By: Christopher Tan    

It is probably unnecessary for me or anyone to write a review of the Toyota Wish.

The seven-seater has been in Singapore for close to five years now, and has emerged as the best-selling multi-purpose vehicle (MPV). In 2006, for instance, more than 6,000 were sold, eclipsing the combined sales of all MPVs here.

We have not reviewed the Wish before because it was not available from the authorised agent until now.

And it has not been our practice to review cars from parallel importers. Not because we don't like them, but because there are more than 200 of them out there. We can't possibly run 200 reviews of the same car, even if it is a bestseller.

But I guess buyers have voted with their cheque books, review or no.

The car is, however, a little long in the tooth now, and is facing some competition from the new Honda Stream. Toyota will launch a new Wish some time next year - a model with a lot more bells and whistles but still largely unknown and untested.

So should you wait or should you consider the current model?

Before coming to that, let me declare that I own a Wish, so I may be deemed biased. But I did not buy the car from Borneo Motors (I would have if it had the car back then), so that should add a dash of neutrality.

The Wish is clearly a winner (oops, did that sound a bit gushing?) and there are three main reasons for that.

Firstly, it has a pleasant design. Despite being five years old, it is stylishly modern.

The interior scores, too. Although no bigger than a medium sedan, it is able to accommodate seven comfortably.

Access to all three rows is easy and the seats can be folded flat. There is ample stowage too, with a sizeable glovebox, door pockets and covered side bins at the third row - very user-friendly.

The cockpit is as up-to-date as the exterior. One-touch climate control, motorised wing mirrors, foot-operated parking brake (so convenient), trip computer, one-touch auto windows and a shift gate that allows quick manual gear changes.

All in all, the car is an extremely comprehensive package for its price.

Secondly, the car is fuel-efficient. In real life, you will get around 11.5km to a litre. If you drive predominantly on the highway, 13km or more. That's better than what many five-seater sedans offer.

Thirdly, the car is comfortable. It may not handle as well as a sedan, but its ride is above par. Occupants in all three rows will find even long-distance jaunts quite bearable. And even without rear blowers, the car's air-con system is strong enough to satisfy folks in the last row.

The driver will find the car quite manoeuvrable.

The drivetrain adapts to city and highway driving equally well, and is able to cruise at 90kmh at just a tad above 2,000rpm.

Borneo's car is quieter, on account of the tyres Toyota picked for this region. Sticking to the original 15-inch wheels is probably best for comfort and consumption.

The car comes with a Taiwan-sourced body kit, including chrome tailpipe and winkers on the wing mirrors.

Borneo's car also differs from the Japanese domestic model in other areas. Notices printed on the sun visors are in English and Thai. The rear windows are not tinted.

The biggest difference lies in the boot area. Instead of a flat floorboard that can be removed to reveal a recessed compartment, it is an exposed hard, smooth plastic tray. Place anything there and you will be reminded of it each time you corner.

These inexplicable differences aside, the Wish is still the best seven-seater for the money today. So don't wait.

TOYOTA WISH
Price: $73,888 with COE
Engine: 1,794cc 16-valve inline-4
Transmission: Four-speed automatic with quick shift
Power: 132bhp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 170Nm at 4,200rpm
0-100kmh: 13 seconds
Top speed: 180kmh
Fuel consumption:
7.8 litres/100km (city)
Agent: Borneo Motors

This article was first published in The Straits Times on 22 June, 2008