Toyota debuting Urban Cruiser’s real replacement on 15 May

Toyota has sprung an unexpected surprise by confirming the debut of an all-new SUV on 15 May, in India called the Urban Cruiser Icon.

While believed until now that the next model aimed at developing markets would have been the tentatively called Taisor spun-off the Suzuki Fronx, reports from India have alleged that the Urban Cruiser Icon will be an entirely different model without any input from Suzuki.

Daihatsu foundation

Instead, it will be positioned below the upsized new Urban Cruiser Hyryder, sold in South Africa without the latter suffix, and serve as the real replacement for the original Urban Cruiser that bowed-out last year not long after the model on which it had been based, the Suzuki Vitara Brezza.

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Reported back in February as possibly happening, the Urban Cruiser Icon will be based on Toyota-owned Daihatsu’s DNGA platform used by the Raize and Rocky as well as the Avanza and Xenia, but reportedly, without being a simple rebadged exercise of the former pair tweaked to suit Indian market preferences.

No Suzuki input

As it will take direct aim at the Hyundai Creta, the Urban Cruiser Icon will breach India’s sub-four metre regulations by measuring around 4.3 metres long in overall length. By contrast, the Vitara Brezza-based Urban Cruiser measured 3 995 mm.

Likely to provide seating five and omit the option of four-wheel-drive, the Urban Cruiser Icon will sport a pair of engines made in-house by Toyota and Daihatsu instead of relying on the K15B and K15C Suzuki engines that power the Starlet/Baleno, the Urban Cruiser/new Grand Vitara and the Rumion/Ertiga.

Whereas both the Rocky and Raize are powered by engines no greater than 1.2-litres, the Urban Cruiser Icon will once again derive power from a 1.5-litre mill that develops 78kW/137Nm without any forced assistance in the Avanza and Xenia.

Given Toyota’s focus on having all of its vehicles hybridised before 2025 though, a self-charging hybrid is also expected to feature either at a later stage, or from the get-go.

No confirmation for now but…

Set to go on-sale first in Indonesia before India, the Urban Cruiser Icon has already been approved for export markets and as such, could come to South Africa to fill the position left vacant by the Urban Cruiser’s departure.

In fact, subtle hints of the then-still unnamed Urban Cruiser Icon coming to South Africa did emerge at Toyota’s annual State of the Motor Industry conference in February, albeit without any eventual official confirmation.

As is stands though, don’t be surprised if an announcement is made once production of the Urban Cruiser Icon kicks-off in India later this year.

Additional information from autocarindia.com.

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