The Toyota Urban Cruiser is the latest entrant to the highly competitive compact SUV segment. Being the smallest and most affordable SUV in the Japanese automaker’s India portfolio, it is expected to increase Toyota’s market penetration by bringing in a new set of customers.
Here are the top five things to know about the Urban Cruiser.
- The Urban Cruiser is Toyota’s second vehicle to be based on a Maruti Suzuki model
- Spec for spec, it is priced a tad higher than the Vitara Brezza
- The Urban Cruiser gets a front-end design in line with larger Toyota SUVs
Toyota Urban Cruiser is based on Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza
The Urban Cruiser is a badge-engineered version of the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, and is the result of a global alliance between Toyota and Suzuki to share technology and products. For now, it is assembled on the same line as the Brezza at Maruti’s plant in Gurgaon, Haryana, with plans to commence manufacturing at Toyota’s Karnataka plant from 2022.
Toyota Urban Cruiser design
Unlike the Baleno-based Glanza hatchback, the Urban Cruiser features greater differentiation from its Maruti counterpart. It gets a twin-slat grille that provides a visual link to other Toyota SUVs, especially the Fortuner, and a revised front bumper.
Other than revisions to these relatively inexpensive ‘soft parts’, there are no sheet-metal changes and, consequently, there aren’t any deviations in the overall profile.
Changes to the cabin are even more subtle. Save for the brown fabric upholstery and Toyota badge on the steering wheel, there’s really no telling the Urban Cruiser and Vitara Brezza apart.
Toyota Urban Cruiser features and variants
The Urban Cruiser is available in three variants – Mid, High and Premium – which are based on the Brezza’s higher three trim levels – VXi, ZXi and ZXi+. Consequently, even the entry-level Toyota is well equipped with features like LED projector headlamps, LED DRLs, 2-DIN music system, keyless entry and go, and automatic air conditioner.
The range-topping Premium variant further packs in LED fog lamps, diamond-cut alloy wheels, rear parking camera, auto headlamps and wipers, 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, leather-wrapped steering wheel and cruise control.
Standard safety systems include dual front airbags, ABS, rear parking sensors, seatbelt reminder, high-speed alert and ISOFIX child-seat anchors. Automatic variants also get the added functionality of hill-start assist.
Toyota Urban Cruiser engine-gearbox details
Sharing its running gear with the Brezza, the Urban Cruiser gets a 105hp, 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine mated to either a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 4-speed automatic transmission. The automatic version also comes equipped with Suzuki’s fuel-saving mild-hybrid system.
The Urban Cruiser’s mileage is rated at 17.03kpl for the manual and 18.76kpl for the automatic variant.
Toyota Urban Cruiser price and rivals
Toyota is offering a 3 year/1,00,000km standard warranty with its compact SUV, compared to Maruti’s offer of 2 year/40,000km on its own model. Priced at Rs 8.40-11.30 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the Urban Cruiser is positioned at a premium of Rs 5,000-15,000 to equivalent variants of the Brezza. Deliveries of Toyota’s compact SUV will commence in mid-October.
In addition to the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, the Toyota Urban Cruiser rivals the Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon, Ford EcoSport, Mahindra XUV300 and the recently launched Kia Sonet.
Uday Singh
Lenny D'sa
Dipan Sur
Glenn Noronha
