toyota urban cruiser: Toyota Urban Cruiser: What we know so far about most affordable off-roader – Times of India

BANGALORE: Toyota Kirloskar Motor has announced its entry into the sub-compact SUV segment in India with the all-new Urban Cruiser.
The Toyota Urban Cruiser launch is scheduled for the upcoming festive season and the carmaker claims that it will appeal to those who love to travel in style. The Urban Cruiser comes at a time when there is a growing demand in the sub-compact SUV segment in India.
The new SUV is a rebadged model of Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, under the manufacturers’ partnership. It is the second model after Toyota Glanza and Maruti Suzuki Baleno have received same treatment.

Here’s what we know so far about the Toyota Urban Cruiser:
What is it:
The company will drive in the sub-4-meter SUV, to be called ‘Urban Cruiser’, and the model — its cheapest off-roader ever in the market — will be sourced from Maruti Suzuki, which is offering a customised, specially-developed version of the Brezza.
Engine options if completely shared with Vitara Brezza:
The Urban Cruiser is expected share the same engine as its rebadged twin. IIn that case, it will be powered by the same 1.5-litre petrol engine that generates 104 PS of power and offers a peak torque of 138 Nm. Vitara Brezza comes mated to either a 5-speed manual transmission option or a 4-speed AT gearbox.
The Vitara Brezza is offered with a 2WD system. That said, Toyota’s off-roader may come with traction control and drive modes to suit various terrains.

Expected price:
“The Glanza has helped us in getting a large number of first-time customers into Toyota’s fold, and with the Urban Cruiser, we are confident of making a bigger say in the sub-Rs 10 lakh market as demand here remains strong.” Said, Naveen Soni, senior VP (sales & marketing) of Toyota Kirloskar Motors.
Vitara Brezza is available in four variants, LXi, VXi, ZXi and ZXi+ and costs between Rs 7.34 lakh to Rs 11.4 lakh (ex-showroom).
Design:
If it all goes down like Baleno and Glanza, the Toyota Urban Cruiser is expected to retain the same design from Brezza except for a few visual upgrades. The major visual change that is to be seen is the signature Toyota front grille that will be incorporated with Brezza’s design.
Rivals:
With surging demand in sub-compact SUV segment, Toyota’s attempt at it is quite obvious. While Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Ford EcoSport, Mahindra XUV300 and Tata Nexon will be the challengers, the new faces in the form of Kia Sonet and Nissan Magnite will pose threat to Urban Cruiser as well.
“We hope that the Urban Cruiser gives us an opportunity to welcome a new set of customers who not only aspire to own a Toyota SUV early in life, but would also like to experience Toyota’s global standards of sales & after-sales services. We will share more details about the car and the launch in the days to come,” said Son