In a developing Indian automotive scenario, Toyota has played their cards well and launched the folks carrying MPV – the Rumion, at an appropriate price, now forcing every other family guy to come up with some mathematical calculations.
Here is a well executioned, seven-seat staining that revives Toyota’s game in a category not so long ago owned by the company – one that now seems empty after the great, earlier-setting Innova moved on and up – in size and price – in our hearts.
Affordable Kicks, Revived
The Rumion is itToyota’s return to its roots The Rumion is an expression of Toyota’s return to its roots. 2005 saw the first iteration of the Innova, hitting the right notes with Indian families for being practical, reliable and good value all at once.
But as the succeeding generations of the Innova grew more premium and more pricey, Toyota unknowingly left a void in their product roster.
Replacing them, raised from Toyota’s worldwide collaboration with Suzuki, is the Rumion, which fills this hole admirably with its toyota high quality promise, but in a more affordable framework.
We have planned the Rumion to satisfy the middle-class family that wants the reliability of Toyota without burdening themselves with expenses,” a Toyota representative said. That philosophy is built into the vehicle, from the design to the powertrain options.
Exterior Design: Recognizable But Different
It doesn’t take an auto-addict to quickly spot the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga’s likeness and that is hardly shocking as both are underpinned by the same platform.
But Toyota has put in effort to establish their brand in the look department for the Rumion. The front profile getting a broader grille similar to the Innova Hycross, which draws a visual link to its pricier sibling.
With dimensions of 4420mm long, 1735mm wide, and 1690mm high, the rumion has an ideal size for road presence and city driving.
The dimensions mean that despite having a seven-seat capacity, it doesn’t feel too big for the city or have a problem with tight parking spaces, which is important for families in urban settings.
The Power and the Fuel Economy: Everyday Responsiveness
The Rumion comes with a choice of two engines – a 1.5-litre NA petrol mill and a factory-fitted CNG engine. The petrol engine makes 102bhp and 137Nm of torque and has enough performance for both city commutes and out of town cruising.
Transmission choices are a snappy 5-speed manual and a slick 6-speed automatic for varying driving tastes.
The Rumion is one of the stronger electric cars in terms of fuel efficiency. The petrol models claim same mileage (20.11 kmpl) and the CNG model steps it up as it offers a wonderful 26.11 kmpl.
In real-life, owners claim between 19.5-24 kmpl which brings the Rumion within budget of most families looking to save on running costs in the long run.
I have driven over 600 kms in a single stretch in my Rumion and the mileage that this car gives is simply impressive, says Ramesh Kumar from Delhi who owns Rumion.
“It balances power and fuel economy, which is perfect whether you’re commuting to work or taking a kind of long road trip.
From the Inside Out: Efficiency And Space
Enter the Rumion and you are greeted with a cabin focused on using space and keeping things comfortable.
In three row form, there’s room for seven adults if you’re all friendly, something many contemporaries like the outbound version of this SUV simply can’t offer.
Due to the cramped legroom and headroom, the third-row is best tailored for kids or smaller adults on longer trips, but flexible seating creates several cargo and passenger combinations.
The dashboard design is clean and simple, built around a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capability.
Up-level trims add automatic climate control, push-button start, cruise control and a six-speaker sound system.
The fit and finish inside is not luxurious but that is good because everything looks like well-engineered and is composed of sturdy materials that would stand up family use.
Boot volume when all seats are in use is 209 litres, rising to 550 litres with the third row down, and an impressive 803 litres with both it and the second row down, catering for everyone from the couple nipping to the shops, right through to fully bloody loaded holiday luggage.
Safety and Technology: Protection is necessary
Safety The Milf comes standard with dual front airbags, but the very top spec models feature optional side and curtain airbags (for a total six airbags).
Imporantie active safety comes in the form of ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, and electronic stability control. Although the Rumion remains to be Bharat NCAP tested, Toyota’s willingness to build solid cars provides a semblance of security to safety-conscious customers.
The technology suite is not state-of-the-art, but it has all the basics you’d expect in a family-minded modern automobile.
Apart from the touchscreen infotainment system, the Rumion also comes badge-engineered with Toyota’s i-Connect connected car features, auto headlamps and keyless entry on the higher trims.
Its simple interface also ensures a limited learning curve – a welcome touch for those buyers seeking function over high-tech gimmicks.
Market Positioning: Proposition of Value
Compared to that, the Rumion offers the budget-conscious family man something different with a touch of premium-ness too. With tags ranging from the ₹10.54 lakh to ₹13.83 lakh (ex-showroom, India) bracket, the Rumion promises exactly that.
The pricing bracket is just there at the sweet spot, as its Rs 4.5-5 lakh cheaper than the Innova Crysta and Rs 1-1.5 lakh costlier than its rival from Maruti Suzuki, which brings to you Toyota’s dependability and appeal in a denominator that’s affordable to most families.
The Rumion is offered in three trims – S, G and V – the most affordable among them being the S, available with petrol and CNG powerplant options.
Those finishes are Spunky Blue, Rustic Brown, Iconic Grey, Cafe White and Enticing Silver with the earthy Rustic Brown being the most distinct.
The Toyota Ownership Experience: The Real Quality in a Toyota
The best thing about the Rumion might not even be the fact sheet, but the ownership experience it offers.
Its customers love it not just for its being a great car, but also because of the premium Toyota’s legendary after-sales service, spreading dealer network, and reputation for making vehicles that just keep running for years, add to the value far beyond the sticker price.
LivNav Clearly, some other factor, perhaps the branding dummy, could be doing all the talking “After driving Maruti for so many years, I only shifted to Rumion for Toyota’s service assurance,” reveals Sunita Sharma, a recent Rumion buyer in Mumbai.
The slight premium over the Ertiga is definitely worth the peace of mind that a Toyota ownership brings.”
And this same sentiment is shared among many Rumion owners, who don’t treat their purchase as a vehicle, but a long-term investment.
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The Toyota Rumion manages to fill the much-needed gap in Toyota’s portfolio and provides a reasonable first stepping stone for families that want to be a part of the brand’s legacy but do not want to part with those cherished Toyota ideals that we have grown up with in India.
It may not be as refined as its pricier siblings, or feature the newest technology, but the Rumion is what counts, it is what families will want to rely on day in day ut, getting them there in comfort with a minimum fuss.
Also see “A to B In Lilliput”Feature: 1,491: The Rumion is everything Toyota does best, all in one little package, and it’s arriving just in time— we hope—with part II of the New Sensibility.
Toyota has not only brought out a new model to fill this void but has also revived its essence - a principle that formed the underlying foundation of its trust and value in the Indian automotive industry.