Toyota Urban Cruiser electric SUV: a barely disguised Suzuki

Toyota no longer has a choice and, despite its original reluctance, must develop its electric range, especially in Europe. This is what it is doing with this new compact SUV, Urban Cruiser, which car enthusiasts will quickly recognize. Indeed, it is, in fact, a slightly redesigned and rebadged Suzuki Vitara.

Japanese pragmatism

Toyota has an agreement with Suzuki allowing each to use the other's platforms. That's how we got the Suzukis Swace And Acrosswhich are Toyotas Corolla And RAV4 rebadged. In exchange, Toyota can use the Vitara's electric platform to offer an electric vehicle at lower costs in one of the most important segments in Europe.

With a length of 4.28 m, the Urban Cruiser is placed between the Yaris Cross and the C-HR in Toyota's range. Its exterior design is inspired by the Urban SUV concept revealed last year, with lines noticeably toned down for production.

It differs from the Vitara to become a Toyota by its Hammerhead headlights (hammer head, in French) and its specific rear lights. There's no point looking for other differences, not even in terms of rims. Toyota didn't even bother to change this element, although it is distinctive and easy to modify.

The same goes in the cabin, taken from the Suzuki, with a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.1-inch infotainment screen. The floating center console is adorned with the same glossy black plastic which will take fingerprints and other micro-scratches very easily, while there is an optional high-end JBL audio system and a panoramic glass roof.

Thanks to the generous wheelbase of 2.70 m, the Urban Cruiser offers generous space on board, even in the rear seats, which are also sliding and reclining. Behind, the trunk should have the same capacity, a little tight, of 306 liters.

Electric motors

Like its Suzuki-badged twin, the Toyota Urban Cruiser is based on an architecture dedicated to electric vehicles and will offer three power levels and two LFP (lithium-iron-phosphate) battery capacities.

The SUV is available in two-wheel drive (traction) or four-wheel drive models. The first offers a single electric motor delivering a choice of 144 or 174 hp and 189 Nm of torque, while the all-wheel drive version has 184 hp and 300 Nm from two electric motors.

The small 49 kWh battery is exclusively available with front-wheel drive, while the 61 kWh battery can be had with both front- and all-wheel drive. The WLTP autonomy figures are not yet known, but the Suzuki e-Vitara announces up to 400 km, there is no doubt that the same will be true of the Toyota.

The Urban Cruiser will compete with the Peugeot e-2008, the Renault 4 or the news Ford Puma Gen-E and will be presented to the public at the 2025 Brussels Motor Show next January. Pricing will be announced closer to launch.