Exploring the city
When the Toyota Urban Cruiser made its debut in South Africa in 2020, it became an instant success, very quickly rocketing up the sales charts to become one of the best-selling B-SUVs in the country.
Related: Toyota Urban Cruiser launched locally
The new Urban Cruiser has touched down this week and is now even better as the vehicle is completely new from top to bottom. We jetted off to the Western Cape to spend a day navigating the urban landscape in this cracking little family SUV.
Everything that you need to know about the Toyota Urban Cruiser (2020 model)
What's new?
As mentioned before the new Urban Cruiser is completely new with the only carryover from the previous model being the engine. Dimensionally, the new Cruiser is 370mm longer, has a wider wheelbase, is taller and wider, and now has a ground clearance of 210mm. Along with its growth spurt, the entire vehicle has seen a design change that brings it in line with the rest of the Toyota family with treatments such as the new headlights, DRL's, clamshell bonnet, new grille, and lower air dam design upfront.
At the rear, the badging has been changed up, there is new LED rear lighting and a roof spoiler. Down the side, you will notice new 17" wheels inside the wheel arches that feature chunky black trim. Toyota has also expanded the colour palette and the vehicle is now available in seven exciting colours such as Luxe Red, Liquid Silver, Mystic Pearl White, and Jet Blue which can now be had in a bi-tone arrangement with a black roof.
Stepping into the interior, the biggest changes reveal themselves. The entire cabin has received a makeover with cloth seating, soft-touch surfaces, and the addition of hints of silver accents around vents and switchgear. There is now a 7" touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple Car Play while the drivers' binnacle gets a new set of analogue gauges with TFT screen for good measure. Driver and passengers now get some extra comfort in the form of front and rear armrests, auto air con, and cruise control.
Toyota Urban Cruiser colour and price guide
The Drive
With the only leftover from the previous model being the 1.5l four-cylinder petrol engine the drive power hasn't changed much. You still get 77kW and 187Nm to propel you forward but you now have a choice between a 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed automatic (XR derivative only) which can see you reach a top speed of 170km/h but there is no need to chase speeds because the Urban Cruiser is just that, a vehicle made for cruising around the city.
And that is exactly what we did, our route did take us out toward the nearby wine farms, but our drive was mostly in and around city centres and CBDs, enjoying the ebb and flow of daily traffic. In doing so the Cruiser barely exceeded the claimed 6.1l/100km, hovering at 6.9l throughout our drive. The auto derivative is the one to have if you tackle the daily grind but if you have open roads and enjoy the act of driving then the manual will serve you well.
Another new feature that Toyota has added is VSC and Hill Start Assist as standard to make the daily drive just that much better along with extra airbags in the XR model, the Urban Cruiser is sure to keep your family safe and entertained.
Toyota Cruiser engine options explained
Models and Pricing
| Urban Cruiser 1.5 XS MT | R 329 400 |
| Urban Cruiser 1.5 XR MT | R 347 400 |
| Urban Cruiser 1.5 XR AT | R 369 900 |
*All Urban Cruiser models are now sold with a longer Service Plan of 4 years/60 000km service plan. A 3-year/100 000 km warranty is also provided. Service intervals are pegged at 12 months/15 000 km. Customers can purchase an additional service plan and warranty options via the extensive 220-strong dealer network.
Nissan Magnite vs Renault Kiger vs Toyota Urban Cruiser: Here's our winner
Verdict
With this particular market segment becoming very cluttered with vehicles coming in from all angles such as China, Malaysia and India, Toyota has opted for a very base strategy and is staying out of the features and price war. The Urban Cruiser offers what you need out of a B-SUV at a very keen price. While other manufacturers offer fancy gizmos and gadgets and jack up the price, the Urban Cruiser is a pocket-friendly offering that has the benefit of an established dealer network service and backup. You aren't going to have issues with fuel economy, or features that are not needed in the segment, and will have peace of mind knowing that if something does go wrong you have someone to go to to have it fixed. We highly recommend the new Urban Cruiser if you are buying into the SUV market or are wanting to trade down from a larger SUV because you no longer need it.
