The new Wish comes with a 2.0-litre engine

By Daryl Lee

LOCAL TOYOTA DISTRIBUTOR Borneo Motors has launched the second generation made-in-Japan Toyota Wish seven-seater Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV).

The first generation Wish was available here since 2004, albeit only through parallel importers and it wasn’t till 2008 that Borneo Motors made it an official import, by which time it was nearing the end of its version’s life cycle.

That didn’t stop the official Borneo Motor’s Wish Aero Tourer, as Borneo’s body-kitted version is called, from selling 995 units in 2008 alone.

Going by those figures, the Wish 2.0 looks set to be another runaway commercial success for Borneo Motors and since it started collecting bookings in July, it has received orders for around 300 units, surpassing its own rather conservative sales target of around 100 units by end 2009.

The new Wish retains the same wheelbase – 2,750mm – and dimensions with a 30mm increase in length and some aggressive new exterior styling, comprising redesigned front and rear ends.

It’s also big on safety features and all models come equipped with ABS, six airbags (driver, passenger, side, curtain), and an electronic stability programme.

The Wish 2.0 in Deluxe trim, commanding a $3,000 premium, will get a touch-screen audio system with DVD playback, a reverse camera, roof-mounted LCD display for rear passengers, with GPS navigation available as a cost option.

Also new is the 2.0-litre in-line four engine, over the 1.8-litre unit in the old one, along with a corresponding power hike – now 142bhp over 132bhp, though it still utilises the same four-speed automatic transmission.

Weight has gone up by some 70kg to 1,382kg, and while no official figures were released, expect the old version’s 11.0 second 0-100km/h sprint time to be blunted somewhat from the added heft.

Borneo’s Wish 2.0 faces a fight from parallel importers, which already have a head start in sales and Borneo Motors hopes to lure buyers through obvious competitive pricing and the ‘Toyota Advantage’ programme: five years’ extended warranty with a years’ worth of free servicing.

The Wish 2.0 costs $83,988, which makes it the cheapest Japanese MPV here, while the Deluxe variant costs $86,988, both prices with COE. The Wish 2.0 is available immediately from Borneo Motors and deliveries have already begun.