The need for a larger vehicle is a perennial problem for growing Filipino families. And for those looking to graduate from their daily driven sedans, two nameplates come forward to provide a plausible answer — the Hyundai Stargazer and the Toyota Rush.
Interested to see which of these vehicles best suits your budget and your motoring needs? Join us in this family carrier face-off to find out.
The Hyundai Stargazer measures 4,460 millimeters (mm) long, 1,780mm wide, and 1,695mm tall. It has a wheelbase of 2,780mm and a minimum ground clearance of 185mm.
As for the Toyota Rush, it boasts an overall length of 4,466mm, an overall width of 1,687, and an overall height of 1,705mm. Its wheelbase is 2,685mm and its ground clearance is 220mm.
The Hyundai Stargazer gives off a futuristic van vibe thanks to the ultra-modern horizontal light bar at the top of its black honeycomb grille and the faux skid plate it wears at the bottom. Its range-topping variant sports LED headlamps, bulb-type fog lamps, and daytime running lights (DRL).
Its side profile is bedecked by body-colored side mirrors and a set of 16-inch alloy wheels.
Meanwhile, the rear of the Hyundai Stargazer boasts a spoiler with a high-mount stop lamp, LED and bulb-type rear combination lamps, and a rear light bar that echoes the design of what’s seen at the fore.
On the other hand, the Toyota Rush follows the sport utility vehicle (SUV) template with its top-of-the-line model donning a chrome grille flanked by pair of LED headlights, LED clearance lamps with line guides, and front fog lamps.
The side of the Toyota Rush is accentuated by its body-colored side mirrors, black wheel arches, and its 16-inch alloy wheels.
Its rear wears a roof-mounted spoiler with a high-mount stop lamp and a pair of LED rear combination lamps.
Overall, both vehicles feature styles representative of their segments. That said, we’re calling this round a tie.
Inside, the Hyundai Stargazer proves that it’s the ultimate family carrier by flaunting features like leatherette seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a 4.2-inch digital instrument cluster, and an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system that doubles as a rearview monitor.
Other notable amenities offered by the Hyundai Stargazer include a wireless charger, rear A/C vents with an analog control, and a seat-mounted tray for when the kids need to snack on long trips.
Keeping up with its rival, the Toyota Rush comes with fabric seats, a leather steering wheel, and door trims finished in fabric. It gets a segment-type instrument cluster and a smaller seven-inch infotainment system.
Available toys are somewhat limited and come only in the form of a few pockets, an accessory outlet, and a rear A/C vent.
With better interior amenities, this round goes to the Hyundai Stargazer.
Powering the Hyundai Stargazer is a 1.5-liter engine mated to the brand’s Intelligent Variable Transmission. This setup makes 113 horsepower and 144 Newton meters (Nm) of torque.
And while the Toyota Rush does come with a similarly-sized 1.5-liter powerplant. It is paired with either a five-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic transmission, which puts out 101 horses and 134Nm of pulling power.
With a more powerful setup, we give this round to the Hyundai Stargazer.
Safety-wise, the Hyundai Stargazer comes with features like an anti-lock brake system (ABS), electronic stability control, hill-start assist, manual speed limit assist, and child seat anchors.
Those opting for the highest trim will also benefit from the Hyundai Smartsense Technology, which adds forward collision-avoidance assist, blind spot collision-avoidance assist, lane-keeping assist, a rearview monitor, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist, and driver attention warning.
Toyota, gave the Rush features such as ABS, vehicle stability control, hill start assist control, seatbelt reminder, and a child restraint system with ISOFIX tethers.
Thanks to its robust list of safety features, this round goes to the Hyundai Stargazer.
Hyundai Stargazer
Stargazer GL – P1.038 million
Stargazer GLS – P1.168 million
Stargazer GLS Premium – P1.258 million
Toyota Rush
Rush E (MT) – P1.012 million
Rush E (AT) – P1.052 million
Rush GR-S (AT) – P1.176 million
The Hyundai Stargazer has won our family carrier face-off by a sweep. With a better interior, a more powerful engine, and more robust safety features, it’s no wonder why many Filipino families trust their households with this automobile.
Photos from Hyundai, Toyota, and Juan Paulo Papa
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Hyundai Motor Group to launch various EV models in 2023
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