Why we think Filipinos deserve a Raize

We think that the Toyota Raize is one of the most awaited cars in the Philippines and for good reason. We’re crazy about crossovers and SUVs. Imagine a sub-compact crossover with legit JDM heritage and at an affordable price point.

It’s going to feel like the Toyota Wigo all over again: Toyota will dominate the market in this segment once again. What makes the Toyota Raize so sought after, that it just brings shivers down the spine of every car company in the Philippines?

Turbo power

Have you ever driven a Toyota Wigo and wished it had a turbocharger under the hood for a little more oomph? While the 1KR-VE in the tiny hatchback is plenty capable of pulling it through the city, the Toyota Raize will need a bit more. From what our friends from Oto.com in Indonesia have discovered, powering the Raize is the more potent 1KR-VET engine. It’s pretty much the same engine in the current Wigo but is blessed with turbo power! It bumps the power up from 67hp to a more acceptable 97hp. Toyota Indonesia claims that the performance would be similar to a 1.5-liter, naturally aspirated engine. But we’ll be the judge of that if and when it arrives on our shores.

Gazoo Racing

Thanks to Toyota’s performance arm, Gazoo Racing, the Toyota Raize will also have a GR-Sport variant similar to the variant of the Toyota Vios. The Toyota Raize GR-Sport has a special wraparound bodykit, adding to its sporty appeal as well as sleek 17-inch black-out alloy wheels. It also gets LED headlamps, daytime running lamps and sequential turn signals. The design is similar to the current-generation RAV4 but in a more compact body making it look sportier in appearance.

Interior amenities include a floating nine-inch touchscreen infotainment system along with a chunky leather steering wheel and special GR inspired seats. 

Five-star safety 

Just because the Toyota Raize is small in stature, doesn’t mean it isn’t big on safety. The Toyota Raize earned a five-star rating for both the Japan and ASEAN NCAP, gaining special mention for Occupant and Child Occupant Safety. You can’t say as much for similarly sized crossovers. The top-of-the-line Toyota Raize has six airbags, adaptive cruise control pre-collision system, front departure alert, lane departure assist with steering assist. For those concerned about sudden unintended acceleration it also has a mitigation system to make sure that the risk of such is avoided. This is topped off by rear cross traffic alert, as well as blind spot monitoring. It also comes standard with an anti-lock braking system (ABS),  vehicle stability control (VSC), hill start assist (HSA), seatbelt indicators, rear parking sensor, rear parking camera, and alarm with vehicle immobilizer. 

JDM heritage

JDM or Japanese domestic market is an overused word in the car community to describe cars or parts used or sold primarily in the Japanese market. If your car gets slapped with this magical badge, for some reason your car gets instant pogi-points whenever you bring it to car meets. The Toyota Raize has been a best-seller in Japan since 2019, reaching more than 126,038 units sold in 2020 alone. If that isn’t enough to get you salivating at the prospect of having the Raize available in the Philippines, the next item on the list should.

The price is right

One of the reasons why the Toyota Wigo has sold exceptionally well since its launch is the affordable price. There is no reason to believe that the Toyota Raize will buck this trend once released here. In Indonesia, the Toyota Raize is priced at IDR 260 million, converted to Philippine pesos that amounts to around P870,000. It’s smaller than the Kia Stonic, Hyundai Venue, and Ford Ecosport, but a ride height of 185mm should prove to be a competitive and more compact option. 

If I had a direct line to Toyota Philippines, I'd say that we can’t wait to have the Toyota Raize set foot on our shores and totally dominate the subcompact crossover segment. Would you be in line for one? 

Photos from Oto.com

Also read: Set for Indo launch, will the cute-ute Toyota Raize be PH-bound as well?