URBAN CRUISER RETURNS AS EV TWINNED WITH EVITARA

Toyota’s new Volvo EX40 rival will be built beside Suzuki sibling in India

- WILL RIMELL

Toyota has revived the Urban Cruiser name for a new crossover EV. Adding a second electric model to the Japanese brand's line-up is seen as crucial to it hitting increasingly challenging emissions targets; the UK's ZEV mandate target rises to a 28% EV sales mix in 2025, but bZ4X crossover sales remain low (7575 in 2024).

An indirect successor to the crossover of the same name that went out of production for Europe in 2014, the Urban Cruiser is positioned as a slightly larger electric equivalent to the Yaris Cross, one of Toyota's best-selling cars (18,878 in the UK). This makes it a rival to the likes of the Volvo EX40, Peugeot e-3008 and Mini Aceman in an already crowded segment.