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The Toyota Urban Cruiser is an all-new battery electric compact SUV with two battery options – 49kWh and 61kWh – as well as front and all-wheel drive powertrains.
The car is constructed on a new platform dedicated to battery electric vehicles which avoids the need for crossmembers in the floor, freeing up more space to accommodate the battery.
With a length of 4,285mm, the Urban Cruiser is slightly larger than Toyota’s full hybrid compact SUV, the Yaris Cross, but the Urban Cruiser has a comparatively long wheelbase (140mm longer than the Yaris Cross). This results in more space in the interior, which also features a sliding (and reclining) rear seat system.
A 49kWh lithium-iron phosphate battery will be available exclusively in the FWD version, with an electric motor giving an output of 142bhp, as well as a 61kWh battery mated to an electric motor producing 172bhp.
In the all-wheel drive version the 61kWh battery is paired with two electric motors delivering 181bhp.
The all-wheel drive system features the addition of a 48kW electric motor to the rear axle. The system provides 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.
All Urban Cruiser models are equipped with an energy-saving heat pump for the air conditioning system and manually operated battery pre-heating to optimise performance in colder conditions.
Active safety and driver assistance systems include a 360-degree camera system giving the driver a complete view of the car’s surroundings when manoeuvring across rough ground or parking in tight spaces.
Other features available, according to model grade, include power driver’s seat adjustment, a JBL premium audio system and a fixed sunroof.
By 2026, Toyota will have 15 zero emission vehicles in its range, including six battery electric vehicles using a dedicated platform.
