Page 17 - Mobility Winter Supplement 2023

TOYOTA NEW LAUNCH

TOYOTA URBAN CRUISER

s the entry to the Toyota SUV family,
the Urban Cruiser launched 2 years
Aago has been a great sales success.
Recently a new generation model was
unveiled, and it looks sure to continue on the
path of its predecessor.
The new model has grown substantially,
with an extra 370mm in length and an
additional 25L of boot space, ensuring
improved passenger space and comfort.
The range has been simplified to now
have two specification levels, Xs and Xr. A
5-speed manual transmission or 4-speed
automatic in Xr spec make up the range.
All models are powered by the same
1.5l 4-cylinder petrol engine as the previous
model. 77kW and 138Nm are slightly
underwhelming on paper but translate
to adequate power for most urban uses.
Freeway and open-road cruising can require
higher revs and frequent downshifts to
keep the engine in the ideal power band.
A number of us on the launch drive felt wired Apple Carplay/ Android Auto, 17” higher revs needed being my only complaint.
that a 6 gear would be a boon for cruising black alloy wheels, keyless entry and start This applies to both manual and automatic
th
but would obviously add to the very keen and six airbags. transmissions.
pricing. Around town, the car is light and easy to As before, the Urban Cruiser is twinned
Xr spec does give you items like a 7” drive in all conditions. It feels solid and stable with the Suzuki Grand Vitara. Whereas the
infotainment screen with reverse camera, when cruising, with engine noise due to the previous generation had the two versions
fighting head to head in the market place,
they have taken very different paths this
time.
The rationale for this is straightforward.
Toyota has the Corolla Cross in its stable
and wants to ensure that the Urban Cruiser
remains an entry SUV placed below the
Cross. In this regard, both the spec levels
and pricing of the Urban Cruiser are spot-
on, and although some felt that the baby
sibling could have had more spec, this would
move the pricing up further than Toyota SA
wanted. n

Pricing: Including 3-year/100 000km
warranty and 4-year/60 000km service plan
Xs manual ... R329 400
Xr manual ... R347 000
Xr auto ........ R369 900

Click here to watch the video: https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=Lc5ubF0qJhA

MOBILITY WINTER 2023 | 15