Of the three electric vehicles launched by UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) today, the Toyota Urban Cruiser would be the most unfamiliar to Malaysians. The UC is a a compact electric SUV twin of the Suzuki eVitara. Toyota and Suzuki have what looks like a healthy, mutually beneficial relationship where they swap models whenever needed – the UC is from S to T.
How small is the Urban Cruiser, you ask. At 4,285 mm long and 1,800 mm wide, the ‘Sophisticated Versatile Cruiser’ is around the size of a Mazda CX-3 (4,275 mm, 1,765 mm), but the Toyota is obviously much taller, by 105 mm to be exact.
This means that the UC – which is built on a dedicated EV platform – has a smaller footprint than typical B-segment ICE SUVs like the Proton X50 and Honda HR-V, but it counters with a long 2,700 mm wheelbase, which is C-segment-like (turning circle is still a tight 5.2m, though).
To add to the long WB, the rear seats are slidable and split-fold 40:20:40 – these are unique in the segment. For an EV SUV size context, the BYD Atto 2 is 4,310 mm long, 1,830 mm wide and 1,675 tall, with a 2,620 mm wheelbase.
Design highlights include Toyota’s ‘hammerhead’ face as seen on the latest Prius and Camry, pronounced wheelarches, hidden rear door handles (HR-V-style), a ‘floating’ roof and full width rear LED lights with the Toyota logo beneath it. The lights are all LEDs and the SUV rides on 18-inch two-tone alloys with 225/55 tyres.
We’re getting the UC with a single front motor with 174 PS (128 kW) and 193 Nm of torque, drawing power from a 61.1 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) 120-cell battery. Combined WLTP range is 426 km and max charging rates are 7 kW AC and 125 kW DC – the latter can get you from 15-80% SoC in 50 minutes. Performance wise, the 0-100 km/h sprint is despatched in 8.7 seconds.
Elsewhere, there’s a lower powered FWD variant with a smaller 49 kWh battery (0-100 km/h in 9.6 seconds, 344 km WLTP range) as well as a 184 PS/300 Nm dual-motor AWD version with the same 61 kWh battery (0-100 km/h in 7.4 seconds, 395 km WLTP range), so ours provides the best balance between performance and range.
The UC’s brown-black cabin has the compulsory twin screens (10.25-inch meter, 10.1-inch infotainment) but manages to look unique next to a raft of Chinese cars employing the ‘Mercedes-style’.
Standard equipment include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a JBL audio system, ambient lighting (12 colours, seven levels), glass roof with shade and upholstery that combines perforated synthetic leather, breathable melange jersey and brown synthetic leather.
Safety wise, the UC comes with the full ADAS pack and seven airbags. To ease parking, there’s a 360-degree camera system with bird’s eye, 3D and eye-level views. Four colour options are available – Pearl Arctic White, Land Breeze Green, Grandeur Grey and Pearl Bluish Black.
The Urban Cruiser – a CBU import from India, where it’s built alongside the Suzuki eVitara – might be a small EV, but its RRP is on the heftier side at RM198,000 on-the-road without insurance. Still, that makes it the cheapest of the three Toyota EVs launched today, and it’s RM22,000 more affordable than the larger bZ4X. There’s another compact electric crossover in Malaysia in the same price bracket, and it’s the CKD Volvo EX30, priced from RM208,888 to RM228,888.
Like its Toyota EV siblings, the Urban Cruiser gets a five-year unlimited mileage warranty, in addition to an eight-year unlimited mileage warranty for the EV bits, which includes the battery, inverter and ECU. One can purchase a two-year extension for the EV warranty within one year from the date of registration, making it 10 years in total. This extra peace of mind will cost you RM5,700. What do you think of the Urban Cruiser EV?
GALLERY: Toyota Urban Cruiser at GIIAS 2025
The post Toyota Urban Cruiser EV in Malaysia – rebadged Suzuki eVitara, 426 km range, CBU India, RM198k appeared first on Paul Tan’s Automotive News.
