Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder first impression: A hybrid compact SUV
Toyota is best known for its Fortuner and Innova models but all that might change with the Urban Cruiser Hyryder being its most ambitious product yet. It is also the first compact SUV with a hybrid powertrain. Toyota has developed this SUV in partnership with Maruti Suzuki. The production will start in August with a market launch planned soon. Here is our first impression.
- This is easily one of the most significant new cars and has the potential to change the compact SUV segment with its hybrid powertrain and long equipment list.
- Both Toyota and Maruti Suzuki have been developing this SUV for a long time with Toyota's hybrid expertize being used here.
- This story provides a detailed first look of the Urban Cruiser Hyryder.
The Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder comes across as a striking design at first glance with a split headlamp and DRL treatment while the side profile is quite like a crossover. Elsewhere, there are 17-inch alloy wheels, slim LED taillamps and a rear skid plate along with a 'floating' roof effect. There are seven color options plus four dual-tone ones. Overall build quality is impressive.
The interiors are suitably premium due to leather inserts on the dashboard and also on the door pads. The steering wheel is similar to the one on the new Glanza along with some other switchgear shared with Maruti Suzuki cars. There is a 9.0-inch touchscreen along with a digital instrument cluster. The hybrid version further gets an 'EV mode' button as well.
The Urban Cruiser Hyryder is a compact SUV and the interior is reasonably spacious. However, the rear seat is a bit cramped in terms of headroom and the central tunnel makes it a four-seater at best. The seats are comfortable though and have ample thigh support. The rear seats can also be reclined for more comfort.
The equipment list is huge. The SUV packs in a lot of features which are normally seen on more high-end cars. Aside from the 9.0-inch touchscreen and a digital instrument cluster, there is also a 360-degree-view camera and a head-up display. You also get automatic climate control, connected car technology, wireless charging, a panoramic sunroof, and ventilated front seats.
There is a standard 1.5-liter petrol engine with a 5-speed manual gearbox as standard while a 6-speed automatic is optional. The Urban Cruiser Hyryder also gets a four-wheel-drive system. The hybrid powertrain comprises a 1.5-liter petrol engine and an electric motor to make a combined power output of 115hp. The hybrid trim comes with e-drive transmission and a dedicated EV drive mode.
We expect prices of the Urban Cruiser Hyryder to start from Rs. 11 lakh for the 1.5-liter petrol manual version while the hybrid variant will likely cost around Rs. 19 lakh (both prices, ex-showroom). With high localization levels, Toyota would able to price the Urban Cruiser Hyryder competitively. Overall, we are impressed with its design, features and technology at first glance.
