Introduction

The mid-size SUV segment in India has grown with many new models incoming, like the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Tata Harrier, Volkswagen Taigun, MG Astor, and more. Now, Toyota is venturing into this segment too, in the form of the Urban Cruiser Hyryder that was recently unveiled. Well, time will tell whether it can gain a reputation within its segment, maybe similar to what the Corolla built in the D-segment. But for now, let’s see if it’s worthy of fighting the current segment leaders — the Creta and the Seltos.

Looks matter

However subjective this might be, we Indians want our car to look good and have a road presence, hence the demand for SUVs has also shot up. This Urban Cruiser Hyryder is not a sub-four metre SUV and will be positioned above the Urban Cruiser facelift, if at all that's re-launched. The Hyryder will make its presence felt with the unique styling, which makes it stand out from the crowd of these SUVs. It features a split headlight setup, which has gained good popularity in recent times. Then, the slim grille, sleek DRLs, funky alloys, and C-shaped LED tail lamps, amongst many others make up great ingredients for a good recipe like this well-proportioned SUV.

Cabin that pampers?

It goes without saying SUVs in this segment are spacious. But then, how much more than the competition? We'll see when we get to actually measure it. But as far as first impressions go, this one has most boxes checked right. It feels and looks good in its dual-tone interior with a leather-wrapped dashboard. That said, component sharing is evident in terms of switches, buttons, and stalks. And the boot space is a bit compromised due to the hybrid set-up. Nevertheless, the SUVs in this segment pamper with comfort and features, and the Hyryder is well-equipped too. This includes a modern touchscreen infotainment system along with connected car tech, a digital instrument cluster, a head-up display, a 360-degree camera, automatic climate control, ventilated seats, a panoramic sunroof, two-step reclining rear seats, a wireless charger, and so much more. Even on the safety front, there are six airbags, a tyre pressure monitoring system, ESP, hill-hold assist, and hill descent control, amongst others.

Enough firepower?

There is no diesel engine option, so prospective buyers looking for a torquey and fuel-efficient drivetrain might be disappointed. Nonetheless, Toyota hasn't played very safe in this department with the usual spread of petrol options. In fact, it has used its hybrid expertise to bring innovation to this segment. The Urban Cruiser Hyryder is the first SUV here with a strong hybrid powertrain. It uses a 1.5-litre petrol engine that makes 91bhp and 122Nm of torque and comes paired with an electric motor generating an output of 78bhp and 141Nm. There's a 177.6V lithium-ion battery pack which offers an all-electric range of up to 25km. This will assist the petrol mill in delivering more fuel economy. Imagine a big petrol SUV offering an overall fuel efficiency of 24-25kmpl. Now, wouldn't that be frugal? Yes, indeed.

Besides, apart from this efficient strong hybrid, Toyota wants to offer more options to buyers. The Toyota-Maruti partnership plays a vital role as the Urban Cruiser Hyryder will also be offered with Maruti Suzuki's 1.5-litre K-Series mild-hybrid powertrain. This engine produces 103bhp and 137Nm of torque and will be available with either a five-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. And that's not all, this version will also get an optional AWD version, again a first in this segment.

Will it be a revelation of sorts?

In our opinion, it definitely will be. And not just for its drivetrains, but looks, cabin, feature list, space, and more. And not to mention, the reliability that comes with the brand Toyota. A three-year/1 lakh kilometre standard warranty will be offered which can be extended to five-year/2,20,000km. What’s more, it comes with an eight-year/1,60,000km standard warranty on the hybrid batteries. All of this makes it a good package without having to bank on just the EV strength or AWD capability. It will most certainly be worthy of fighting its rivals. But then, all of this also depends on the pricing. If Toyota gets it right, there's nothing stopping it from having a winner at its hands.