Urban Cruiser it is as Toyota confirms unwrapping of rebadged Suzuki Vitara Brezza next month
No word of it coming to South Africa has yet been made.
The Urban Cruiser nomenclature is officially returning after a six year hiatus on yet another rebadged Toyota set to be marketed outside Japan.
Resplendent on a European version of the Japanese market ist until 2014, the name has now been confirmed by Toyota for its version of the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza in India after remaining mum on speculative reports dating back nearly four months.
Approved by Suzuki back in May, Autocar India reports that the Urban Cruiser, based on a teaser image, will debut next month and follow the same approach as the Glanza based on the Baleno, in that it will differ mildly on the inside and out.
With the Brezza, which has consistently rated as the best-selling SUV/crossover in India, receiving a mid-lift facelift earlier this year that saw the Fiat-derived 1.3-litre turbodiesel engine being jettisoned in favour of the 1.5 K15B petrol used in the Ciaz and Ertiga due to the BS6 emissions regulations, the Urban Cruiser will get the same powerunit mated to either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic gearbox.
Dimensions will also be unchanged from the Brezza with the overall length adding up to 3 995 mm, the wheelbase to 2 500 mm, height to 1 640 mm and width to 1 790 mm. In terms of consumption, the manual Brezza is rated at 5.9 L/100 km and the automatic, thanks to mild-hybrid assistance, at 5.3 L/100 km. Unlike the ist derived Urban Cruiser though, the Brezza underpinned model won’t have the option of four-wheel-drive as the amount of twist will be delivered to the front wheels only.
In India, pricing for the Brezza kicks-off at Rs 734 000, but chances are that those of the Urban Cruiser would be a fraction higher. Despite speculation that Toyota South Africa could be offering Urban Cruiser locally below the C-HR, the automaker, when asked about the possibility, stated that, “Toyota is no stranger to partnerships with some of our product being collaborations with other manufacturers such as Supra, Rush and GT86. The important thing is that the product should fit with the local line-up and not cannabalise one of our own products”.
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