Latest news with #UrbanCruiser
The Independent
12 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Independent
Toyota Urban Cruiser prototype review: Toyota is still playing catch-up
Toyota is playing a canny game in the EV space. Its first model, the bizarrely named bX4X was co-developed with Subaru, while its latest model, the Urban Cruiser, is a joint venture with Suzuki. It's even built by Suzuki in its factory in India. So it's unsurprising that the Urban Cruiser has a Suzuki twin, the eVitara. The Toyota version is pretty much identical, with the same batteries, motor, interior and very similar looks on the outside. On our test drive, we drove a four-wheel drive version that did have something extra going for it: a modicum of off-road ability. Sadly, we're unlikely to get that. Instead we'll get a couple of two-wheel drive cars with either 49 or 61kWh batteries and unremarkable ranges of 214 or 265 miles. Charging speeds are similarly average. The Urban Cruiser has the looks to compete, on the outside at least. Inside, it's a generation behind the likes of the Kia EV3 and Renault 4 that it will compete against. Our car was a prototype with a few rough edges, but the hard plastics on top of the dash and doors feel like a step back in time compared with rivals' interiors. The Toyota is at least comfortable to drive and has a decent ride – but then so do rivals. And it has a novel sliding rear seat, which is handy. Rear space is good, but you'll need to slide the seat forward to get decent boot space. With the seat set back it's supermini sized. It's something of a shame as, being last to the party, you'd think Toyota would've looked at what others are doing and gone one step further. It seems Toyota are happy to be followers with a car that's biggest appeal is the potential of a ten-year warranty if you continually get it serviced at Toyota dealers. How we tested Our early drive of the prototype Urban Cruiser was on the urban streets around Madrid, with a few motorway runs and even a trip over a rough and ready gravel road. As usual, we climbed all over the car, checked on boot space and played with all the tech. Independent rating: 6/10 Toyota Urban Cruiser specs Price range: £27,000 to £35,000 (estimated) Battery size: 49 & 61 kWh Maximum claimed range: 265 miles Miles per kWh: tbc Maximum charging rate: 67kWh Battery, range, charging, performance and drive Although we're a little way off Toyota in the UK confirming trim levels, we do know that both the 49 and 61kWh batteries will be on offer, which offer a maximum claimed range of 214 miles or 265 miles in front-wheel drive cars. We understand it's unlikely that the all-wheel drive Urban Cruiser will come to the UK, which is something of a shame as its mild off-roading ability – alongside its chunky 4x4 looks – gives it a useful USP. We took it over a gravel road with some surprisingly deep ruts and it came through the test with flying colours. Those ranges aren't especially remarkable. The entry-level Kia EV3 with a 58.3kWh battery costs £33,005 and claims a maximum range of 270 miles – more than the bigger battery in the Urban Cruiser. The EV3 is also available at £36,005 with an 81.4kWh battery that will go for a hugely impressive 375 miles. Alternatively the new Renault 4 E-Tech costs from just £26,995, has a 52kWh battery and has a maximum claimed range of 247 miles. This is the world that the Urban Cruiser will be competing in, and it's a tough challenge. Charging speeds for the Urban Cruiser are disappointing, too. Even the Toyota representative we spoke to seemed a touch embarrassed by the 67kW fastest DC charging speed. An EV3 will charge at either 102kW or 128kW for the larger battery. For the Toyota that means a 10 to 80 per cent charge time of 45 minutes – time for that second cup of coffee, then. The Urban Cruiser does at least provide a comfortable ride – at least on the reasonably smooth roads we drove the prototype on in Spain. The steering is responsive enough and the handling secure enough – all considering that this is a family-friendly SUV. There's a fair bit of wind noise around the mirrors at faster speeds, but otherwise the Urban Cruiser is a fairly calming car to be in. There's one-pedal driving and eco, sport and normal driving modes. We found the sport mode to be best for a slightly heavier feel to the steering and quicker accelerator responses – the bigger battery version will get from 0-62mph in a reasonable 8.7 seconds. There's also a snow mode that we didn't get to try in the heat of Madrid. Interior, practicality and boot space Inside the Urban Cruiser, it's a mixed bag. The design isn't especially inspiring with lots of dark black plastics. Toyota has tried to liven things up with a different texture across the dash and on the doors, but a change in colour would've helped, too. At least there's some ambient lighting around the centre