Toyota has unveiled its second electric car for the UK market – the Urban Cruiser – which is set to arrive in British showrooms in the second half of next year.
The Urban Cruiser is essentially a slightly bigger battery-powered alternative to the Japanese brand’s Yaris Cross, and is structurally identical to the recently announced Suzuki e-Vitara.
Alongside the electric bZ4X SUV, it could turn out to be a very important model for Toyota as the manufacturer looks to meet the UK government’s rising EV mandate targets – 28% of a brand’s new car sales have to be all-electric models to avoid fines next year.
We don’t have all of the car’s technical specs so far, but we do know that the model line-up will include two powertrain options – an entry-level 144hp 49kWh unit or a 174hp 61kWh battery – and the latter is also available in a range-topping all-wheel drive configuration that ups the power output to 184hp.
That said, Toyota says the choice to opt for an all-wheel drive model will be “according to market”, so it’s not confirmed if this top-spec version will be offered in the UK.
Toyota is also yet to announce the trim specs for the compact crossover, but the display model pictured has a 10-inch digital instrument cluster and ten-inch infotainment screen pairing mounted on the dashboard, as well as a surround-view parking camera, JBL premium audio system and a fixed sunroof, which are presumably reserved for higher trim levels.
The manufacturer says that the Urban Cruiser will come with a “comprehensive package” of safety systems as standard, including adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assistance.
That sums up what we know about the Toyota Urban Cruiser so far. We will learn more in mid-January when the crossover gets its official debut at the Brussels motor show. Check back soon for more details, including the car’s UK price list.
