The wait is finally over.

Toyota Motors Philippines (TMP) has officially launched the all-new seven-seater 2018 Rush. Set to take on the likes of the Honda BR-V and Mitsubishi Xpander, Toyota says the 2018 Rush combines the practicality and spaciousness of an MPV, with the ruggedness and functionality of a high-riding SUV.

For its design, the 2018 Rush features a sharp-looking exterior that is reminiscent of the Fortuner. The sleek headlights blend with the four-slat grill seamlessly, giving the SUV its distinct appearance. Black plastic body cladding, as well as 17-inch alloy wheels are also fitted on the 2018 Rush. Topping it all off are the horizontal taillights and tailgate-mounted spoiler.

Size-wise, the 2018 Rush measures 4435mm long, 1695mm wide and 1705mm tall. Wheelbase and ground clearance, on the other hand, comes in at 2685mm and 220mm respectively.

Inside, the 2018 Rush features a modern and upscale-looking cabin. It gets some similar styling cues from the Avanza but it has its own unique design altogether. The interior itself is pre-dominantly black but it does come with faux stitching on the dashboard, beige-colored trim and silver accents on the steering wheel and center console.

High-grade versions of the 2018 Rush will come standard with the following: 2-DIN touchscreen infotainment, automatic climate control, engine start/stop button, multi-info display, steering wheel-mounted audio controls and automatic LED headlights.

Like the MPV from which it is based on, the Rush gets the same seven-seat layout. However, it's only the top-spec G variant that gets to have all three rows of seats. The E variants will only have seating for five. The third row seats can be folded 50:50 split while the second row folds and tumbles in a 60:40 split.

Under the hood is a 1.5-liter 2NR-VE four-cylinder engine with Dual VVT-i. It musters 104 PS at 6000 rpm along with 142 Nm of torque at 4200 rpm. Available transmission choices include a five-speed manual and four-speed automatic. Like the Avanza, the Rush sends its power to the rear wheels.

Want a sportier-looking Rush? Toyota is also offering a TRD kit for their smallest SUV.

Available colors for the 2018 Rush include Black Mica Metallic, Bordeaux Mica Metallic, Bronze Mica Metallic, Red Mica Metallic, Silver Mica Metallic and White Mica Metallic. For added safety, all variants of the 2018 Rush come with six airbags.

Pricing of the 2018 Rush are as follows: 

2018 Rush 1.5 E M/T (5-seater) – Php 948,000

2018 Rush 1.5 E A/T (5-seater) – Php 988,000

2018 Rush 1.5 G A/T (7-seater) – Php 1,070,000