console and doors, which you can personalise with 12 colours and seven brightness levels. The quality of the plastics inside aren't great, though. We know that the cars we tested were prototypes, which accounted for a few sharp edges around the centre console, but we doubt the hard plastics on the dash and door tops, and around the door controls, are likely to change. There is plenty of room in the back, though, with doors that open wide and generous knee and foot room. The rear seats slide forward, too, which is handy because the boot space otherwise is just plain poor – a miserly 238 litres with the seats in their furthest back position with maximum legroom. Slide them forward when knee room becomes a bit tight and there's then 306 litres of space – still not exactly generous. Fold all the seats forward (and the rear bench has a 40:20:40 configuration ) to get a maximum of 562 litres. Those rear seats also house rather large headrests that don't fold down into the seats when not in use, limiting the view out of the rear window. Thankfully the door mirrors are nice and large, while the high-set driving position gives a good view forwards. There's not a huge amount of space for odds and ends, although there is room underneath the centre console, which has a couple of cup holders at the front, a single wireless phone charger tucked away even further forward under the dash, which all means the drive selector is a little too far back to be really comfortable. Technology, stereo and infotainment The days when Japanese car makers led on tech are long gone. The Urban Cruiser gets two displays within a single frame that runs from the driver's side across to the centre of the car. Within the frame are two 10in screens – one for the driver, which doesn't fill the frame, with the same happening in the centre for the multimedia touchscreen. With a sizeable bezel, it looks a bit like a plasma TV from the early 2000s. At least there's wireless smartphone connections with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and the touchscreen is responsive and bright. There's also a MyToyota app that connects to show charging and operate the air con remotely, as well as door locking and unlocking. The air con also gets separate controls under the screen, but you'll have to go hunting for the seat heaters digitally. We're yet to find out what the specs will be for the Urban Cruiser in the UK, but LED head lights are likely to be available on Excel grade models, while the usual range of driver assistance and safety features will all be present, including adaptive cruise control and 360 degree cameras to help with low-speed manoeuvres. Prices and running costs Although prices have yet to be confirmed, we expect the Urban Cruiser to cross categories to compete with everything from the Renault 4 E-Tech at the bottom end to the Kia EV3 and Volvo EX30 at the top end. Our guess based on already-published European prices is a start at around £27,000 for the entry-level small battery car, up to around £35,000 for a top-spec, larger battery but still two-wheel drive model. Where the Toyota will really appeal will be with the warranty cover. Get your car serviced annually by a Toyota dealer or service centre and they'll keep the warranty intact for up to ten years. It's the same story with the battery. Rather than most brands' cover of eight years for the battery Toyota's Battery Care Program covers the battery for up to ten years or 650,000 miles, with an annual health check. Toyota Urban Cruiser rivals: FAQs How long does it take to charge? Too long is the answer. On a fast charger it will only charge at a maximum speed of 67kW meaning a ten to 80 per cent charge will take 45 minutes. How much does it cost - is it worth it? Toyota hasn't yet announced prices or trim levels, but given prices of the Urban Cruiser in Europe, we'd expect the car to cost from around £27,000 up to around £35,000 What's the battery and main warranty like? Toyota's Battery Care Program covers the battery for up to ten years or 650,000 miles, with an annual health check. The same applies to the standard warranty – if the car's serviced at Toyota service centres the warranty will run for ten years. Why trust us Our team of motoring experts have decades of experience driving, reviewing and reporting on the latest EV cars, and our verdicts are reached with every kind of driver in mind. We thoroughly test drive every car we recommend, so you can be sure our verdicts are honest, unbiased and authentic. The verdict: Toyota Urban Cruiser The Urban Cruiser is in for a tough ride against some talented opposition. It left me pretty unmoved, struggling to find a real differentiator. Maybe it's the short front and rear overhangs, which'll help on bumpier surfaces, although we're not getting the four-wheel drive versions. Otherwise, it's just not spacious enough inside or innovative enough.
