Car Test TOYOTA - You choose! Toyota Urban Cruiser: The Sensible Everyday EV
The Toyota Urban Cruiser is an incredibly vital vehicle for the brand’s European electrification strategy. Stepping away from the niche bZ4X, this all-electric compact crossover is engineered to appeal directly to the heart of the mass market. It features a chunky, upright profile with rugged detailing that looks like a scaled-down RAV4. Developed in tandem with Suzuki, the Urban Cruiser aims to demystify electric vehicle ownership for British families by focusing on familiarity, relative affordability, and extreme user-friendliness over complex tech gimmicks.
Step inside, and the interior layout immediately puts drivers at ease. Rather than replacing every function with an intimidating touchscreen menu, the Urban Cruiser features an refreshingly logical combination of a 10.1-inch central multimedia display and a dedicated physical switchgear bank for climate control and driving modes. The software is fast, featuring crisp built-in satellite navigation alongside standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration.
Toyota Aygo X: The Chunky City Maverick
The Toyota Aygo X (pronounced ‘Cross’) represents an ingenious pivot for the standard city car class. As traditional A-segment runarounds disappear due to tightening emissions regulations, Toyota has kept the segment alive by blending a compact footprint with high-riding, rugged crossover styling. Fully designed and engineered in Europe, it uses a scaled-down version of the excellent GA-B platform found under the Yaris. The result is a dinky city vehicle tailored perfectly to withstand the urban warfare of narrow British high streets, tight parking spaces, and aggressive speed bumps.
Inside, the Aygo X delivers surprising flair for an entry-level vehicle. The dashboard is modern and expressive, dominated by an oval central housing that contains either a 9-inch or a larger 10.5-inch Toyota Smart Connect touchscreen display. The infotainment system is snappy and supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Wisely, Toyota has retained physical buttons for the heating and climate controls underneath the screen, avoiding distracting touch-menu diving while driving. Front passengers benefit from a surprisingly wide stance, meaning plenty of shoulder space and a elevated, commanding driving position. Material quality is robust rather than plush, heavily featuring durable hard plastics designed to cope with years of family use. Space in the rear is undeniably tight for adults, and the back windows pop out on hinges rather than winding down. However, the boot has grown significantly compared to the old Aygo, offering a usable 231 litres of luggage volume. Higher trims even offer an optional, canvas electric retracting roof that transforms the car into a quasi-convertible.
Under the hood sits a simple, naturally aspirated 1.0-litre three-cylin- der petrol engine pushing out 71bhp. In an era of rapid electric torque, the Aygo X takes its time, registering a 0-62mph sprint in roughly 14.9 seconds.
Around town, the car feels much quicker and nimbler than the paper specs suggest. Weighing just under a tonne, it responds eagerly to steer- ing inputs and darts through gaps in city traffic with go-kart-like enthusi- asm. The standard five-speed manual gearbox features a light, precise shift action, though an automated CVT is available for those who dread the urban clutch crawl. On faster UK A-roads or motorways, the engine has to work hard, resulting in a distinct three-cylinder thrum inside the cabin. Despite lacking hybrid tech, the lightweight body helps it achieve an impressive 58.8mpg on the combined cycle, keeping fuel bills low.
The Aygo X is a stylish, cheap-to-run city car that avoids feeling cheap. It trades rear-seat practicality for distinctive crossover looks and bullet- proof city driving dynamics. Prices start from £21,595 on-the-road (RRP) for the entry-level trim on the road. For more information please visit
www.toyota.co.uk.
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Material choice balances lightweight fabrics with durable plastics, ensur- ing the cabin is built to last. The long 2.7-metre wheelbase allows for excellent packaging efficiency. Rear-seat passengers enjoy a completely flat floor, providing generous legroom that rivals much larger vehicles. Headroom in the back can feel slightly restricted for taller occupants if you opt for the panoramic sky roof, but the cabin feels bright and airy nonetheless. The boot is well-shaped and easily accommodates a fam- ily’s weekly shop.
UK buyers can choose between two main battery capacities: a 49kWh unit or a larger 61kWh variant, with the latter offering a claimed WLTP driving range of up to 264 miles. The single-motor front-wheel-drive version completes 0-62mph in under 9 seconds, while a dual-motor, Direct4 all- wheel-drive model adds reassuring wet-weather traction.
On typical pothole-scarred British urban roads, the Urban Cruiser empha- sizes ease of use. The steering is light and progressive, making it effort- less to parallel park in tight spaces. The instant electric torque makes pulling out of roundabouts a breeze. Out on the motorway, the suspen- sion setup controls body movement well, though it can feel slightly firm over sudden expansion joints. Rapid DC charging peaks at 67kW, which takes roughly 45 minutes to charge from 10% to 80%—a figure slightly behind class leaders but adequate for intermediate family road trips.
The Urban Cruiser is the perfect transitional electric car. It looks, feels, and operates like a conventional, reliable Toyota hybrid, making the switch to pure electric power completely painless. Prices for the all-new, all-electric Toyota Urban Cruiser in the UK officially start at £29,995 on-the-road (OTR). For more information please visit
www.toyota.co.uk.
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY MONTHLY 2026
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