2020 Toyota Urban Cruiser debuts in India – Suzuki Vitara Brezza-based compact SUV; 1.5L mild hybrid - Latest Car News, Bike news & Reviews, Auto News

Toyota has revealed the new Urban Cruiser in India, with the order books for the sub-four metre compact SUV now open to customers in the country. Based on the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, this is the second Toyota model to be based on a Suzuki, after the Glanza from 2019 that was essentially a rebadged Baleno.

While most of the exterior looks similar to the Brezza, the Urban Cruiser sports a different face that is reminiscent of the larger Fortuner. Changes from the Suzuki model include a larger front grille with dual slats and more prominent, trapezoidal-shaped fog lamp sections, with the latter placed just above a downturned lower apron consisting of black and body-coloured areas stacked on top of one another.

Unlike the Brezza, the blacked-out lower portion at the front creates an uninterrupted flow towards the side body cladding and the rear, with silver skid plates on either end. Beyond that, the Urban Cruiser shares the same 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels and LED lighting units with the Brezza.

Inside, the Urban Cruiser is virtually identical to the Brezza, with notable features being keyless engine start, automatic air-conditioning, cruise control, an electrochromic rear-view mirror and a touchscreen head unit with support for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The Toyota also comes with a dual-tone dark brown interior rather than the all-black theme of its close sibling.

Under the bonnet, the Urban Cruiser is powered by a BS6-compliant, K-series 1.5 litre four-cylinder petrol engine, which is the K15B unit used in the Brezza. While Toyota has yet to provide detailed specifications, the mill in the Suzuki model makes 105 PS (103 hp) at 6,000 rpm and 138 Nm of torque at 4,400 rpm.

On cars equipped with a four-speed automatic transmission, the engine is augmented by a mild hybrid system that consists of an integrated starter generator and lithium-ion battery, which help to provide torque assist, regenerative braking and idle start-stop.

The other transmission option is a five-speed manual that does without the mild hybrid tech, and should not benefit from fuel efficiency gains that come with it. Again, no official figures from the big T for now, but based on the Brezza’s numbers, the automatic ISG variant is rated at 18.76 km/l (5.33 l/100 km), while the manual gets 17.03 km/l (5.87 l/100 km).

No shortage of colour options either, as the Urban Cruiser has nine to choose from, including six monotone shades – Suave Silver, Groovy Orange, Iconic Grey, Spunky Blue, Sunny White and Rustic Brown. These are joined by three two-tone options – Rustic Brown and Spunky Blue with a Sizzling Black roof as well as Groovy Orange with a Sunny White roof.

Final pricing and the list of available variants will be revealed at a later date, but customers in India can place a booking with a fee of 11,000 rupees (RM616). As with previous Toyota-Suzuki collaborations, the Urban Cruiser will be built by Maruti Suzuki at its Gurgaon plant.