High COE prices and tight spaces have given rise to some innovative cars reaching our shores. The Toyota Voxy might be new to some, but the car has seen some time here.

7 seats for the extended Singaporean family, and a well thought out interior, flexibility with ease of entry and exit is what this car is about.

The 2016 facelifted model comes with new front treatment, housing fog lamps. Additional chrome trim lines the car, with a thick chrome bar at the bottom lip of the front bumper, making the car look classy.

Alloy rims are standard, so are protective body-coloured mouldings on the doors. Rear lights are staked, flank and blend into the generous rear glass that graces the rear top-hinged door of this spacious people mover. What sets it apart from the usual mix of mid-sized MPVs here is how upright it is, which also means that there is the advantage of maximised interior space.

For a 7-seater that costs a shade below $150,000, there is plenty of room. Stepping in is easy as the door sills sit low. Rear occupant entry is made easy by way of very large dual automatic sliding suction doors, both doors can be opened and closed from the driver’s seat. Additionally, middle-row seats feature a unique forward, reverse and sideway sliding function, to make access to the back row easier.

Air conditioning controls come in the form of a console sited beside the gear shift lever, reminiscent of an old pulse telephone dialler. Rear seats also benefit from roof-mounted air vents with their own slider controls.

Anti UV glass for windscreens and windows line the car and help provide added privacy. Interior trim is well put together with excellent fit and finish, especially for the sliding seat rails. The Voxy’s seating configuration is different from most MPVs, featuring a 2,2,3 arrangement, while the rear seats each fold up, and away from the floor automatically with one action, by way of pulling a catch, allowing you to do this without the need to do the “unglam” thing of climbing into the vehicle to push the seats up. The increase in space means that the Voxy is able to easily swallow an array of luggage sizes of different shapes, or even helps to make those family trips to Ikea be just that little less stressful.

Both the petrol and hybrid models offer a plush ride. While the petrol comes with a standard 2.0 with Variable-Valve Timing good for 152 bhp, paired with a fuel saving CVT, the hybrid model has a 1.8, but has the advantage of further fuel savings and additional torque from Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive System. Gear-shifting jerks are non-existent as the CVT transmissions on both cars do their job of smoothly switching virtual cogs.

Sitting high in the driver’s seat, you will be able to have a commanding view of the road ahead. Braking comes assisted with ABS, and as an added feature, the Voxy is also equipped with a collision alert system. Handling is kept within safe parameters too with their vehicle stability and traction control systems. Starting on a hill is further aided with Hill Start Assist Control, which keeps the car stationary, preventing any rear-ward slip when you move your foot between brakes and on to the accelerator, so that you will not experience that nasty thing of rolling backwards. All these features assist you in keeping your family safe.

Given the rising costs of cars, many Singaporeans are making the practical switch to cars that can give that little bit more. The Voxy, may just be right for you to make a switch to, if you place the value of versatility and utility high on your list of requirements for your next car.

Car review sponsored by: Autolink Holdings

Credits: Story and Photos by Clifford Chow