Toyota Urban Cruiser: A Smooth Ride, But with Some Surprises
The Toyota Urban Cruiser is a car that excels in simplicity and ease of driving. It's a breath of fresh air in a market where many vehicles fall short of the basics. The accelerator responds promptly and predictably, and the brakes are smooth and reliable. While the steering might not provide detailed feedback about the front tires, it's fluid and allows the car to navigate sharp corners with ease.
However, the Urban Cruiser's strengths don't extend far beyond this. Its suspension system, featuring Macpherson struts at the front and multi-link setup at the rear, fails to adequately absorb bumps and ruts, and large potholes can disrupt the car's balance when changing direction. The car's cornering ability is average, with limited roll but noticeable pogoing, affecting its trajectory.
One aspect that might surprise is the noise level. Despite being an electric car, it lacks the expected quietness. The absence of an engine allows other sounds to dominate, such as tire roar and buffeting, which become more noticeable at higher speeds. Toyota's attempts at sound insulation, including insulated windscreen glass and sound-deadening baffles, fall short, especially above 60 mph. The vibration through the steering wheel is hard to ignore once noticed.
On the positive side, the Urban Cruiser is a capable motorway companion, maintaining a steady pace up to 93 mph without any signs of strain. It offers three driving modes: Eco, Normal, and Sport, with an additional Snow mode for improved torque control on snowy roads.
Regenerative braking is available in three levels, allowing for customization based on traffic conditions. However, adjusting these settings requires navigating the touchscreen menu, which can be cumbersome.
The range of the Urban Cruiser is impressive, with the 144bhp, 49kWh version claiming 214 miles and the 144bhp, 61kWh version logging 265 miles WLTP. However, our test results showed a more realistic range of 165 miles, even in warmer weather. The DC charging speeds are relatively slow, further impacting efficiency.
Safety features are a highlight, with various gadgets like blind-spot monitoring and pre-collision systems. The Urban Cruiser also includes speed limit warnings and lane-keeping assistance, which can be configured through the touchscreen, a convenient improvement over other Toyota models.
In summary, the Toyota Urban Cruiser is a smooth and capable city car, but it has its quirks. While it excels in simplicity and driving experience, it falls short in certain areas, such as noise insulation and range efficiency. The car's safety features and customizable driving modes make it a practical choice, but the charging speeds and range could be improved for a more comprehensive experience.