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
Toyota & Lexus new cars for 2025 revealed including rugged RAV4 update, hybrid Aygo and sharp-looking ES saloon
'IF you want to catch a lot of fish, set out many fishing rods,' a wise man in the motor industry once said. Toyota is definitely following that advice. 5 Toyota will relaunch its baby Aygo X as a hybrid instead of pure-petrol at the end of the year Credit: Supplied 5 The C-HR+, looks, and is, different from the C-HR hybrid Credit: Toyota 5 The small pure battery Urban Cruiser, on sale shortly Credit: Supplied So any potential customer swimming into a Toyota dealership will find a huge range of cars ready to hook them. It's working. Sales of Toyota and its posher Lexus arm keep growing. A cascade of new cars and updates will likely keep the momentum going into next year. READ MORE IN MOTORS The RAV4 family SUV is a massive seller and returns next year as a plug-in hybrid only. It should be economical when running on petrol alone. But if you can find somewhere to plug in, the electric range is now a very handy 62 milles. The angular new body has a proper rugged look to it, standing out from the crop of softy crossovers it competes against. Toyota keeps driving down the cost of hybrids. Most read in Motors At the end of the year it will relaunch its baby That will have the lowest consumption and CO2 rating of any car without a plug. Toyota offers $25k discount off brand new model until June 2 – but the rebate depends on where shoppers live So the hybrid system is still a massive part of Toyota's success. When hybrid arrived here in the Prius at the turn of the millennium, it was a minority sport. Gradually it went mainstream, spreading across nearly all Toyota and Lexus models. So much so that the company took flak for not jumping from there on to the full-electric car bandwagon. Now that caution looks wise. The speed of changeover to EVs is softening, and the legal push to ban hybrids is paused five years to 2035. Shifting predictions for EVs are affecting Toyota-Lexus too. 5 For families wanting more space as well as battery power, Toyota will add a Touring estate version to the bZ4X electric crossover Credit: Supplied For some years, the plan was to build standalone electric cars, wholly different from the hybrids. But that's going to change. Andrea Carlucci, European marketing boss, told me the plan now is to build cars that you can buy as either full-electric or hybrid. Selling completely separate hybrid and EV models, he says, 'causes a complexity challenge', confusing buyers and choking dealerships. 'We should simplify the number of silhouettes.' So Lexus is launching its sharp-looking new luxury saloon, the ES, in both a hybrid and a 330-mile electric. In the UK the plan is we'll get the electric only, but no doubt that could alter if the politics of EVs change again. For families wanting more space as well as battery power, Toyota will add a Touring estate version to the bZ4X electric crossover Inside, it's luxurious but with a clean Japanese-garden feel. The door trim looks like back-illuminated bamboo. But despite the new plan for dual-powertrain cars, there are still a bunch of pure battery cars in the launch phase. The small one is the Urban Cruiser, on sale shortly. It'll be followed by the C-HR+, which looks, and is, different from the C-HR hybrid. All those two share is a general theme: both are compact coupe-crossovers. For families wanting more space as well as battery power, Toyota will add a Touring estate version to the bZ4X electric crossover. That's spring next year. The all-electric Lexus RZ gets an update next year, including steer-by-wire using an aircraft-style yoke instead of a steering wheel, plus fake 'gearbox' effects to make driving a single-speed EV feel more interesting. More like a petrol car, in other words. 5 The RAV4 family SUV is a massive seller and returns next year as a plug-in hybrid only Credit: Supplied Ten things YOU should know as a car owner To help you feel more confident as a car owner, here are ten things you should be familiar with about your vehicle: When is your MOT due? When is your car tax due? Find out here Is it illegal to drive barefoot? What do Is it illegal to drive without road tax? Can you be fined for breaking the highway code? How to What does Is it illegal to
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Toyota's 2026 RAV4 SUV to Have Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid Options Only
Toyota Motor Corporation TM has revealed that the 2026 RAV4 will be offered exclusively as an electrified vehicle as part of a redesign of its top-selling SUV. Buyers will be able to choose between a hybrid electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, along with three new design versions of the 2026 RAV4 will feature a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. The standard hybrid will deliver 226 horsepower with front-wheel drive and 236 horsepower with all-wheel drive. The plug-in hybrid version will increase output to 320 horsepower, up from 302 hp in the previous model. The sixth-generation RAV4 will be available in Core, Rugged and Sport styles, and offered in seven different trim levels. Other updates include a new touchscreen display, a six-speaker audio system and enhancements to the vehicle's safety 2026 RAV4 is expected to arrive at dealerships across the United States later this year. Since its U.S. debut in 1996, the RAV4 has gone through five generations, evolving with the changing needs of drivers. The new sixth-generation continues that tradition with a renewed focus on functionality and Toyota selling more than 10.2 million vehicles globally in fiscal 2025, including Lexus, only around 145,000 of those were fully electric, representing just 1% of total sales. By contrast, EVs accounted for