We'll bid our fair share of goodbyes in 2024 (just as we did across 2023), and the first casualty of this year is the Toyota Rush seven-seater.

It's been pulled off of UMW Toyota Motor's official website as of early this morning, though the writings were on the wall way back in November as production of the model dwindled to zero. This marks the end of a model that was sold since 2018.

The Rush was assembled in the same Rawang plant as the Perodua Aruz, though at point of publication the Toyota's discontinuation hasn't affected its sister model – the Aruz is still being produced and remains on sale for now.

With the disappearance of the Rush, offerings for seven-seater vehicles in Malaysia that cost below RM 100k shrinks further; only the Perodua Alza and Aruz continue to remain in this space.

Also read: Early hints of new 2023 Perodua Aruz? Daihatsu Indonesia launches Terios facelift, now with Android Auto / Apple Car Play

Ultimately, today's news also means that the ASEAN-market Toyota Yaris Cross is moving closer to us, and this could be seen as a move to prepare the plant for the new model. Replacing an aging seven-seater model with a fresh, five-seat SUV is not a new game (Honda did it first with the WR-V taking over the BR-V's mantle), and it presents as a brighter opportunity in a more hotly-contested segment of the market.

However, there were rumours of a three-row Yaris Cross coming to Indonesia last year too, but talks of that have gone cold.

Lots more to unfold in 2024, and this is only the beginning...