Toyota Rumion: The Indian MPV segment was abuzz yesterday, thanks to Toyota Kirloskar Motor, who had finally taken the wraps off its long-awaited Rumion, which was hailed “Mini Innova” by auto buffs due to its familial resemblance to the famous Toyota people-mover.
In an aesthetically planned launch press meet at Bengaluru, company representatives portrayed Rumion as the ultimate combination of premium hatchbacks and a full-size MPV, specifically targeting young urban families with the need for Innova like flexibility without the price and size deterrent.
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Toyota Rumion Strategic Market Positioning
Toyota’s move to bring in the Rumion is a clever one, addressing a product hole that has been left open for too long. The Innova Crysta and Hycross have been top dogs in the premium MPV category but with their fairly high prices (from around ₹19 lakh), the cars have remained out of the reach for a lot of family buyers moving up from hatches and compact sedans.
“We saw a great opportunity to bring Toyota’s legendary quality, durability, and reliability to even more Indian customers,” said Masakazu Yoshimura, Managing Director at Toyota Kirloskar Motor, speaking at the launch presentation.
“With the introduction of the Rumion, we are bring two arms – one that is designed and developed in India and the other one that is exported, providing us enough ammo to counter the competition in the playground and at the entrance to this Category” -Rush – “Rumion is the successful outcome of a great partnership between design, development, and tech, and has showroom appeal and arrives at pricing sweet spot for the value-conscious Indian consumer.
This positioning pits the Rumion right up against the Maruti Ertiga, Kia Carens and the lower variants of the recently launched Hyundai Stargazer – a segment that’s currently on the rise as Indian car buyers are getting increasingly concerned about space and practicality over traditional sedan forms.
Design: Functional Elegance
Toyota Rumion Image wise, the Rumion gets a neat but neutral design that underplays its Toyota roots but has its own character from its bigger Innova brothers.
Up front and center on the nose, it comes with the signature ‘Innovative’ hexagonal grille housing chrome surrounds that visually ties it with Toyota’s global design language while slim, sleek-looking halogen projector or LED headlamps (depending on variant) complement the front end’s visual appeal.
The profile shows sensible MPV sizing and is helped by sliding doors that mean easier access in tight spaces (a rare convenience seen fleetingly on northerly priced rivals). The slightly rising beltline and strong wheel arches contribute some visual excitement to an otherwise utilitarian profile.
In seven attractive color options, including the fashionable Cafe White and Sensual Silver, the Rumion is definitely eye-catching in the new Spunky Blue – an exciting and alluring color that changes from bright blue to deep indigo under different lighting.
Cabin Space and Versatility
The Rumion is equally brilliant on the inside as well, as the focus here is clearly on making the most of the vehicle’s dimensions with an eye towards optimising the comfort and flexibility for passengers.
The seating configuration is 7-seater in three rows though the full 7 seats, including the driver do not have the huge margin of space seen in the Innova, the top level variants making some amends with captain chairs for the middle row.
The dash theme is one of utility, featuring clear and simple controls and an orientation slightly toward the driver. Material quality is better than you’d expect at this price, with soft-touch materials on commonly touched surfaces and convincing synthetic leather upholstery on range-topping trims.
There’s storage space galore across the cabin – numerous bottleholders, a large centre console and innovative under-seat compartments. Adjustable seating allows the cube to be configured for a combination of passenger and cargo carrying, while the 3rd row-the more entry level “+”, though certainly not so much inside-folds flat to make a huge cargo area when you need the maximum amount of luggage.
Arguably the stand out feature, though, continues to be the well thought-out climate control setup with separate rear AC vents and blower control – aspects of a car that are usually bodged on in this segment, but incredibly important for maintaining peace in the rear seat if you’re ever stuck in traffic on a hot Indian day.
Engines: Tested and True
Beneath the bonnet, the Rumion comes equipped with two trusted engines that are designed with economy and durability in mind, rather than raw outright power.
The basic trims are driven by a 1.5-liter naturally-aspirated petrol with 103 hp and 138 Nm – enough for the city but not ingest via for fuel return of 20.51 km/l.
Littered with tech that is sure to appeal to cabbies, more interesting, however, is a 1.5-litre strong hybrid engine on the higher variants, incorporating electric assistance and petrol power to offer impressive economy of 27.97km/l – figures that will go a long way in keeping running costs in check in comparison to regular powertrains.
This hybrid technology, exploiting the worldwide leading Toyota know-how in electrification, represents a clear advantage in a market ever more focused on cost to fuel consumption.
Transmission options are in the form of a 5-speed manual for all models and a 6-speed automatic for select versions, which provides seamless gear changes, perfect for city driving and stop-and-go traffic.
This isn’t a car for enthusiastic driving, but the powertrain is extremely smooth and suits the car’s family-oriented target market down to the ground.
FEATURES: Considerate Additions
Toyota packages the Rumion with family essentials without unnecessary frill to drive up the price. The HVK’s standard equipment also consists of dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, ISOFIX child seat mounts – which take care of your basic safety needs.
Happily, higher models include side and curtain airbags, ESC, hill-start aid and a reversing camera with dynamic lines. The infotainment is crowned by a 7-inch touchscreen that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which means just the right kind of connectivity, but not the complexity found in complex systems.
Convenience-wise, there’s keyless entry and start, automatic climate control, cruise control and steering wheel-mounted audio controls – all buyer expectations in this segment, and not delving into luxury items that hit value.
Pricing and Options
Perhaps the Rumion’s best card is the pricing game, which sees the collection kicking off as low as ₹10.29 lakh for the entry G (MT) and going all the way to ₹13.68 lakh for the top-spec V (CVT) hybrid (ex-showroom).
This puts it about ₹6-8 lakh cheaper than the Innova Hycross below which it sacrifices some of the features that families are expected to want.
The variant configuration has been conveniently reduced to three basic set-ups:
G: The basic variant with minimal features and a petrol only engine.
S: The middle-of-the-road model with some comfort option box ticking but still good value.
V: Variant with full safety pack and an available hybrid drivetrain
This clear line-up minimises confusion with too many trims and too much variety, while offering clear stepping stones based on what you can afford and what you need – a consumer-friendly approach indicative of Toyota’s understanding of their customers.
Toyota Rumion Market Response and Future Prospects
Early dealer feedback indicates a positive reception, especially from young families living in urban areas who are in the market for their first three-row vehicle.
The claim also suggests that the waiting period on certain variants already stands at 6-8 weeks, pointing to good demand even in the competitive segment.
According to industry analysts, the launch of the Rumion seems to be part of a wider initiative for Toyota to consolidate its base in the volume segment and provide a stepping stone for Innova customers on to to more featured-up cars as and when their requirements and their budget permits.
In the ever more crowded urban environment, as people continue to change their family car to suit today’s lifestyle, the Rumion’s combination of compactness, economy and a reassuring Toyota image offers the ultimate in practical and sensible thinking for today’s cost-conscious buyer, looking for something that works, but needs nothing extra to do it.
