What is it?

Toyota India has finally stepped into the mid-size SUV race in the Indian market with the new Urban Cruiser Hyryder. It’s the first model to be co-developed from the scratch under the Toyota-Suzuki alliance. Boasting a hybrid powertrain for the first time in the segment, the Urban Cruiser Hyryder is slated to be launched in the coming months. Read on to know more about the new SUV.

How is it on the outside?

In a first for a Toyota model, the Urban Cruiser Hyryder features a split headlamp setup. The front is dominated by a thick blanked-off grille which gets a unique carbon-fibre pattern and a thin chrome horizontal slat that extends all the way to the LED DRLs. The centre portion of the front bumper houses a large trapezoidal grille with a gloss black mesh pattern and a silver bash plate at the bottom.

When looked at from the side, the wide windows along with a large rear quarter glass make the Hyryder look longer. Then there are 17-inch dual-tone swirl-shaped alloy wheels housed in squared wheel arches with generous use of plastic cladding. Moving to the rear, the C-shaped sleek split LED tail lamps adjoined by a chrome bar give it a neat and attractive look. The number plate recess is mounted on the boot while the turn indicators and reverse lights are positioned uniquely in a vertical format on the rear bumper.

In terms of dimensions, the Hyryder measures 4,365mm in length, is wide at 1,795mm, and has a wheelbase of 2,600mm. Meanwhile, the exterior colour options include Café White, Enticing Silver, Sporting Red, Midnight Black, Speedy Blue, Cave Black, and Gaming Grey. Out of these, the red, silver, blue, and white colours will also be available with a contrasting black roof.

How is it on the inside?

Step inside the cabin and you are greeted by a neatly laid out dashboard that is finished in black and brown shade. However, certain elements, like the power window switches, door handles, the HVAC system, and even the touchscreen infotainment system are identical to the ones seen on the latest Maruti Suzuki models.

Toyota has used soft-touch materials on the dashboard as well as on the door pads, lending the cabin a premium and upmarket feel. The front seats are large with good side contours which are likely to provide a comfortable driving position. However, the driver-side seat misses out on electric adjustment which is pretty common for the SUVs in the segment. That said, the sliding centre armrest with storage place, along with the glovebox and seatback pockets, further add to the practicality of the cabin.

Then, the rear seats get a recline function and can be split 60:40. Furthermore, all three occupants get individual headrests, aircon vents, USB ports, as well as an armrest with two cupholders. In fact, all four doors get bottle holders and small stowage places on the door pads to keep away the knick-knacks. As for the boot, it does not have a flat floor. Rather, it has a slight hump due to the underneath electric motor.

What’s on the feature list?

The Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder is a decently specced SUV and will be offered in four variants, namely E, S, G, and V. Now, the nine-inch touchscreen infotainment system sits atop the dashboard and supports Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and commands from Google and Siri. The front seats are cooled while the leather-wrapped steering wheel commands the seven-inch digital instrument cluster.

Other highlights of the cabin include features like a heads-up display, a massive panoramic sunroof, wireless charger, ambient lighting, Arkamys sound system, cruise control, and an air purifier. Moreover, with the inclusion of Toyota i-Connect, customers will have access to over 55 connected car features, like remote ignition on/off, vehicle lock/unlock, remote AC control, geofencing, vehicle tracking, and more.

The Hyryder ticks almost all the basic passive safety features, such as a 360-degree camera, rear parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring system, ABS with EBD, three-point seatbelts for all passengers, hill-hold and descent control, disc brakes for all four wheels, and six airbags.

What’s under the hood?

The powertrain division is where the Urban Cruiser Hyryder aims to impress its buyers. So, customers will have two hybrid engine options to choose from. The first one is the familiar, Maruti Suzuki’s 1.5-litre K-Series petrol engine. This motor will have an output of 101bhp and 135Nm of torque mated to two transmissions – a five-speed manual and a six-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. Here, the latter will also be offered with an all-wheel-drive option.

However, the real highlight is Toyota’s 1.5-litre TNGA which works in tandem with an electric motor. While the petrol motor develops 91bhp, the electric motor puts out 79bhp. Collectively, this hybrid combination has an output of 114bhp and 141Nm of peak torque. However, the powertrain only sends power to the front wheels.

When will it launch and what will it cost?

The bookings for the Toyota Urban Cruiser have commenced for Rs 25,000. The SUV will enter the production line next month at the carmaker’s plant in Bidadi, Karnataka. We expect it to be launched in the coming months with prices ranging between Rs 12 lakh to Rs 20 lakh (ex-showroom).

With the Hyryder, Toyota will now compete against the likes of Hyundai Creta, Volkswagen Taigun, Kia Seltos, MG Astor, and Skoda Kushaq. Not only this, the other hybrid alternative to the Urban Cruiser Hyryder will be the Honda City e:HEV sedan.