Toyota is busy SUV-ing its line-up. After launching the likes of the Raize, Yaris Cross, Corolla Cross, and more globally, the carmaker has come up with what they call their “youngest urban SUV,” the Toyota Urban Cruiser.
The nameplate itself isn’t new. It was first used in Europe in the early 2010s to battle the likes of the Kia Soul. With it being discontinued over there, Urban Cruiser has been resurrected as part of a global joint-venture with Suzuki.
The 2021 Toyota Urban Cruiser is based off the Suzuki Vitara Brezza which is, in turn, closely related to the global Vitara which we get. It was transformed into the Brezza though to account for Indian tastes and requirements.
With that, the Urban Cruiser is pretty much the Vitara Brezza with a Toyota-esque front-end. The two-slat wedge grille is meant to portray a strong SUV presence backed up by the two-tone 16-inch diamond-cut wheels. Oh, and despite its entry-level positioning, the Urban Cruiser is chockful of features including LED headlights, fog lights, and tail lights.
Underneath, it shares Suzuki’s 1.5-liter K-Series engine available in both manual and automatic flavors. Power rating is at 103 horsepower and 138 Nm of torque. Interestingly, the automatic is fitted with Suzuki’s Smart Hybrid tech with adds a small lithium-ion battery and an integrated starter generator or ISG.
Inside, features include keyless entry with push start/stop, a Smart Playcast audio system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, cruise control, automatic climate control, auto dimming rear view mirrors, and rain-sensing wipers.
Toyota hasn’t given any indications to the Urban Cruiser’s price in India, or whether they have any plans to offer it outside the subcontinent. It’s highly unlikely that ASEAN will get to see this SUV here since entry-level Toyota models here are usually designed and engineered in cooperation with Daihatsu. If it were sold here though, it’ll likely go against the likes of the Ford Ecosport and the Nissan Juke.
i'd prefer the toyota raize. bring back the feroza vibe
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mr. Borgy. Also prefer the Toyota Raize or its twin the Daihatsu Rocky (in Indonesia). The Raize is now available in some right-hand drive countries like Singapore and to be introduced in South Asia particularly India.
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