The RunX is fuel efficient, reliable

What you need to know:

For these motorists, the RunX is their ideal car because it is easy to maintain and its fuel consumption is friendly, writes Roland D. Nasasira

Hellen Tugume  

I have driven the Toyota RunX for three years. It was my car of choice because it is fuel efficient and easy to maintain. Even with the increasing fuel prices, I can still drive my car every day since it runs on a 1500cc engine that does not consume a lot of fuel. From my home in Najjera, Kampala, to my workplace in Kampala City Centre (a distance of about 13.7kms), I spend Shs120,000 on fuel per week. Before the increase in fuel prices, I would use fuel worth Shs80,000 per week.

I spend Shs120,000 each time I do service. Since I mostly use my car for town rounds, I service once every five months. However, there are times when I need to go to the garage as soon as I notice a fault. For example, recently, the car started vibrating every time I accelerated. After a test drive, my mechanic noticed it was a mechanical problem with the engine mounting. It was corrected and I resumed my daily drives.

Abbas Kalungi

My particular model of the Toyota RunX runs on a 1800cc engine. I have also driven the one that runs on a 1500cc engine but my current model has more engine power, performance and manoeuvrability. Much as it has a powerful engine, its fuel consumption is reasonable. For instance, I recently drove to Mbarara in western Uganda and back to Kampala and I spent Shs300,000 on fuel.

On the road, it is stable even when I reach the 100km/hour mark. The only downside to this is that the steering wheel tends to be light, calling for more focus on the road to avoid accidents.

Like most cars, the RunX is a car whose mechanical conditions you can easily diagnose by listening to the sounds it makes and where they are coming from. It is a car I would recommend for first time motorists. Although it is a bit expensive to buy, it is reliable and easy to maintain.

Linda Birungi   

I acquired the RunX after selling the Toyota Vitz I had owned for five years. I find the RunX more stylish with a lot more interior space. Apart from space, the RunX also has better ground clearance which allows me drive through rough roads without damaging parts underneath the car.

It is small in shape and this makes it easy and flexible to drive through small spaces. In places like Kampala City Centre where parking space is sometimes hard to get, the RunX is flexible.

I service my car once every three to four months since I sometimes go for weekend getaways to different places. I spend Shs250,000 per garage visit and this affords me a change of engine oil, spark plugs, brake pads, air cleaner, fuel filters and oil filters.

The one downside I have noticed about this car is that because it is popular on the road, it is subject to vandalism, especially when parked in an unsafe place. I have replaced the side mirrors three times but I have since installed stoppers to lock the side mirrors.

Operation. In all models of RunX, the engine and transmission run smooth and work pretty well but the performance is lower if the car is carrying a full load of passengers and cargo.

Specifications

Maximum power   105 - 190ps

Drive type   AWD/FF

Engine capacity   1,496 - 1,795cc