REVIEW: New Toyota Urban Cruiser is more car for the money

When the Suzuki Vitara Brezza and its Toyota Urban Cruiser twin were launched in SA in 2021 the two compact crossovers became instant sales hits due to their good practicality and keen pricing.

Production of the two cars was surprisingly halted at the Indian factory less than two years later, but they were soon replaced by larger, more expensive cars earlier this year.

In Suzuki’s case the bigger new car is named the Grand Vitara, while Toyota has stuck to the Urban Cruiser moniker. The old Toyota previously had five models priced between R280,400-R353,600 while the new version comes in three variants from R329,400 to R369,900. 

There’s more car for the money as the Urban Cruiser has experienced a substantial growth spurt over its predecessor, stretched in length from 3,995mm to 4,365mm. It hasn’t affected passenger space inside the cabin too much as the old car had impressive head- and legroom, but the boot has grown from 328l to 353l including a full-sized spare wheel. The new car’s extra loading space came to light when I could fit a fully assembled bicycle inside with the rear seats folded, unlike in the old car where one of the bike’s wheels had to be removed.

The seats also fold flatter than in the previous Urban Cruiser, making for a more practical loading floor for bulky objects.

Apart from improved loading space, the new car’s ground clearance has improved from 195mm to 210mm, which will delight those who like to sit in a “command” position.

The new Urban Cruiser adopts swish new styling with slimline LED daytime running lights positioned on top where headlamps would normally be, with the actual headlamps positioned low in the bumper. A large honeycomb lower grille with a silver ornamental skid plate create frontal aggression, and the black wheels further enhance the car’s bolder new styling. Black wheel arch mouldings give the car an SUV look, though its front-wheel drive setup limits its gravel adventures.

The test car is the XR five-speed manual priced at R347,400, which comes with more features than the entry-level Urban Cruiser.

The interior is made to a budget-focused price so the dashboard does not have the soft-touch coating of more expensive cars, but the hard plastic is nicely textured and does not look cheap. The cabin finishes are neat, and the diamond-patterned cloth covering on the seats also has a touch of class.

Compared to cousin Suzuki Vitara, Toyota has adopted a lower-spec approach in the Urban Cruiser to keep the price down. The range-topping Urban Cruiser XR manual costs R50,000 less than the flagship Grand Vitara, which has a raft of extra features including a sunroof, auto on/off lights, LED headlights, head up display, auto dim interior mirror and artificial leather upholstery.

Both cars have six airbags, ABS brakes, stability control and cruise control. The Toyota has a three-year/100,000km warranty versus the Suzuki’s five-years/200,000km. The Suzuki also has a better six-year/90,000km service plan compared with the Urban Cruiser’s four-services/60,000km offering.

This is not to say the Urban Cruiser XR is underendowed. Its niceties include a reversing camera, push-button start, cruise control, automatic air conditioning, electric windows, a sliding front armrest, rear air vents and a 7-inch infotainment system that is Android Auto and Wireless Apple CarPlay enabled.

That said, the Toyota has no rear windscreen wiper nor automatic windscreen wipers, which are unusual cost-saving omissions in an otherwise well-specced car.

As before, power is supplied by a normally aspirated 1.5l petrol engine which dart through suburbia with satisfying poke. It has enough guts to maintain 120km/h or more on the freeway, even up steep hills, though overtaking requires some planning.

The Toyota averaged an economical 6.4l /100km, and it did not make much difference whether it was being driven in town or on the open road. The Urban Cruiser XR is available as a more urban-friendly automatic for R22,500 more, but the five-speed manual has an easy shift action and light clutch and is not a chore to drive in heavy traffic.

It’s a refined budget car with well-restrained wind or road noise, and has a comfortable ride on its high-profile tyres. The handling is tidy and it’s a pleasant drive all round, with no glaring foibles.

With its practicality, fuel economy and that Toyota badge, the larger new Urban Cruiser looks destined to become another top seller in the compact crossover segment.

TECH SPECS

Capacity: 1.5l

Power: 77kW

Torque: 138Nm

TRANSMISSION

Type: Five-speed manual

DRIVETRAIN

Type: Front-wheel drive

PERFORMANCE (claimed)

Top speed: 170km/h

0-100km/h: N/A

Fuel consumption: 6.1l/100km (claimed), 6.4l/100km (as tested)

Emissions: 146g/km

STANDARD FEATURES

ABS brakes, stability control, six airbags, climate control, electric windows, cruise control, infotainment system with Bluetooth and USB connectivity, USB ports, remote central locking, cloth upholstery, LED daytime running lights and rear parking camera.

COST OF OWNERSHIP

Warranty: Three years/100,000km

Service plan: Four services/600,000km

Price: R347,400

Lease*: R7,780 per month

* at 11.75% interest over 60 months no deposit

Toyota Urban Cruiser 1.5 XR manual

WE LIKE: Practicality, price, fuel economy

WE DISLIKE: No rear windscreen wiper or automatic lights

VERDICT: Destined to become another good seller for Toyota

MOTOR NEWS star rating

Design ***** 

Performance ***

Economy ***** 

Ride ****

Handling **** 

Safety ***** 

Value For Money **** 

Overall **** 

Competition

Chery Tiggo4 Pro 1.5, 83kW/138Nm — R308,900

Suzuki Grand Vitara 1.5 GL manual, 77kW/138Nm — R339,900

Haval Jolion 1.5T City, 105kW/210Nm — R342,950

Kia Sonet, 85kW/144Nm — R347,995

Mitsubishi ASX 2.0 ES, 110kW/197Nm — R389,990

Mazda CX-3 2.0 Active, 115kW/206Nm — R390,500

Volkswagen T-Cross 1.0 TSI Comfortline, 70kW/175Nm — R415,600