First Drive: Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder: A Hybrid For All

Japanese automaker Toyota has introduced a new 5-seater Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder in the fiercely competitive but growing Indian mid-size SUV market with a starting price of Rs 10.86 lakh at pan India showroom.

It comes with a mild hybrid engine and a strong hybrid engine. The mild hybrid comes with either a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission. Both also get the all-wheel-drive variants to attract more buyers. Its safety features include six airbags, ABS with EBD, tyre pressure monitoring system, vehicle stability control, all-wheel disc brakes and a 360-degree camera.

It competes with the likes of Hyundai Creta, MG Astor, Kia Seltos, Volkswagen Taigun and the Skoda Kushaq.

I took the manual mild hybrid four-wheel-drive variant for a long spin on the highway to check out what it promises.

The Exteriors

The overall design language of the SUV is stylish and head turner with its slim DRLs and the headlight down below. The chrome finishing is generous. The car is equipped with side turn indicator, sporty rear skid plate, wide trapezoidal lower grille, dual tone body colour, unique crystal acrylic upper grille with chrome garnish, and LED tail lamp.    

The Hyryder looks sharp with a strong shoulderline running across. The SUV’s squared-off wheel arches look good with its 17-inch machined alloy wheels. The contemporary design language is also amply evident at the rear with the slim rear brake lights that feature c-shape design elements inside.

The Interiors

Once you step inside, you will notice that the interiors are beautifully crafted to suit the bespoke experience offered by Toyota. The new SUV in self-charging strong hybrid electric grades has a stunning black and brown interior and Neo drive grades has a full black interior which combine to provide a great experience.

The front interior features come with 9” smart play cast audio, drive mode switch, wireless charging, leather seats with ventilation, 360-degree camera and view, ambient light, door spot + IP line, head-up display, cruise control, tilt and telescopic steering, hello Google and hey siri voice assistant and a soft touch instrument panel with premium switch. Other additional features include reclining rear seats, rear AC vents, 60:40 seat split and USB rear points. The company also offers a customized range of 66 accessories designed exclusively for the Urban Cruiser Hyryder.

The Drive Experience

Toyota has offered different drive trains for the buyers on the Hyrder. There is the full hybrid system and the mild hybrid system. The former 1.5 petrol engine produces 115 PS and 141 NM of torque, while the latter churns out 103 PS and 136 NM of torque. I drove the 1.5 TNGA petrol engine which is mated to the motor on the mild hybrid, which Toyota calls the Neo drive. You have a choice of an automatic and manual and an all-wheel drive too. The claimed mileage for the strong hybrid is 27.97 kmpl while the mild hybrid’s is 21 kmpl.

Once you step on the accelerator, the car rolls on very smoothly. It picks up speed pretty well, giving a comfortable feeling at cruising level. However, when you do want a burst of acceleration, it is not up to your expectation. But in power mode, it delivers better. It also takes in smoothly rough roads and potholes in its stride. The car also gives you a composed feel at all speeds, and the body roll for such a high-riding vehicle is well-contained, giving you confidence while changing lanes or tackling corners. The steering is smooth and comfortable as you drive at all speeds on the highway or rual rural roads where your speed is slow. The Hyryder also gets all-wheel disc brakes, and you can stop the car easily without any worry. What I noticed is that at low speeds, you can hear an electric whine when you depress the brake, as the motor generator converts the kinetic energy to electricity and recharges the lithium-ion battery which also helps with stopping.

Should I buy it?

The Urban Cruiser Hyryder offers the hybrid and the mild-hybrid variants to choose. With a modern look and rugged appeal, the Hyryder is a well-rounded practical SUV. Also, the attractive feature of this car is that Toyota has introduced a hybrid in the compact SUV space which would appeal to the prospective buyers, apart from the lure of the Toyota badge appeal.