With the all-new Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, the Japanese marque steps into one of the most promising segments in India. Will the new SUV with both hybrid and all-wheel-drive options be a game-changer in the mid-size arena?
Hybrid. It’s a word that seems to have been shunned my many mass manufacturers yet it presents a very real case for itself when we consider the real-world implications of a paradigm shift and the anticipated movement it represents. While full electric vehicles would seem like a jump forward, one must also consider that electricity is generated vastly from coal, in many cases to the tune of over 70 per cent. Thankfully, both Toyota and Maruti Suzuki seem to agree, and the “self-charging electric vehicle” philosophy is being spread thicker and wider than ever before. And the result of that new-found revitalised approach is the all-new, made-in-India-for-the-world mid-size SUV, the 4.4-metre long Urban Cruiser Hyryder, which will be offered with a mild-hybrid petrol with manual, automatic and manual-all-wheel-drive, as well as a “strong” hybrid electric vehicle with an all-new engine from the Toyota New Generation Architecture (TNGA) family.
The new Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder enhances the global manufacturer’s portfolio in a big way. The new Hyryder brings a refreshing new design and the name seems in the same vein as the Fortuner and their global 4Runner and Highlander models, with styling akin to the Venza. The Hyryder measures 4,365 millimetres long, 1,795 mm wide, 1,635 mm high, riding on a 2,600-mm wheelbase. The Hyryder rydes rides on 17-inch wheels with 215/60 rubber. It features LED projector headlights with twin LED daytime lights, LED tail-lights, a trapezoidal grille and air-dam with sporty skid-plates. It will offer seven colour choices and four dual-tone colour choices.
The interior is crafted to offer a bespoke experience with a black and brown interior in Hybrid guise and a full black interior for the mild-hybrid “neoDrive” grades. A large Smart Play Cast infotainment touchscreen takes centre stage, it also has Google and Siri voice assistant capabilities, wireless charging, leather seats with ventilation, a 360° view and reverse camera, ambient lighting, drive modes, a head-up display, cruise control among other conveniences. The Hyryder also has reclining rear seats which are 60:40 split, rear air-vents, USB rear charging points. Toyota are even offering a range of 66 accessories made exclusively for the Urban Cruiser Hyryder.
The powertrain choices are a big deal. The “K15C” 1,462-cc petrol engine, from Maruti Suzuki, with a smart mild-hybrid system produces 102 hp and 135 Nm. A 2.2-kW integrated starter-generator assists the engine with electric torque, recuperation and idle start-stop. A five-speed manual or six-speed automatic will be available. The manual transmission version also has an all-wheel drive option.
The second powertrain is a full hybrid, or SHEV (Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicle) as Toyota call it, with a 1,490-cc Atkinson-cycle petrol engine from the TNGA family making 92 hp and 122 Nm. It is joined by a 59-kW electric motor good for 80 hp and 141 Nm. The combined peak output is 116 hp with around 200 Nm estimated. An electronically controlled transmission sends power to the front wheels.
Eight neoDrive grades (E, S, S AT, G, G AT, V, V AT, V AWD) and three Hybrid grades (S, G, V) will be offered. Prices are expected to begin at around Rs 12 lakh and go up to Rs 20 lakh, ex-showroom.
As the other party involved in developing the model, Maruti Suzuki will be introducing their own version, called the Vitara, later this year. This explains the new Brezza‘s name alteration. The Maruti Suzuki Vitara will also get both Hybrid and AWD options.
