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The Toyota Corolla Rumion is, in case you didn't know, the actual Scion xB that goes on sale in the US as part of Toyota America's hip branding effort. It is radically different compared to the previous generation Toyota bB and Daihatsu Materia that it intends to replace, as well as the previous generation Scion xB in that respect.
And the second-generation Scion xB is not a retagged Toyota bB like the first one, but instead is an import sold in Japan under the Corolla clan. Whatever "Rumion" stands for we do not know. What we do know is that the car is much better designed, and more spacious than before.
Appearance
Well then, with such a bold set of wheels that many are bound to love or hate, we don't need to tell you that the Rumion has some rather familiar, but interesting angles. It appears to have been done up by fusing together the A-pillar of a Suzuki Swift and the body of a lengthened, older generation European Corolla. It did retain some of that older xB/bB charm.
No. This doesn't work for us but hey, it's as controversial as the subject of premarital sex in the nineties, although not as much as the last one.
Being square has its storage advantages. Observe the amount of space one will get when the 60/40 split seats are folded. Although we are unable to get exact numbers, the square cavity enables it to accommodate even a small, upright piano, sideways.
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Features
Headroom, elbow and legroom levels are definitely generous like you might expect in a vehicle its shape and size, especially for a 1.7-metre tall person like myself.
Equipment levels are pretty much standard, but with a mild twist - nine speakers with blue LED lights surrounding them, a smart key with starter button functions, driver and passenger airbags, central locking, electric windows and mirrors. It has an abundance of luggage space that is largely flat, with no lack of hooks and crevices so that your morning supply of milk eggs to arrive intact at your doorstep™
The stylish dials, instrumentation, air conditioning controls and storage crevices in the door recess do not fall within the scope of the driver easily, and require a fair amount of getting used to - far from being ergonomic.
Yes, storage is aplenty, but it quickly translates into a frustrating experience if you are trying to stuff that bag of chips into one of its many compartments, and this proved to be a huge struggle.
Maybe I'm not supposed to grope for my personal belongings whilst on the move, but we've definitely seen better. The upper section of the facia appears to have been under utilized with lots of flat and bulging spaces alike. That's a huge contrast to what one will find in the same, lower section of the dash, but that's where our complaints end.
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That console mounted gearshift lever frees up lots of central storage space, while noted improvements in this new model include tilt and reach steering adjustability, a drastically improved driving position and a more conventional, floor mounted handbrake lever situated at the right height.
These improvements are much appreciated, and make the Rumion feel more car-like and comfortable, unlike the bB's terribly upright and awkward driving position.
Driving it
This "big little car" is powered by the same 16-valve 1.5-litre, dual overhead camshaft 1NZ-FE found in the Vios. That means 109hp at 6000rpm and 142 Nm at 4200rpm when paired with Toyota's Super CVT-i continuously variable transmission.
It feels fairly underpowered when launched at the lights, but accelerates fairly well when the CVT is kept in the torque band anywhere from 3000-4500rpm.
100km/h was clocked in a respectable time of 12.7 seconds with the air-conditioning turned on and a near empty tank of gas. If you value driving dynamics, then you will love the way the Rumion handles. Although the extra 272kg or so has somewhat dampened the car's sharp and nimble feel, it still remains to a large extent, a great pleasure to drive.
While the steering is typically numb and lifeless by Corolla and Vios standards, the car turns in responsively, exhibiting a small amount of body roll through hard corners while safe understeer sets in at the limit. We do wish that Toyota would have engineered their steering for better feedback in order to complement the car's excellent chassis and handling characteristics, though
That nimble feel, light steering very tight turning circle make this squared-off Corolla feel very much a part of terrible city traffic in Singapore. We were able to drive like hooligans, changing lanes as we pleased and accelerating into empty traffic gaps with much confidence and aplomb.
Neck-turning action tends to be a little dramatic, thanks to a big, black hole for blind spots. There is a smaller, parking mirror placed on the passenger's side in a position that favours multiple drivers of varying heights without much need for adjustability.
Consumption figures ranked at about 8 litres for every 100km, combined with pedal to the metal city driving situations - Vios like levels of fuel efficiency.
Why would you buy one?
There's no easy way to explain the car's price - over $80,000, while it currently offers for $77,888. However, for the amount of money paid, you get sort of a fashion accessory with a fair amount of substance. It's surprisingly practical and not to mention, rather economical.
It also has better-than-average ride and handling. The best part? You won't get many of these on the roads anytime soon, hence, ensuring exclusivity while retaining a higher level of CQ, or "CARacter quotient" than anyone who drives a Corolla sedan, Wish or similar mass-selling family mode of transport.
