2022 Toyota Raize Turbo Review | Philkotse Philippines

One has to take advantage of a certain trend in order to stay competitive. This is what Toyota Motor Philippines has been doing, allowing them to keep its foothold in the local market. 

One can realize this by taking a peek at Toyota Philippines’ model lineup. It has an entry to almost every vehicle category – from the subcompact hatchback up to the full-sized SUV. Toyota PH is also expanding its hybrid portfolio, a testament to the fact that it doesn’t want to slow down. 

The sudden popularity of the subcompact crossover vehicles also piqued Toyota PH’s attention. It was a segment that was once left open by the said Japanese car brand. With its increasing popularity in the local market, Toyota PH decided to join the fray by introducing the Raize subcompact crossover. 

Toyota Raize Turbo - fulfilling promises? | Philkotse Reviews

The Raize became one of the most visible vehicles in the Philippines. In fact, Toyota PH shared that the waiting for the top-spec Raize Turbo could take up to four months or longer, a clear sign that the local market has been captivated by the said vehicle. 

With that, what makes the Toyota Raize such a hot crossover in the country? Here’s Philkotse’s 2022 Toyota Raize Turbo full review. 
 

Before anything else, the Raize is a rebadged Daihatsu Rocky – a fact that you probably know by now. Rebadged Daihatsu models are not something new in the Philippines since the local market already has the Avanza, the Rush, and the Wigo, which all have a Daihatsu DNA.  

2022 Toyota Raize Turbo

The Toyota Raize features a confident demeanor especially when viewed from the front. It has LED headlights, daytime running lights, and halogen fog lamps. The angular bumper adds to the Raize’s crisp fascia, giving it an SUV-like appearance. Black cladding can be seen at the lower bumper, which gives the Raize a rugged touch. 

Turning to the side, this top-spec Raize Turbo comes with a two-tone exterior paint that I find more appealing than the monotone execution. It makes the Raize more youthful and somewhat sporty-looking, which I consider a plus considering the vehicle’s target market. 

The Raize Turbo has a lot of character

The black cladding on the wheel arches that stretches to the side and all the way to the rear further adds accent to the Raize. I also like the two-tone 17-inch alloy wheels that give the vehicle the right amount of swag. 

It has distinctive taillights

The highlight of the Raize’s rear end is the LED taillights, which are seamlessly connected by a glossy black bar. However, I find the Raize’s rear bumper a bit too aggressive-looking, and the integration of black plastic cladding is a bit of a letdown. 

I would have preferred to water down the design aggressiveness for a bit when it comes to the rear end. But despite that, the Toyota Raize has its own distinctive character that makes it stand out on the road.
 

The Raize comes with a black interior theme with silver accents. Hard plastic materials are evident inside, which is understandably so to keep the Raize’s sticker price competitive.

The Raize has a dark interior theme

The dashboard layout is quite busy yet organized. What I mean is that the Raize’s dashboard has several textures to make the use of hard plastic materials more appealing or more presentable. I do find it organized since all the controls are placed in a relatively neat way. It can easily be spotted even though it’s your first time inside Toyota’s subcompact crossover. 

What I appreciate the most is the intention to go for a driver-oriented dashboard layout. The center console leans more towards the driver, allowing me to reach the necessary vehicle controls or buttons without too much effort. 

The gear lever’s height or positioning is also something I liked since you can easily reach it. But, the carbon fiber-like trim surrounding it is not my cup of tea. I prefer it to be in flat black with a silver accent so as to match the whole cabin theme.

Buttons are integrated into the steering wheel

The steering wheel looks good and is not overly designed, which is something I appreciate. The integrated buttons on the steering wheel are easy to get accustomed to and offer a decent feel when pressed.

Another thing I liked in the Raize is the hidden cupholders placed beneath the left- and right-most aircon vents. Aside from being a space saver, it can also keep your cold beverages cool while you’re out on the road.

The seats come with white stitching and pattern

The materials used for the seats are a combination of fabric and synthetic leather. It also has white stitching and pattern to add style to it. The seats, particularly the driver’s seat, offer good cushioning considering that its price point. But there was a time when my lower back complained a bit after hours of driving. In case you’re wondering, the Raize comes with manual seat adjustment.

Despite the abundant use of hard plastics, the Toyota Raize still comes with soft-padded materials on the door panels and front center armrest. This allows you to have a more comfortable elbow rest should you need one.  

No aircon vents for rear passengers

At the back, passengers standing 5’5” get enough leg- and head-room. Up to three individuals can occupy the back seat but elbow room might be a bit of a squeeze. The passenger sitting in the middle also needs to contend with the raised center tunnel, which could affect overall comfort, especially on long trips. There are also no rear aircon vents, which is not much of a problem since the front AC can cool the cabin efficiently. 

