The youngsters are making new motoring choices and Toyota Australia believes the Rumion, based on the all-new Corolla, could be a winner with a combination of a boxy body and a hi-tech cabin.
The Rumion looks very different to the Corolla and that could be the secret to its success, provided it can come at the right price and before the middle of 2009.
“Generation Y wants something that looks different. They are expressing themselves in a different way,” Toyota Australia product planning chief Doug Soden says.
He says the Rumion is a reflection of a similar trend in Japan, where a lot of 20-somethings are into their first job but still live at home. In the US, Toyota has built the Scion sub-brand to appeal to Gen-Y buyers with similar boxy baby cars.
“They want a lifestyle. Rather than a variant that looks like a Yaris or a Corolla, they want something that looks different,” Soden says.
The Rumion is a compact five-seat wagon, but much more upright in the body than a traditional station wagon. It has a 1.8-litre engine and can be fitted with a six-speed manual or constantly variable transmission.
“We are studying a growing Gen-Y market that has a need for funky-looking cars that haven't as much high performance in the engines and handling. They want more high-performance specification and functionality,” Soden says.
He says too that Australia is catching up fast to the international trend, which is why he is keen to get the Rumion on the road here. Even so, he can't promise the car for Australia.
“We have to consider the volume, price and engineering work to get it to Australia,” Soden adds. “It is among the vehicles we are studying closely, and there is a case to have it.
Do you think Australia is ready for a car like the boxy Rumion?
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