Toyota says its recent specification upgrade on the Toyota Urban Cruiser was to keep it “competitive and up to date”.

According to The Citizen, the Toyota Urban Cruiser made its local debut in 2021 as the production sibling of the Suzuki Vitara Brezza. In 2023, the Indian-built compact SUV grew in size, with Suzuki changing its name to the Grand Vitara.

Toyota stuck to the Urban Cruiser nomenclature, although it was more sparsely specced than the Grand Vitara to keep it below the Corolla Cross’ price range.

Fast forward two years, and Toyota has now added some beef to its spec sheet. The Citizen Motoring divides the enhancements into three easy groups.

Exterior updates

The entry-level Xs variant swaps out steel wheels for 15-inch alloy rims, while a rear window wiper now features across the range.

On flagship Xr variants, halogen headlights are replaced by LEDs to provide better vision. They come standard with auto on/off and follow-me-home functions.

Moving inside

All variants of the Toyota Urban Cruiser are upgraded from urethane to leather-wrapped steering wheels. The infotainment system grows from seven to nine inches, with two Type-C USB ports added in the rear.

The Xs derivative gets a luggage shelf with strings in the boot for easier operation.

Model line-up and pricing

The three model derivatives of the Toyota Urban Cruiser remain unchanged. The Xs is offered only in five-speed manual configuration, while the Xr comes in both five-speed manual and four-speed automatic.

Power still comes from the trusty 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine that sends 77 kW of power and 132 Nm to the front wheels.

Pricing starts at R342 700 for the Xs, while the Xr manual costs R360 200 and the Xr auto R373 800. Pricing includes a four-year/60 000km service plan and a three-year/100 000km warranty.