Toyota Urban Cruiser EV: new cabin pictures and trim details released
New compact electric SUV from Toyota with front or all-wheel drive opens its doors to give us a close look inside
The Toyota Urban Cruiser is making a return, this time as a small electric SUV – and for the first time we’ve been given the opportunity to get up close to see what’s in store in the cabin.
Among the key elements are boxy air vents, a panel spanning the dash housing a 10.25-inch driver’s display and the 10.1-inch infotainment screen, plus a large sunroof and a sliding rear bench to improve boot space or rear seat legroom.
Trim levels have also been announced, with the Urban Cruiser coming in Icon, Design or Excel specifications. All cars will get 18-inch alloy wheels, the aforementioned driver’s display and infotainment screens, a reversing camera and keyless entry. Mid-spec Design models will add a heated steering wheel and seats, plus auto-folding door mirrors, while top-spec Excel variants benefit from a premium JBL sound system and that large sunroof.
The Urban Cruiser has been developed alongside the new Suzuki e Vitara, but as yet it’s not clear to what extent the models will differ. The two share all their key underpinnings, so while there’s no official range or charging data from Toyota, the Suzuki’s 248-mile range figure for its single-motor e Vitara with the larger 61kWh battery is a good guide as to what to expect from the Urban Cruiser.
Toyota will build its new Urban Cruiser on a fresh platform that offers three different electric powertrain options. There are two lithium-ion phosphate battery pack sizes available – 49kWh and 61kWh – which promise competitive pricing, while a standard heat pump and remote pre-heating should help deliver better performance in cold weather.
The smaller pack comes exclusively with a single, front-mounted motor that produces 142bhp and 189Nm of torque; the larger 61kWh unit ups the single-motor’s power to 172bhp, but shares the same 189Nm torque figure. Upgrade to the dual-motor system and you’ll see power increased to 181bhp, with a more substantial 300Nm of torque.
In the latter set-up, Toyota says the rear-mounted motor is capable of producing 64bhp on its own, but the marginal increase in system power is likely determined by the amount of power able to be drawn from the battery, rather than a smaller front motor. These all-wheel-drive models will also incorporate extra drive modes, including a hill-descent-control function.
Suzuki quotes a DC charging speed of up to 150kW for the 61kWh e Vitara, replenishing the battery from 15 to 70 per cent in around 30 minutes – another figure that will likely be shared between the two.
The Urban Cruiser is only marginally larger on the road than a current Yaris Cross, but packs a wheelbase that is 140mm longer. This benefits interior space, which is also assisted by a flexible second row that can slide and recline, and is split in a 40:20:40 layout. Toyota gives an official boot capacity of up to 306 litres – although there’s no bonus under-bonnet storage. There is, at least, a useful space underneath the rear boot floor to store cables and the like.
The exterior design draws its direct inspiration from the Toyota Urban SUV concept, but comes with more production-friendly elements such as smaller 18 or 19-inch alloy wheels with a set of built-in aero deflectors. However, the slim LED headlights and bi-tone paint finishes endow the Urban Cruiser with a contemporary design that’s more distinctive that of the Suzuki.
As one of Toyota’s new generation of EVs, it also previews the design language we can expect to see across a range of 15 future electric models due by the end of 2026 globally, six of which will feature completely bespoke architectures.
The cabin follows a different path from Toyota’s recent interiors, stepping away from the dashboard architecture seen in the bZ4X, which places a small driver information screen right by the base of the windscreen that sits atop a miniaturised steering wheel.
The high-set centre console features a new drive selector situated ahead of a set of cup-holders, with additional storage underneath, plus a central cubby.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be fitted as standard, while owners will also have the option of downloading an app to pre-condition the cabin, or remotely lock or unlock the car.
Toyota is yet to reveal pricing for the Urban Cruiser, but with rivals including the Vauxhall Mokka, Kia EV3 and BYD Atto 2, we’d imagine a starting point under £30,000 will be required for the Urban Cruiser to be competitive.
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