Among the trio of EVs previewed today in Malaysia by UMW Toyota is the Toyota Urban Cruiser EV that will take on some of the established compact SUV EVs here and starts from RM 198,000. The Urban Cruiser is Toyota’s twin of the Suzuki eVitara, positioning it firmly to challenge the Volvo EX30, Mini Aceman,
Among the trio of EVs previewed today in Malaysia by UMW Toyota is the Toyota Urban Cruiser EV that will take on some of the established compact SUV EVs here and starts from RM 198,000.
The Urban Cruiser is Toyota’s twin of the Suzuki eVitara, positioning it firmly to challenge the Volvo EX30, Mini Aceman, Smart #1, Mercedes-Benz EQA and MG4. We will get our Urban Cruiser imported CBU (completely built-up) from India.
It is smaller than the other of the trio previewed today, the bZ4X, but larger than the upcoming Yaris Cross. The dimensions are 4,285 mm long, 1,800 mm wide and 1,640 mm tall with a 2,700 mm wheelbase. That wheelbase is 140 mm longer than the Yaris Cross, freeing up more cabin room.
Being the eVitara’s twin, the powertrains are identical. The Malaysian variant gets a single motor with an eAxle mounted in the front. Output from the motor is 174 PS with maximum torque of 193 Nm. The driver can choose from 3 primary driving modes, Eco, Normal and Sport.
Additionally, there is also a one-pedal mode which controls the deceleration speed when ease off the accelerator pedal. There are 3 levels of deceleration that can be set.
The 61.1 kWh battery pack uses lithium-iron phosphate chemistry and can provide a range of up to 426 kms with a full charge.
Rapid-charging with a DC power supply can be done within 50 minutes (15-80%), while AC charging with a 7 kW supply can be done within 9.5 hours (15-100%).
There is also a ‘My Room’ charging mode that allows drivers to use the air conditioner and audio system if they choose to remain inside the vehicle while charging is in progress.
As the name suggests, the Urban Cruiser is made for puttering around town and the suspension setup reflects that, being tuned for comfort, stability, responsive steering performance with a MacPherson strut at the front and a multi-link system at the rear.
Aesthetically, the Urban Cruiser sports the hammerhead face shared with the Camry and Prius. Plastic cladding around the wheelarches ensures you recognise it as an SUV while the 18-inch wheels wear aero covers.
The cabin features a 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen with the driver reading from a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard, as is a premium JBL audio system.
A raised centre console places key controls within close reach of the driver, including a dial-type shift selector and electronic parking brake switch, with a charging pad for wireless smartphone charging integrated in the design, which forms a bridge over a handy open storage tray.
At the rear, the seats can be split-folded 40:20:40 while also being able to slide forward or aft to increase legroom or luggage capacity.
Safety comprises a comprehensive set of technically advanced active safety and driver assistance features.
The Brake Support System analyses imagery captured by the forward sensors to identify pedestrians, motorcyclists, cyclists and other vehicles and determines if there is a collision risk. Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Lane Keep Assist (LKA) is also available to reduce fatigue when driving long distances on highways.
If the driver wishes to overtake and activates the turn signal to indicate the intention, the ACC will also assist with acceleration and deceleration when merging into the adjacent lane.
The same sensors for the Blind Spot Monitor also scan the area directly behind and to the sides for the Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) system. This system alerts the driver of vehicles approaching from either side as it is reversing out of a parking bay.
A 360-degree camera system uses four cameras around the car to provide a complete view of the surroundings, making it easier to manoeuvre in tight spaces. Besides a bird’s eye view, there are also 3D and eye-level views to enable the driver to have a better look in certain areas.
Customers can choose from four exterior colour finishes, Pearl Arctic White, Pearl Bluish Black, Grandeur Grey and Land Breeze Green.