The Raize's cargo compartment

The Raize’s cargo space can also accommodate an assortment of items. Loading four to five overnight bags is not a problem. The cargo area also has a detachable tonneau cover.

Compared to the mid-spec Raize 1.2 G variant, the infotainment system fitted on this top-spec Raize is way more pleasing to look at. It comes with a larger 9-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Aside from being an inch larger, it looks more seamlessly integrated into the dashboard.

It has a floating-type infotainment touchscreen

Another thing is that the USB port for the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is not placed within the infotainment screen itself. It is now located on the center console beneath the aircon controls, resulting in a more clutter-free dashboard.

Reverse camera

The infotainment touchscreen is also where the live feed from the rear camera appears. Speaking of which, the rear camera’s image quality is not that stellar but it still gets the job done in assisting you when reversing. 

The digital gauge cluster shows the Raize's steering angle 

The Raize Turbo also comes with a seven-inch digital gauge cluster, featuring four display themes to choose from. What I appreciate most about the Raize’s digital cluster is the inclusion of the steering angle guide. This shows where the front wheels are pointed, which is useful when you’re parking the vehicle. It helps by giving you quick info on whether your steering wheel is already pointed straight. 
  
Toyota’s subcompact crossover is also equipped with speed-sensing door locks, and other safety features such as blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and six airbags. The Raize Turbo also has front and rear sensors, an anti-lock braking system, vehicle stability control, and hill start assist control among others. 

Under the hood, you’ll find a 1.0-liter three-cylinder turbo gasoline engine. It puts out 97 hp and 140 Nm of torque. The engine is then connected to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). 

Powered by a 1.0-liter three-cylinder turbo gasoline engine

The power output might not be that much but you have to take note that the Raize weighs only around 1,040 kilograms. It’s even lighter compared to the Nissan Almera (1,090 kilograms), which produces roughly the same output. 

The Raize’s 1.0-liter turbo gasoline engine delivers enough power to make your daily drives around the urban jungle manageable. It can also hold its own when you’re cruising on the expressway, and when you’re tackling uphill roads. What’s good is that the Raize has a good throttle response, giving you confidence should you need to overtake slower vehicles.

The Raize has a bold front end

The steering wheel is a bit weighted, and it is not as light as other subcompact crossovers I’ve tested. But, it’s not that bothersome, and it will not require you significant effort when it comes to maneuverability. What I’m saying is that the Raize’s steering wheel has a hint of firmness to it, which could also play to your advantage since you have more road feel or control of the vehicle.

When it comes to overall ride comfort, the Raize’s suspension is leaning more on the soft side. I find this setup logical since the Raize is most likely to be used as a daily driver around the city. Having a soft suspension relatively yields more impact absorption, which is exactly what I felt when I took the Raize on the dilapidated roads of EDSA.     

Raising the game 

One of the features that separate this top-spec Raize from its variant lineup is the addition of front sensors. This allows you to have better and more surefooted drive as the front sensors warn you in case you’re already coming too close to an obstacle. During the duration of my test drive, the front sensors worked fine. But, there were a few instances when it alerted too abruptly or a tad late, especially when there was a lane-splitting motorcycle.   
 
Another thing I noticed is that Toyota could have done a better job when it comes to minimizing Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH). Outside noise creeps into the cabin, especially when you’re driving on EDSA, and when you’re cruising at highway speeds. Vibration can also be felt when the vehicle is idle, which is understandably so since the Raize Turbo comes with a three-cylinder engine.  

The Raize Turbo’s power output is almost similar to the Vios that’s equipped with a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated engine. To put things in perspective, the Vios’ 1.5-liter engine produces 106 hp and 140 Nm of torque.

With those numbers in mind, the Raize Turbo posted 12 km/l while driving at an average speed of 20 km/h. On the highway, it registered 22 km/l while driving at an average speed of 90 km/h. 

In comparison to the Vios, it got 9.2 km/l in the city when we tested it. On the highway, it returned 19.2 km/l while driving at an average speed of 90 km/h.
 

2023 Toyota Raize Turbo

I now understood why the Toyota Raize Turbo became one of the popular vehicles in the Philippines. 

One of the reasons can be attributed to its exterior design, which comes with the right amount of swag. The interior, on the other hand, might be dominated by hard plastics but it has modern amenities that make up for it such as the nine-inch infotainment touchscreen. It’s also relatively fuel-efficient along with a dimension that’s ideal for the urban jungle. 

More importantly, its current Php 1,051,000 price tag further adds to its appeal. With all that, it seems that Toyota has once again raised the game.