TOYOTA officially launched the Raize–a small sport compact vehicle that came out in Japan in 2019 and made available in left-hand drive first in Cambodia and now in the Philippines. Assembled in Indonesia, Toyota expects to sell 1,000 units of the compact car per month.
The new Raize is a compact SUV small passenger car–more of a hatch than an SUV. But since this is where Toyota positions it, alongside the Kia Stonic and the Ford Ecosport, this compact SUV measures less than four meters in length. One can say that it caters to the desires of customers who want to drive an SUV, who want to load their vehicles like an SUV but do not have the spending power to do so. Toyota said that the Raize “is designed for those who want to experience an SUV to carry-on luggage but are also looking for a vehicle that’s compact and easy to drive.”
“The Raize is a game-changer. The Raize leads this year’s lineup of vehicles under our new global architecture that features a new generation of compact SUVs that will appeal to the Philippines’ younger population,” Toyota Motor Philippines president Atsuhiro Okamoto said during the virtual launch.
The Raize is the first compact car produced by Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. (Daihatsu) using DNGA (Daihatsu New Global Architecture) platform. Toyota and Daihatsu’s cooperation anticipates product development for both Toyota and Daihatsu brands–which now includes the Avanza. All aspects of the car”•including its platform and powertrain unit”•have been newly developed, with the goal of realizing outstanding levels of driving performance, luxury, safety, and peace of mind.
It features a compact body just 3,995 millimeters long and 1,695 millimeters wide. It comes in 4 variants with a retail price starting at P746,000. Powertrains range from a 1.0 turbocharged CVT to a 1.2L normally aspirated engine with manual transmission. Both engine displacements run on the same 3-cylinder, in-line, 12-valve DOHC with VVT-i engine for the turbocharged CVT variant, and Dual VVT-i for the G CVT, E CVT, and E MT variants.
Following the new global architecture innovations of Toyota in developing new vehicles, Toyota Raize, including its platform and powertrain unit”•has been newly developed, with the goal of realizing outstanding levels of driving performance, safety, and peace of mind. It boasts a class-leading 369-liter luggage capacity; the rear seats can also be folded to further increase the cargo space available, enabling particularly large or long items of luggage to be loaded. In addition, there are storage solutions located throughout the cabin, resulting in a highly convenient interior space.
On the outside, the 1.0 Turbo CVT and 1.2 G CVT variants bear a split-type LED headlamps with line guide, while the 1.2 E CVT and 1.2 E MT variants sport halogen headlamps, with daytime running lights available for all variants. Depending on the variant, drivers can enjoy a keyless entry with either push-start or rotary type ignition system.
Inside it has a leather and silver ornament (1.0 Turbo CVT and 1.2 G CVT &) or a urethane and silver ornament (1.2. E CVT and 1.0 E MT) steering wheel, while resting on a comfortable seat with an illuminated entry system for all variants. The 5-seater compact vehicle also comes with a surprisingly roomy cargo space that can carry anything from the essential to the recreational. It has mobility apps preinstalled through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto running on an 8” or 9” Display Audio with up to 6-speaker system (for the Turbo and G variant). Power is not a problem as it also has 2 USB charging ports and a 12-volt accessory outlet.
All variants come with Vehicle Stability Control & Hill Start Assist, as well as Back Sonars. The 1.0 Turbo CVT variant comes with a Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Cross Traffic Alert, additional front side and curtain airbags, and front clearance sonars. Both the Turbo CVT and G CVT variants come with a back monitor.
The new Toyota Raize is available in 3 colors — Gray Metallic, and Silver Metallic. Red finish is available exclusively for the 1.2 G CVT variant. While two-tone combination is available for the Turbo CVT variant — White pearl and Black, Turquoise Mica Metallic and Black, Yellow, and Black.
