2026 (26) Toyota Urban Cruiser 128kW Design 61kWh 5dr Auto

Can Toyota's EV-era Urban Cruiser appeal to the young demographic the brand is seeking? Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Ten Second Review

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.

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.

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 and a choice of motor power outputs. Like most cars in this class, this one's front-driven, the line-up kicking off with a 49kWh battery pack energising a 142bhp motor with 189Nm of torque. Expect up to 214 miles of range. Ideally though, you'd stretch to the mid-level 61kWh model with its 172bhp motor - the car we tried; 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 265 miles of range - though this is still one of the lower figures in the class. 0-62mph takes 9.6s with the smaller battery - or 8.7s with the larger one - en route to the modest 93mph top speed all Urban Cruisers share. All of this is identical to what you get with the car this Toyota borrows all its engineering from, the Suzuki e Vitara, but unlike that model, there's no option here of a top twin motor AWD model. Across the line-up, you can maximise range figures by engaging stronger regenerative braking (with low, medium and high 'Regeneration Boost' settings via a centre screen button); but even the fiercest setting won't give you the kind of 'one-pedal'-style stopping power that you'd get with some class rivals. To maximise frugality, you'll obviously also have to activate the most frugal of the drive modes - 'Eco' (the others are 'Normal', 'Sport' and 'Snow'). On the move, refinement could be better - a combustion Yaris Cross Hybrid feels quieter - and the Suzuki-tuned chassis and suspension set-up delivers a soft ride, prioritised over sharp handling. But this car is in its element in town, thanks to light steering and a relatively tight 10.4-metre turning circle. On the highway, as with many electric cars, all the lack of an engine does is highlight wind noise and tyre roar. You won't be doing much towing in an Urban Cruiser - the braked towing figure is rated at just 750kg.

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 with top spec you can have the option of 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 (2,700mm) 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 boot that varies in space between 244 and 310-litres, depending on the position of the rear bench. The cargo area is 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.

Market and Model

Prices start from around £30,000 and 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.

Cost of Ownership

Charging speed is something of a disappointment, DC-rated at just 67kW for this 61kWh version and a mere 53kW for the 49kWh model. We don't really understand this as this Urban Cruiser's identically-engineered Suzuki e Vitara close cousin DC-charges at up to 150kW. Toyota's excuse for this is that the lower maximum charging speed helps ensure the longevity of the battery, which is covered for up to 70% of original capacity for up to 10 years (or 650,000 miles) provided you have the car annually serviced at an approved Toyota dealer. Anyway, as a result of all this, your public charging time will be lengthy by class standards, a 10-80% top-up needing 45 minutes with either battery (the class standard is 30 minutes or less). As for AC charging at home, well you'll need 8 hours for a full charge of the 41kWh version - or around 9 hours 30 minutes for this 61kWh model. For 15 to 100% AC home charging with a three-phase 11kW AC power supply, the time should be around six hours. There's an 'EV' section of the centre screen via which you can manage your charging regime. And that screen also provides an EnergyFlow graphic along with an energy consumption 'History' section. As with all Toyotas, this one is covered by a vehicle warranty that can last for up to ten years, provided you get the car regularly serviced at a franchised Toyota dealer.

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 won't 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. But there's not much driving engagement to be had here and charging speeds are slow. 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.