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Toyota's first small EV crossover, the Urban Cruiser, should help the brand widen its appeal amongst those looking to go electric. It aims to combine fashion and practicality and, sure enough, seems to tick some trendy boxes.
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Background
Toyota doesn't seem completely comfortable with EVs in the way it is with Hybrids. It's been so slow in developing full-electric vehicles that it missed the 2024 UK ZEV mandate target by a full 15%. Even more surprisingly, by that point all three of the EV cars the company had bought us were created as part of joint projects led by other brands. Namely the bZ4X (engineered with Subaru) and the Proace Verso EV and Proace City Verso EV twins (engineered by Stellantis). True to form, the Urban Cruiser model we look at here was also created from a joint project.
Toyota urgently needs smaller, more affordable EVs and this was the product of a joint venture with Suzuki, who developed their first electric vehicle, the e Vitara, from it. The Urban Cruiser shares all its engineering with that car and rolls down the same production line in India, a market where the Urban Cruiser name is used for a re-badged Suzuki Grand Vitara.
Primarily though, the 'Urban Cruiser' nameplate is Toyota's. It launched on a trendy-looking model sold in Europe (including the UK) between 2009 and 2012, which was then replaced by a second generation design we didn't get. Now though, it's back for a new electric era. Let's take a look.
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Range data
| Min | Max |
| Price | 33000 | 38000 |
| 0-62 mph (s) | 9.5 | 9.5 |
| Electric WLTP-Rated Driving Range (miles) | 200 | 200 |
| Min | Max |
| Length (mm) | 4285 | 4285 |
| Width (mm) | 1800 | 1800 |
| Height (mm) | 1640 | 1640 |
| Boot Capacity (l) | 306 | 320 |
Driving experience
There's everything here you'd think the Urban Cruiser would need to make an impact in the compact EV crossover segment. So two battery packs, a proper bespoke electric vehicle platform, a choice of motor power outputs and the option at the top of the range of 4WD. The mainstream versions are front-driven, the line-up kicking off with a 49kWh battery pack energising a 142bhp motor with 189Nm of torque. Expect about 200 miles of range. Ideally though, you'd stretch to the mid-level 61kWh model with its 172bhp motor; this won't feel much faster because it's torque figure is the same, but you'll be able to think in terms of around 250 miles of range - though this is still one of the lower figures in the class.
As it did when developing the larger bZ4X EV with Subaru, Toyota has found itself here with a partner (in Suzuki) who prioritises the need for a really good 4WD system. So the top Urban Cruiser benefits from the sophisticated Allgrip-e 4x4 set up created for its e Vitara development cousin. That priciest Urban cruiser variant, which also uses the 61kWh battery, adds an extra motor to the rear axle to increase power output to 181bhp. For slippery services, there's a Trail mode that shuffles power from a spinning wheel to the opposite wheel. There's even Hill Descent Control, but only a modest 180mm of ground clearance.
Across the line-up, you can maximise range figures by engaging stronger regenerative braking (via a centre console button) and by activating the most frugal of the drive modes - 'Eco' (the others are 'Normal' and 'Sport').
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Design and build
'Urban Cruiser'. It brings to mind an armoured personnel carrier touring the streets of Fallujah looking for insurgents doesn't it? The original Urban Cruiser model's slender gun turret-style window profile offered a bit of this kind of vibe, but there's little of that with this EV-era version, where the look very much conforms to the small crossover gym car park norm. A bit of sass is served up by the 'hammerhead' front end (a current Toyota design cue), while the rear gets the currently fashionable full-width light bar treatment. 'Muscular' haunches wrap around aero-style 18 or 19-inch wheels and you can of course have a contrast-colour black roof. The 4,285mm body length (113mm longer than a Yaris Cross) pitches this Toyota right into Puma GEN-E/ Niro EV / E-2008 territory.
