Toyota Wish Actual Fuel Economy Review (General Comments)

Fuel economyOctober 31, 2021

Unexpectedly good fuel economy and high level of driving performance

There were several things that became clear to me after driving 500km in the Wish. First of all, the fuel efficiency of the latest minivans is very good; 13.2km/L was unexpectedly good considering that we were driving at a high pace on a long mountain road with two passengers.

The high level of the Wish's moderate driving performance also became clear. The easy to use engine and transmission and the natural handling exceeded my expectations. I can assure you that the driver and passenger will be more satisfied than dissatisfied, even if they drive 500km in half a day. That point was also made clear.

What was not clear, however, and became increasingly unclear, was the reason for the existence of the third row of seats.

The ride is good, my only complaint is the third row seats.

Who would be satisfied with the third row of seats, and in what situations would they be needed? Instead of adding a third row of seats, the cost should be allocated to the second row of seats to make them more robust and the space should be used for cargo space.

This is the common conclusion of Mr. Y and I, a family of three driving a Subaru Legacy Outback. "In the 21st century, Japan is rich enough that a car that can satisfy the needs of the right person in the right place is what is appropriate. In the 21st century, Japan is affluent enough that the right car for the right person is the right car for the right purpose.

In the 21st century, Japan is rich enough to have the right car for the right person at the right time. It's like carrying a thick coat under your arm every day, thinking "I'll wear it someday," even though winter has passed, spring has come, and summer has arrived.

The third-row seat of Wish is a thick coat in the middle of summer. The previous generation Wish was released right after the Honda Stream, a similar car. "The new model seems to have shifted the direction of design, although it was once ridiculed for being too similar in size, design and content. With the minor change in June 2009, the two-row, five-passenger "RST" was added to the Stream lineup. I guess they couldn't ignore the people who don't need three rows of seats. "If two rows of five seats are fine, then why not two rows of five seats in a station wagon like the Legacy that Mr. Y is driving? Toyota also has a well-designed station wagon called the Avensis.

If you want to carry seven people, a large minivan with adequate space and seats is the way to go. After driving 500km, I couldn't change my mind. I wonder if a Wish version of the "RST" will be released soon, with the same great driving performance.

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