Toyota Urban Cruiser: Revival as an electric car

World premiere Toyota unveils fully electric Suzuki copy Urban Cruiser

2024-12-16 By Julia Mauritz | Translated by AI 3 min Reading Time

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The Japanese manufacturer is reviving the Urban Cruiser ten years after its discontinuation: as an electric car. However, Suzuki has to assist the latecomer Toyota.

The fully electric Urban Cruiser is a nimble, fully electric city SUV.(Image: Toyota) — The fully electric Urban Cruiser is a nimble, fully electric city SUV.
(Image: Toyota)

When it comes to battery-electric cars, Toyota has been very weak in Germany: the lineup is limited to the moderately successful bZ4X and the two vans Proace Verso and Proace City Verso. Now, the Japanese manufacturer is stepping up. At the Brussels Motor Show, they introduced the all-electric Urban Cruiser, a compact SUV entering a high-volume segment.

The angular and rather bulky-looking Urban Cruiser, a sibling model of the Suzuki E-Vitara, measures just under 4.3 meters (approx. 14 ft) in length with a wheelbase of 2.7 meters (approx. 8,9 ft), making it slightly larger than the Yaris Cross Hybrid. Competitors of similar dimensions include the VW ID 3, the Smart #1, the Kia EV 3, and the Peugeot E-2008. The model is set to hit the market in summer 2025. The price has not yet been announced.

Two battery variants with LFP cell chemistry

The Urban Cruiser, built on a new platform for battery-electric vehicles and manufactured in India, will be available in two lithium iron phosphate battery variants and with a choice of front-wheel or all-wheel drive. The 49-kWh entry-level battery will be available exclusively with front-wheel drive. In this version, the electric motor delivers 106 kW. Additionally, for the front-wheel drive model, there will be a version with a 61-kWh battery and 128 kW motor power.

The all-wheel-drive version is only available with the 61-kWh battery. Here, the electric motor delivers 135 kW. In addition to the 48-kW motor on the rear axle, the all-wheel-drive Urban Cruiser also features a hill descent assistant and a trail mode: when a wheel spins, it is braked, and the drive torque is transferred to the opposite wheel. The front-wheel-drive models, on the other hand, are equipped with a snow mode. This mode controls the drive torque to reduce the risk of wheel spin on snow-covered roads.

Gallery

The city SUV is just under 4.3 meters long, 1.8 meters wide, and about 1.6 meters high (approx. 14 ft long, 5,9 ft wide and 5,2 ft high).(Image: Toyota)

The new Urban Cruiser is optionally available with a glass roof and a contrasting black roof.(Image: Toyota)

The interior of the Urban Cruiser.(Image: Toyota)

The taillights extend across the entire width of the tailgate.(Image: Toyota)

Gallery with 9 images

All versions of the Urban Cruiser come with a heat pump for climate control and a manually operated battery preheating system. Toyota does not provide range details.

Good space and audio system by JBL

The new Urban Cruiser aims to appeal to buyers not only with its design but also with its spacious cabin. In the fully electric compact SUV, Toyota has opted for a sliding rear bench, which is intended to increase the distance between front and rear passengers, providing space on par with vehicles from higher classes. The seats can be folded in a 40:20:40 ratio, and the backrests can also be adjusted for tilt.

Emphasis was placed on good all-around visibility in the interior: contributing to this, besides the high seating position, is the low-positioned horizontal instrument panel. Toyota has integrated the digital 10.25-inch instrument cluster and the 10.1-inch multimedia display into a single unit. The multimedia system features satellite navigation, which uses cloud-based data to take current traffic information into account. Through smartphone integration, the driver can access their preferred apps and services. Also on board is ambient lighting with twelve different colors. Optional extras include an electrically adjustable driver’s seat, a premium JBL audio system, and a glass roof.

Assistance system in basic scope

The active safety and driver assistance systems on board the Urban Cruiser include a pre-collision emergency braking system, an adaptive cruise control system, a lane departure warning, and a lane-keeping assist. Additionally, there is a 360-degree camera that makes parking easier, among other things. The driver can check the vehicle's battery charge level, find suitable charging stations, and plan and monitor charging processes via an app. Furthermore, the manufacturer offers a wallbox designed for seamless operation with Toyota models.

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