Toyota Urban Cruiser teaser released; launch soon

KUALA LUMPUR: Toyota has made it official that its upcoming compact SUV will indeed go by the 'Urban Cruiser' moniker. Touted as the automaker's youngest SUV, it is based on the Maruti Vitara Brezza, which will be the second product from the Toyota-Suzuki alliance, first being the Toyota Glanza based on Maruti Suzuki Baleno. 

The automaker has released the first teaser image of the Urban Cruiser for the Indian market with a 'Coming Soon' caption. A closer inspection of the teaser reveals that the upcoming SUV will feature a two-slat grille, as seen on the Fortuner. It seems that unlike Glanza, this time, Toyota is likely to introduce some design changes, including a restyled front fascia with redesigned headlamps, new alloy wheels, and different color options to differentiate the model from the donor vehicle.

Under the metal skin, the Urban Cruiser will be powered by the same 1.5-litre petrol engine as the Vitara Brezza. The said engine will deliver 105 PS of power and 138 Nm of torque, and it will be mated to a 5-speed MT or a 4-speed AT, depending on the variant. Toyota could also offer the Urban Cruiser with Suzuki's mild-hybrid unit for improved fuel efficiency, as seen on Vitara Brezza.

Toyota's upcoming SUV will also tally the feature list of the Vitara Brezza, including a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, auto air-con system, rain-sensing wipers, and Cruise control. As far as the interior design is concerned, the Urban Cruiser is likely to get new upholstery and a dual-tone styling for further distinction. However, space will be identical to the Vitara Brezza, and the dimensions are also expected to remain the same. 

Though the model is set for launch in India in the coming weeks, Toyota may bring this compact SUV to Malaysia also. If that happens, it would rival the likes of Toyota Rush, Honda BR-V, and soon-to-be-launched models - Proton X50 and Perodua D55L.

Also read: 2020 Toyota Vios launched in the Philippines; price starts at RM 58,000