Toyota hopes to expand its fully electric vehicle lineup with a new model, the Urban Cruiser. Serving as a smaller alternative to the current BZ4X, but still larger than the Yaris Cross, the Urban Cruiser boasts of authentic SUV character, but with sophisticated styling befitting use in the city.
Toyota describes its styling as “Urban Tech” with a “hammerhead” front end – a contemporary Toyota design cue – as a key element. On the sides are muscular haunches while the rear light spans the width of the back door. It rolls on 18 to 19-inch wheels, and offered in a range of exterior colors include two-tone options with a contrasting black roof.
Spacious interior
Being a battery electric vehicle, the Urban Cruiser boasts of a long wheelbase (140 mm more than the Yaris Cross, to be precise).
Inside awaits a low, horizontal instrument panel paired with a high seating position to give the driver and front passenger a great view. Upholstery and trims combine black and dark grey. Ambient lighting offers 12 different colors to set an appropriate cabin mood.
The instrument panel seamlessly integrates the driver’s 10.25-inch vital trip info. A 10.1-inch multimedia display is mounted on the center of the dashboard. The multimedia system is designed for fast, intuitive operation with satellite navigation that uses cloud-based data to factor in the latest traffic flow intelligence. Smartphone integration is also provided so the driver can access their preferred apps and services with ease.
The interior can be easily adapted for extra passenger comfort or extended load space. Thanks to a sliding rear seat system, the distance between front and rear passengers can easily be adjusted to create legroom on a par with much larger SUVs. The seats split-fold in a 40:20:40 configuration and can also be reclined.
Battery and range
The Urban Cruiser will be offered with a choice of battery packs and the option of front or all-wheel drive. Both use lithium-iron phosphate technology and return prompt and linear acceleration.
A 49-kWh battery will be available exclusively in the front-wheel drive version, giving an output of 144-hp and 189-Nm of torque. There’s also a larger 61-kWh battery that produces 174-hp and 189-Nm of torque. The all-wheel drive variant gets the 61-kWh battery that delivers 184-hp and 300-Nm of torque. All Urban Cruiser versions are equipped with an energy-saving heat pump for the air conditioning system.
While Toyota does not provide any range estimates as these may vary depending on use, a 49-kWh battery typically has a range of 300-350-km. A 61-kWh battery can typically travel 400-450-km.
Tech-enabled all-wheel drive
One of the key qualities of the new Urban Cruiser is the availability of an all-wheel drive system. This variant adds a 48-kW motor to the rear axle. The system also comes with a Downhill Assist Control and a Trail Mode which detects and brakes a spinning wheel while directing drive torque to the opposite wheel. The front-wheel drive model benefits from a “snow mode” which controls drive torque to help reduce wheel-slip when driving on snow-covered roads.
Smart safety
All Urban Cruiser versions will benefit from a comprehensive package of active safety and driver assistance systems. Features include a pre-collision system, adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert and lane keep assist. A 360-degree camera system gives the driver a complete view of the car’s surroundings when maneuvering across rough ground or parking in tight spaces.
Growing electrified lineup
The Urban Cruiser is another step in Toyota’s wider multi-path strategy to offer customers a broad choice of electrified drivetrain technologies, that includes plug-in hybrid, full hybrid, and fully electric vehicles.
Confirmed for Europe
For now, the Toyota Urban Cruiser has only been confirmed for sale in Europe in 2025. The company has yet to say if the vehicle will be offered in Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines.