First came the Honda BR-V, a subcompact 7-seat SUV that had the underpinnings of the Brio and the Mobilio. This was followed by the Mitsubishi Xpander, which is set to make its Philippine debut real soon, already whetting our appetites by a series of appearances, private screenings and an announcement that the order books have been opened.
But it looks like the battle for supremacy in this fast-growing segment won’t be a two-way fight. In fact, no less than perennial market leader Toyota Motor Philippines has fired a warning shot in the form of an official announcement that its recently-launched Rush will be entering the market within the next few months.
Now on its second-generation in its Indonesian home market, the Toyota Rush rides on an extended ladder frame platform shred with the Avanza. While details of the Philippine-spec Rush have not been revealed just yet, it would most likely use the same 1.5-liter Dual VVT-I four-cylinder motor found under the Avanza’s short hood that produces 103hp and 136Nm. This is mated to a 4-speed automatic or 5-speed manual gearbox.
Of course, all these are still sketchy. What’s certain is that the Toyota Rush will enter the Philippine market during the second quarter of 2018.
