Toyota Urban Cruiser now on saleTrendy hatchback will compete with Nissan Qashqai
21 May 2009
Toyota’s new Urban Cruiser is now in showrooms. The town-friendly crossover is a compact alternative to traditional superminis or family hatchbacks.
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Urban Cruiser looks like a 4x4, but not all versions have four-wheel drive
The Urban Cruiser's rivals include the Nissan Qashqai, Kia Soul and Suzuki SX4.
It’s priced from £14,500 for the two-wheel drive 1.3-litre petrol version, or £16,400 for the 1.4 D-4D turbodiesel with four-wheel drive.
The idea of the Urban Cruiser is to deliver off-roader looks in companion with hatchback practicality and city-centre agility.However don’t expect to go green-laning in this car.
Urban-friendly, eco-friendly
The Urban Cruiser offers impressively green motoring. Both its powerplants emit less than 130g/km of CO2 – the petrol assisted by a standard-fit stop/start system.
Both Urban Cruiser engines emit less than 130g/km of CO2
This and other ‘Toyota Optimal Drive’ features see this engine officially return 51.4mpg combined. The diesel manages 57.6mpg in spite of the additional weight and friction associated with its four-wheel drive system.
Plenty of standard kit
Standard equipment includes 16-inch alloy wheels, Bluetooth, air conditioning, keyless go and a six-speaker stereo with an aux-in socket for MP3 players. Opting for the diesel adds a sliding mechanism to the reclining rear seat – meaning you can balance boot and passenger space at whim.
The Urban Cruiser looks interesting, and it's easily the most economical alternative supermini available. We would probably still rather have a Kia Soul, though. Or a Ford Fiesta. You can read our full Toyota Urban Cruiser review here on Friday.
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