Indepth: Toyota Wish

Story Lee Nian Tjoe
Photos Yang

Despite such undermining factors as the model's age and its unglamorous other life as a CNG-powered taxi, Borneo Motors believes that the Wish still has its fans – that's the official spiel, at least

Here's the other latecomer that  arrived this month. The Wish has been out in Japan since 2003 with the parallel importers in Singapore offering the car soon after. Toyota offered a few reasons (some tenuous) for  the long delay in officially making the car available here.

But here the MPV is. Quite incredibly, despite its age, the Wish proved to be still rather competitive. Besides its decent performance as a car, it is also very well equipped as a people mover. Against the current leader, the Honda Stream, which is also a far newer model, the Wish is the one with the superior cabin space.

We are expecting the Wish to be replaced in the next two years. Let's hope that we won't have to wait so long for the new one.

QUICKLY
Unlike that famous ballad from Michael Learns To Rock, the Wish isn't (25 minutes) too late at all. Its space-efficient packaging is a timeless asset for a people mover, while its relatively minuscule thirst for pricey fuel should help family men around the world  tide through this difficult time.

WE LIKE
- Frugal engine
- Efficient packaging
- Being responsible

WE DON'T LIKE
- Not very involving drive
- Not the newest car
- Waiting so long

ESSENTIALS
Engine: 1794cc, 16-valves, inline-4
Power: 132bhp at 6000rpm
Torque: 170Nm at 4200rpm
Gearbox: 4-speed automatic
Top Speed: 180km/h
0-100KM/H: 13.0 seconds