruti is just offering you two years.
Having said that, both cars offer extendable warranty up to five years. Another reason you could consider the rumion is for slightly lower waiting times.
Waiting times Toyota Rumion
Waiting periods on some variants of the ertiga extend to several months. So the rumion could be an opportunity.
For you to skip the queue to get your hands on this MPV. And then, just like the Maruti, this Toyota is going to be a reliable, practical and a very comfortable family mover.
A car that you just can’t go wrong with. And what’s more, this one bears a slightly more premium Toyota badge on its nose.