about 14% of all global vehicle sales in September, Nikkei reported that Toyota had told suppliers it would cut its EV production target by 20%, reducing it from 1.5 million to 1 million units by 2026. Toyota has been known for its cautious approach toward fully electric vehicles, often resisting the shift that many other automakers have embraced. However, the company has started to unveil several new EVs and related technologies, signaling a shift in strategy. By 2027, Toyota aims to launch 10 new EVs in key global markets. In Europe, the automaker has introduced the Urban Cruiser and C-HR+ electric SUVs, which will be sold alongside the updated bZ4X. Production of Toyota's first three-row electric SUV for the United States will begin next year in Kentucky and Indiana. Battery shipments have also started from Toyota's new North Carolina facility, its first overseas in-house battery China, Toyota launched its most affordable EV, the bZ3X, in March, starting at just over $15,000. The company plans to launch the bZ7 and the Lexus ES EV by mid-2026 to regain ground in the Chinese market, the largest EV market in the world. Earlier this year, the bZ4X was the best-selling EV in Norway, a leading EV-adoption expects to sell 9.8 million vehicles globally this fiscal year, up from 9.36 million in the previous year. Combined Toyota and Lexus sales are projected to hit 10.4 million units, a 1.2% increase from fiscal 2025, driven by improved production capacity. Electrified vehicle sales are forecasted to rise to 5.18 million units, up from 4.75 million the previous year. TM carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at better-ranked stocks in the auto space are Ferrari N.V. RACE, Strattec Security Corporation STRT and Michelin MGDDY, each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks Zacks Consensus Estimate for RACE's 2025 sales and earnings implies year-over-year growth of 12.37% and 4.8%, respectively. EPS estimates for 2025 and 2026 have improved 30 cents and 36 cents, respectively, in the past 30 Zacks Consensus Estimate for STRT's fiscal 2025 sales and earnings implies year-over-year growth of 3.49% and 8.11%, respectively. EPS estimates for fiscal 2025 and 2026 have improved 73 cents and 91 cents, respectively, in the past 30 Zacks Consensus Estimate for MGDDY's 2025 sales and earnings implies year-over-year growth of 0.43% and 37.76%, respectively. EPS estimates for 2025 and 2026 have improved a penny and 4 cents, respectively, in the past seven days. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Toyota Motor Corporation (TM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Strattec Security Corporation (STRT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Ferrari N.V. (RACE) : Free Stock Analysis Report Michelin (MGDDY) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The Sun
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Huge car brand revives iconic model as ‘complete package' EV two years after being discontinued
A HUGE car brand is reviving an iconic model as a 'complete package' EV - just two years after it was discontinued. Toyota's C-HR model first launched back in 2016 and debuted its second generation in 2023. 2 2 Meanwhile the previous C-HR model came to the UK during October 2023. The 2026 model, which is coming to the US, will be a fully electric crossover. Car buffs will know the C-HR initially arrived Stateside for the 2018 model season - only to be discontinued four years later. In contrast to the former gas iteration, this new C-HR brings a 74.7-kilowatt-hour battery pack and two electric motors. This means the vehicle boasts a 388 horsepower - as well as a 0-60 mph time of 5.0 seconds. Those familiar with the former C-HR will rediscover the familiar four-door coupe set up. Although this time around, the model features contemporary upgrades alongside a new face. Interior features include a 14-inch touchscreen, 4G Wi-Fi hotspot and wireless Apple CarPlay. As of writing, Toyota has not yet unveiled cost details for the new 2026 Toyota C-HR. It is not the first time the car giants have brought back a former model with a new twist. Inside Toyota's UK production plant as it builds five MILLIONTH motor since first Carina E rolled off the line in 1992 Last year, Toyota delighted drivers with plans to bring back The Urban Cruiser. These plans came ten years after the forgotten model had been discontinued. The Japanese manufacturer's second electric, it was expected to rival the Volvo EX40, Peugeot e-3008 and Mini Aceman.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Toyota set to unveil new model on May 21
Toyota is set to reveal a new model on May 21, and it could be the next RAV4 SUV. Details on this new model are very limited at this stage with no information on its powertrain, performance figures, or equipment but Toyota has released some teaser shots that hint to what's in store. This new car will sit alongside the Japanese firm's expanding lineup of electrified SUVs with the Yaris Cross, bZ4x, Urban Cruiser, CH-R and CH-R+. From the photos, there is a digital driver's display and a central infotainment screen, and what looks like a rear-view mirror that can double up as a rear camera. Furthermore, there is a raised centre console and two deep cup holders along with a centre armrest that could feature extra storage. In terms of size, the aerial shots of the car show that it could sit in between the smaller Urban Cruiser and larger CH-R+ in the Toyota range. Under the bonnet, it's likely that it will use a hybrid setup, similar to the old RAV4's powertrain. Or, there could be the option of an electric variant, using the same 57.7kWh, 73kWh and 77kWh battery packs featured in the firm's new CH-R+ and bZ4x SUVs. Toyota will reveal this new car at 2 am GMT on May 21, with further details soon to be released.
