You’re looking at Toyota’s version of the Suzuki eVitara, called the Urban Cruiser – not to be confused with the 2024 Urban Cruiser Taisor (rebadged Suzuki Fronx), 2022 Urban Cruiser HyRyder (rebadged Suzuki Grand Vitara), 2020 Urban Cruiser (rebadged Suzuki Vitara Brezza) or 2008-2014 Urban Cruiser (second-gen Toyota Ist).
Looking to entice buyers away from the Volvo EX40 (née XC40 Recharge), Peugeot e-3008, Hyundai Kona and MINI Aceman, this EV SUV is 4,285 mm long, 1,800 mm wide and 1,640 mm tall, with a 2,700 mm wheelbase, making it smaller than the bZ4X and a bit bigger than the Yaris Cross.
Same powertrains as the eVitara – you can have a 144 PS/189 Nm one-motor FWD with a 49 kWh battery, a 174 PS/189 Nm one-motor FWD with a 61 kWh battery or a 184 PS/300 Nm two-motor AWD, also with a 61 kWh battery.
All batteries are lithium-iron phosphate (LFP), and the AWD’s rear motor is a 65 PS unit. Like Suzuki, official range figures have not yet been revealed, but according to Autocar, the bigger battery should yield 400 km, and max charge rate is 150 kW.
To these eyes, the Urban Cruiser is more handsome than its Suzuki twin sister. ‘Hammerhead’ face just like the new Camry, and there’s quite a bit of cladding around the wheelarches and the lower body, which works with the defined rear haunches to make the car look muscular. The 18- or 19-inch wheels have aero wheel covers, and the turning radius is a tight 5.2 metres.
Besides a 140 mm-longer wheelbase than the Yaris Cross giving it more interior space, the Urban Cruiser’s rear seats – which can recline and are split 40:20:40 – slide fore to give you more boot space, or aft “to create (interior) space that is on a par with much larger, D-segment SUVs”.
The cockpit features a low, horizontal instrument panel and a high seating position. There’s 12-colour ambient lighting, a 360 camera, and a conjoined 10.1-inch centre touchscreen and 10.25-inch instrument panel.
Some variants get JBL sound, a sunroof and a powered driver’s seat. Safety equipment includes pre-collision system, adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert and lane keep assist.
Autocar reports that the Toyota Urban Cruiser will be built alongside the Suzuki eVitara in India. A public debut will take place at the 2025 Brussels Motor Show, January 10-19.
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