Expect the Hyryder to launch this festive season
Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has unveiled a new midsize SUV for India. Called Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, the SUV has been co-developed with Maruti Suzuki. It would compete with Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, MG Astor, VW Taigun, Skoda Kushaq, Nissan kicks, etc upon launch. In the Toyota portfolio, the Hyryder would sit above the Urban Cruiser. Expect the launch this festive season. The SUV can now be booked against payment of Rs 25,000.
Toyota Hyryder Design
In its exterior design, the Hyryder borrows multiple design cues from many global Toyota nameplates. The fascia gets a sleek, split LED DRL cluster and a sharp grille with stylish Crystal acrylic finish on it. There is also a fair-sized trapezoidal lower grille. The SUV rides on 17-inch wheels. The overall profile design would resemble that of the RAV4 with the squared-off wheel arches. The rear design is handsome and topped by rear skid plates and good-looking LED taillamps. There are a total of 11 color choices on offer on the Urban Cruiser Hyryder- 7 mono tones and 4 dual tones.
Interior And Features
The interior of this SUV looks neat and gets a lot of desirable tech and equipment. Key features on offer include a floating 9-inch Smart Play Cast infotainment system with Apple Carplay and Android Auto, semi-digital instrument cluster, tilt/telescopic steering wheel, panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera, HUD, connected car services, ventilated seats, wireless charger, drive mode selection, ambient lighting, door spot + IP line, cruise control, Google and Siri voice assistant integration, reclining rear seats, rear AC vents, 60:40 split rear row, and USB ports for the rear occupants.
A bunch of components inside, specifically the ones around the dash and steering wheel, have been borrowed from existing Maruti Suzuki models. The Black-Brown interior color theme and premium touches are also noteworthy.
Specifications
Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder offers two different powertrain options: Neo Drive and Self-driving Strong hybrid electric. The latter is the key talking point.
The Hyryder is Toyota’s first self-charging strong hybrid SUV for India. It draws its juice from a hybrid powertrain consisting of the 1.5L petrol engine and Toyota Hybrid System (THS). Mated to the e-drive transmission, this setup can generate 113 hp. Toyota claims the vehicle to offer smoother and better performance along with high fuel efficiency (around 25 kpl!) and lower emissions. The hybrid doesn’t need to be plugged in or charged manually. Also, it would be capable of running 40% of distance and 60% of time on electric-only (EV) mode.
The second powertrain is had on the Neo Drive grade, which gets a mild hybrid based on the 1.5L K series petrol engine. Maruti’s familiar engine gets an ISG motor and comes mated to both a 5-speed manual and 6-speed automatic transmissions. In essence, this could be the mechanicals of the new Maruti Brezza. The Neo grade powertrain produces 100hp and 135 Nm. As a first in its segment, the Hyryder Neo Drive grade gets AWD too.
Toyota would offer extensive accessory packages on the Hyryder. There would be a 3-year/1 lakh km standard warranty and extended warranties of up to 5 years/ 2.2 lakh km. The hybrid battery would come with 8 year/1.6 lakh km warranty.
Safety
Hyryder would come loaded with safety tech. Expect things like ABS with EBD, 6 airbags, TPMS, vehicle stability control, hill hold control, hill descent, rear 3-point seatbelt, and all-wheel disc brakes.
Launch And Price Expectations
Toyota Hyryder is expected to launch in the festive season. Though we have had no confirmation on it yet, the prices are rumored to fall in the 10.5 -17 lakh bracket. However, going by how expensive hybrids these days are, one could expect the prices to go further up. However, Toyota is sourcing most of the hybrid powertrain components locally and the same could help in keeping the prices under check. Fingers crossed…