The cabin, Toyota says, has 'a robust SUV-inspired design', which doesn't sound very luxurious - and isn't. High-set seats face a horizontal instrument panel combining a 10.25-inch digital instrument display with a 10.1-inch central infotainment screen. Four square vents decorate the mid-level fascia panel and there's a low centre console for the gear selector.
For families, the Urban Cruiser's big advantage over its Hybrid Yaris Cross stablemate will lie in the rear. Thanks to a Heartech-e platform shared with the Suzuki e Vitara, this EV model has 140mm more wheelbase length than a Yaris Cross and that makes a big difference when it comes to back seat leg room. Plus there's the advantage of a reclining backrest and a bench base that slides over 160mm. Pushed all the way back, Toyota claims it offers the legroom of a D-segment SUV from the next class up.
Out back, there's a decently-sized 306-litre boot, extendable by a backrest that conveniently spits 40:20:40 so that long items can be pushed through between two rear-seated folk. There is a useful space beneath the floor to store charging cables.
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Market and model
We don't yet have full details about UK pricing and specs, but this car will need to sit in the £33,000-£38,000 bracket if it's to be segment competitive. The launch line-up comprises three familiar Toyota equipment grades: 'Icon', 'Design' and 'Excel'.
Even with base 'Icon' spec, you get a 10.1-inch multimedia display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, a 10.25-inch digital instrument combi-meter, ambient cabin lighting with 12 colour options, 40:20:40 folding and 60:40 slide-adjustable rear seats. Plus a rear view camera, adaptive cruise control and an air conditioning system with an energy-saving heat pump. There's also a drive assist and safety package including a driver monitoring camera, a blind spot monitor, a pre-collision system, lane trace assist and road sign assist.
Mid-level 'Design' models add a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, auto-retracting heated door mirrors, a wiper de-icer and rear cabin vents. Top 'Excel' trim includes 19-inch alloy wheels, a JBL premium sound system, bi-tone exterior paintwork, part-synthetic leather upholstery, a panoramic roof with manual sunshade, LED adaptive high-beam headlights, a wireless smartphone charger and a panoramic view monitor.
Across the range, convenience is provided by the MyToyota app, which owners can use to check the state of their vehicle's battery charge, locate convenient charging stations and schedule and monitor charging sessions.
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Cost of ownership
Toyota claims that the Urban Cruiser can charge at up to 150kW, which is pretty class-competitive, but the 30 minute 15-70% DC charging time figure isn't particularly noteworthy. At least a heat pump is standard, to maximise range in colder months - which isn't the case on many cars in this segment. The battery is of the lithium-ion phosphate kind - which is the type of tech used for more affordable, shorter-range electric cars. At home, you will be able to AC charge at up to 11kW (if you have a three-phase supply) and if that's the case, then you can add around 36 miles of range from every hour of charging.
As with all Toyotas, this one is covered by a warranty that can last for up to ten years, provided you get the car regularly serviced at a franchised Toyota dealer. There's also a 12 year perforation warranty. And the battery gets a separate 8 years of warranty cover. Toyota's dealer network usually comes out strong in customer satisfaction surveys. As with all EVs, you'll be paying low Benefit-in-Kind tax rates - 3% for 2025, 4% for 2026 and 5% for 2027.
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Summary
Toyota calls this Urban Cruiser an 'authentic SUV'. It would perhaps be more accurate to call it an 'authentic crossover' because it embodies all the trendy elements a small fashionable runabout must have in this day and age. And if you're going to make a motoring fashion statement, it might as well be a practical one: this Urban Cruiser is certainly that. You may not see one in the Serengeti but for the centre of town, it may be just what you're looking for.
But then countless other small SUVs in this segment will make the same claim. There are couple of things that set this one apart from most of that herd - primarily the sliding rear bench and the exceptionally long warranty. Ultimately though, your choice in selecting this kind of car will be very much subjective rather than objective. With this car be seen as trendy enough to influence it? Only time will tell.
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