Fast Facts

Verdict:
To complement the numbing domestic bliss of family life, what more could a person ask for?

It's user-friendly and still looks good, and there's plenty of equipment. The engine's peppy, too

The last row gets stuffy on a hot day, and headroom is tight back there

Now that we’ve finally been granted a Wish on an official basis, we get to see if its enduring popularity has been justified…

By Leow Ju-Len

SOME CARS YOU love at age 20, when your idea of a good time is to drink until you look like the Merlion’s long-lost twin, listen to music loud enough to turn your head inside out, and wake up in the morning next to a girl whose name you can’t remember.

Other cars could only appeal at 40, like the Toyota Wish.

Being somewhere in between those ages, I’m not about to let the Wish (or any Multi Purpose Vehicle) ensnare my heart, but I’m beginning to see the sense in one.

With its economical 1.8-litre drivetrain and a seat each for Father, Mother, Son and Daughter, the in-laws and maybe the maid, it’s more or less the perfect car for the Singapore family.

And with the car having found thousands of owners by now through parallel importers, it might seem strange that we’ve finally gotten around to driving one, years after it’s become a ubiquitous sight on our raods.

But the Wish you see here is the one that exists ‘officially’ in the factory’s eyes, since it’s brought in by authorised distributor Borneo Motors.

It’s been a long battle, apparently, for Borneo to be granted its Wish from Japan, but the car is finally here with full support for parts, repairs and recall support.

To make the distinction between the official Wish and parallel imported ones, the Borneo version is strictly known as the Wish Aero Tourer, the fancy name alluding to its sporty bodykitting and 15-inch alloys.