Raum or Spacio: which family car suits you best?

The average Ugandan family comprises of four to six children. This is a fairly large brood when you need to travel. Increasingly Ugandans are realising that sedan cars can no longer do for their family sizes. They are opting for minivans. The most popular on the market, that you can also find at Yuasa Investments Ltd, are the Toyota Spacio or Raum. 

The Toyota Spacio 

The Toyota Corolla Verso (known as the Corolla Spacio in Japan) is a compact MPV first released by Toyota in January 1997, until production of the third generation ceased in March 2009 and production of its replacement, the Verso, began. 

Although the design of the car is based on the Verso's namesake, the Corolla, the Verso does not share a platform with the Corolla, instead being built on a separate unique platform.   

The Spacio quickly captured a large segment of the Ugandan market for drivers looking for a small, compact but affordable MPV. 

The Toyota Raum 

The Toyota Raum is 5-seat mini MPV that first appeared in May 1997. The second generation was released in May 2003. It was sold only in Japan at Toyota Netz retail sales channels.

The vehicle's name is German for chamber, berth, room, space, expanse, scope, area, or sphere and attempts to emphasize the vast amount of space it contains relative to its size. This is because the front doors on both the driver and passenger sides open conventionally, but the rear doors slide open rearward and attach to the top and bottom of the door openings and interlock to the front doors. The Raum uses a similar door approach also used on the first-generation Mitsubishi RVR/Space Runner.

Toyota Corolla Spacio vs Toyota Raum: Exterior

The first model of Spacio was released into the market in 1997. It is also known as the Corolla verso. Later the first generation was replaced by the second generation in 2001. However this time there were improvements.

In the year 2004, the third-generation model unveiled, and this time with more advanced features. The advanced feature includes giving a choice to the buyer between two engines- 1.6 liters and 1.8 liter and diesel engine choices of 2.0 liters or 2.2 liters.

The first-generation model of Raum, released in the market in the month of May 1997. The second generation unveiled in the month of May 2003. In Japan, it is known as the Toyota Netz. The word Raum was adopted from the German Word for space and this car is extremely spacious from inside. Toyota Raum is a small compact minivan with rear sliding doors.

 

The first generation was later replaced by the second generation in May 2003. It together comes up with advanced features such as enhanced protection. It has electronically controlled sliding doors for rearview.

Toyota Corolla Spacio vs Toyota Raum: Interior

The interior of the Toyota Corolla Spacio 2nd generation is way bigger than the 1st generation. Some of the features including an adjustable driver and passenger front seat. The seats are adjustable manually both horizontally and vertically. The second-row seats are easily adjustable and can move forward as well as backward. The second row can have three adults as space increased. There is an addition of third-row seats which means you can have two additional passengers, mostly children.

Some of the improvements that you will admire about the car are that the C pillar and D pillar is painted with the color of the car. This makes the car look stylish and uniform all around.

Other features

The tires are 14 inches. The car is low to the ground. It becomes easier for children and the elders to board. It is also easy to load cargo into the Corolla Spacio car. The back or trunk doors open sideways and the two rear sliding doors are joined together.

Toyota Raum, equipped with a column shift lever and foot parking brake. Which allows drivers to walk through the front seats. The rear seats can fold in a forty/sixty split to make them flat and enjoy seating arrangements. Raum’s rear trunk opens horizontally, making it possible to open/close the door in easy posture and to load the luggage in narrow spaces. Toyota Raum car’s interior colored in a 2-tone style, with anti-bacterial disposal for steering, shift lever, front door side handle, and front door armrest.

The one interesting feature of the Toyota Raum car is the body and door configuration. 1st, the small 14-inch tires, and the low floor make entry and exit very easy. Like many MPVs, the Toyota Raum has conventional front doors and 2 sliding side doors, but with one key difference. Instead of the front and sliding doors latching to a common pillar, they latch to each other.

Toyota Corolla Spacio vs Toyota Raum: Engine

The second-generation Toyota Spacio came in an EFI engine but the latter comes in 1.5 liters, 4 cylinders VT-I engine with an output of 110 horsepower. There is also a bigger 1.8-liter engine. The drive train has two-wheel, front-wheel drive while the transmission is automatic 5 speed. But it is also easy to find a 5-speed manual gearbox.

The vehicle is similar in feature and size. But from the space point of view Spacio has more ground clearance in comparison with Raum.

Raum has a 1.5-liter four-cylinder DOHC engine, with the only option of a four-speed automatic transmission. The Drive system can be chosen between FF and 4WD (four-wheel-drive). For safety management, the Toyota Raum car model adopts a collision safety body, ABS, brake assisting system, Dual SRS Airbag, pre-tensioner, and force remitter seatbelts as its standard equipment.

All grades are equipped with 1.5 L DOHC (Dual Overhead Camshaft) engine as well as a four-speed automatic transmission. The transmission gear shifter is a gated-shifter. Located on the vehicle’s instrument panel.

Toyota Corolla Spacio vs Toyota Raum: Boot Space

The total cargo volume for the Toyota Corolla Spacio is 14.7 cubic feet/416 liters.

Toyota Raum car is quite low to the ground. Thus making it easier for children and also the elderly to board. It is also easy to load cargo into the car. The back/trunk door opens sideways.

At Yuasa Investments Ltd, you can test drive a Spacio or Raum of your choice before you make a decision. You will also have a chance to speak to a car expert who will further break down for you the advantages of each make of car, according to the needs you have. 

The Yuasa Car Bond is located in Nakawa. To make inquires, you can call toll-free line 0800-111-999 or visit www.yuasatrading.com. Mobile 0786440958, 0786440959. Facebook: Yuasa Investments Ltd.