Volvo isn’t the only automaker that offers a subscription service as an alternative to leasing. Toyota offers a similar deal for the all-new Raize in the Land of the Rising Sun, a small crossover that slots beneath the C-HR in the automaker’s lineup.
First things first, let’s talk about money. Three trim levels are available in the first model year, and the most affordable will set you back 1,679,000 yen or the equivalent to $14,450 at current exchange rates. Japanese customers who prefer the subscription service can expect to pony up no fewer than 39,820 yen or $370 per month.
Under the skin, the Raize features the DNGA vehicle architecture from Daihatsu. A derivative of the TNGA-B but developed with cost-cutting in mind, the Daihatsu New Global Architecture is shared with the Toyota Pixis Epoch and Subaru Pleo Plus family of kei cars. The nearest sibling to the Raize is the Daihatsu Rocky, introduced last month and manufactured at the Ryuo plant in Shiga, Kansai.
At 3,995 millimeters long and 1,695 millimeters wide, it is more than obvious that Toyota molded the footprint of the Raize to the narrow roads and congested traffic of Japan. Surprisingly enough, this fellow offers the most luggage capacity in the segment thanks to a trunk volume of 369 liters (13 cu.ft.) behind the rear seats.
“Outstanding handling stability and ride comfort” are two promises Toyota has made, a bit pompous when you think about them when looking at the bigger picture. The lightweight crossover keeps things sensible under the hood as well, packing 98 PS (97 horsepower) and 140 Nm (103 pound-feet) of torque from a 1.0-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine.
Tipping the scales at under a tonne for the front-wheel-drive model, the Raize with the 1KR-VET comes as standard with something called D-CVT. That would be an acronym for dual-mode continuously variable transmission, a Daihatsu-developed gearbox that combines belt and gear drives for improved feel and efficiency.
Hopping inside the Raize doesn’t wow your senses because black plastic is pretty much everywhere. At this price point, it’s understandable that Toyota couldn’t make a business case for padded door cards or leather upholstery. But on the upside, higher trim levels come with a 9.0-inch touchscreen display and a digital instrument cluster packed with a few more than simply the essential features.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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