Toyota Corolla Spacio vs Raum: Engine & Fuel Consumption

The Toyota Corolla Spacio and Toyota Raum are two of the most common minivans in Africa and other places. If you are looking for a stylish, spacious, and small minivan that is built in the style of a compact car, one of these two should serve you just right. Both cars went into production in 1997, capturing a segment of the market that had been looking for a cross between a compact car and a minivan. In this article, we are going to compare the two vehicles side by side so that you can make an informed decision when buying your car of choice. Continue reading to discover which of these great vehicles is right for you!

Before we get started, here is a quick comparison of the key points of both the Corolla Spacio and the Raum. For more detailed information, continue reading below the table.

Toyota Corolla Spacio

Price

The minimum price for a used Toyota Corolla Spacio is about $1,700. The maximum price you should expect to pay is around $2,700.* This is the buying price overseas, so it does not include shipping, clearing, and tax charges.

Exterior

Toyota Corolla Spacio exterior front and back

The first Toyota Corolla Spacio was released into the market in 1997. Also called the Corolla Versa, the 1st generation was replaced by the 2nd generation in 2001 with certain improvements. In 2004, the 3rd generation of the Spacio was unveiled and it came with more advanced features like giving buyers a choice between two engines – 1.6 liter and 1.8 liter petrol and diesel engine choices of 2.0 liters or 2.2 liters.

The 3rd generation of Spacio was designed out of Japan (in Turkey) and was aimed at the European market. The 3rd generation would later find its way to Kenya, South Africa, and Morocco, but it was not sold in Japan.

Interior

toyota spacio interior front seat and console

The interior of the Toyota Corolla Spacio 2nd generation is much bigger than that of the 1st generation. Some of the features to look for include an adjustable driver and passenger’s (front) seat. The seats are manually adjustable both horizontally and vertically. The second-row seats are adjustable and can be moved forwards and backward. The second row can seat three adults comfortably as the space between the first and the second-row seats was increased. The addition of the third-row seats means you can seat two additional passengers, mostly children.

Other interior features for the Spacio included a foot parking brake and a gearshift that is located on the dashboard thus creating room for movement, airbags, AC, CD player/FM/AM radio, power windows, and power steering. It is a 5-door, 7-seater minivan, although the back seats are not very comfortable for adults, and the first four doors open conventionally. The 2nd generation was bigger in size compared to the 1st generation, measuring 4240mm, offering an increase in comfort.

The front grill is bigger and is enjoined to the bumper and both of the same come in the color of the vehicle. The body shape is more consistent and emphasizes a uniform shape thanks to the continuous roof line. The front headlights have also been improved a bit from horizontal to auto-leveling types. The ground clearance is 165mm. For a minivan, the Spacio looks good as it doesn’t bear that boxy look that many others come with, and it is a super efficient family vehicle with a lot of room inside.

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

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Engine and Fuel Consumption

Engine of a used 2005 Toyota Corolla Spacio from online car exporter BE FORWARD
Engine of a used 2005 Toyota Corolla Spacio

The 2nd generation Toyota Spacio came in an EFI engine, but the latter one came in a 1.5 liter, 4-cylinder VVT-i engine, with an output of 110 horsepower. However, there is also a bigger 1.8-liter engine. The drive train is 2-wheel, front-wheel drive while the transmission is automatic 5-speed, but it is also easy to find a manual 5-speed gearbox.

The fuel type is petrol and the average fuel consumption for both highway and city combined is 7.4 liters for 100 km. The fuel tank has a capacity of 52 liters. The fuel system is multipoint injection.


Toyota Raum

Price

For the Toyota Raum, the minimum buying price is around $1,650 and the maximum buying price will be in the $2,700 range.*

front and back exterior of used toyota raum from BE FORWARD

Exterior

The 1st generation of the Toyota Raum went into the market in May 1997, and the 2nd generation was unveiled in May 2003 in Japan, it was marketed as Toyota Netz. The word Raum was adopted from the German word for “space,” and this car is indeed spacious inside. It is a small compact minivan with rear sliding doors.

The 1st generation was replaced by the 2nd generation in May 2003 and this one came with advanced features such as enhanced protection for side impact, and electronically controlled sliding doors for the rear. In addition, the Raum shared the same engine with the Toyota Prius. In 2011, the production of the Toyota Raum was discontinued.

To be fair to the Raum, which was produced over only two generations, we are going to compare it against Spacio’s 2nd generation model for an even analysis.

Interior

used toyota raum interior, front seat and center console

The 2nd generation Toyota Raum is a small minivan that comes with 5 or 4 seats and 5 doors. It is a feature-rich vehicle with many improvements in the interior and the exterior. Starting with the interior, a 2005 Raum has cup holders, airbags for the front passenger and driver, power steering, climate control, foot-parking brake, and with the gear lever having been moved to the dashboard, there is a lot of legroom in the front. Large door pockets provide more storage options, as does the glove compartment.

One of the improvements that you will love about this car is that the C pillar and the D pillar have been painted the color of the car. This makes the car look stylishly uniform all around.

The passenger seats are split 40:60 giving you more cargo volume if you need more space when getting groceries for the family. The rear seats are very easy to fold just by pulling the tab to increase cargo space. If you are carrying tall items, you can also fold down the front passenger seat to accommodate the length.

With 14-inch tires, this car is quite low to the ground, thus making it easier for children and the elderly to board. It is also easy to load cargo into the car. The back/trunk door opens sideways, and the two rear sliding doors are joined together.

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Engine and Fuel Consumption

The engine of a used 2005 Toyota Raum from online used car exporter BE FORWARD.
The engine of a used 2005 Toyota Raum

Featuring a 109HP, 1.5-liter (1496 cc) 4-cylinder engine with an EFI fuel system, the Raum is a very economical hatchback/MPV. The 2nd generation version comes with an average fuel consumption rate of 16km/l, very good indeed. It is available in a 2-wheel drive or a 4-wheel drive train but for both varieties, the transmission is 4-speed automatic. The consumption varies slightly because the 4WD has a consumption averaging 15km/l. The fuel tank capacity is 45 liters.


Final Verdict

As you have seen from this article, these vehicles are very similar in features and are almost the same size. However, the Spacio has more ground clearance at 165mm as compared to the Raum’s 150mm.

If you are looking for a sizeable family van, the Spacio will serve you much better, as it can seat 7 people to the Raum’s 4 or 5. Both vehicles post just about the same fuel consumption, but the Spacio has a bigger fuel tank.

To save some money when buying, the Raum is the cheaper choice. It can save you thousands of dollars when you lump all costs together. If looks are a factor, both vehicles are about the same, but the Raum has a boxier look compared to the Spacio’s streamlined aesthetic. This is a tough decision, but whichever you buy, you can expect a great return on investment.

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11 thoughts on “Toyota Corolla Spacio vs Raum: Engine & Fuel Consumption”

  1. I have a 2001 Toyota spacio, I find it the best among small cars, very spacious, fuel consumption is very good and very stable at 80 km/hr

    Reply

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