Recently, Toyota India has confirmed the rumours for its upcoming compact SUV for India. Earlier, rumours hinted about Toyota working on a Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza based compact SUV. Now the marquee has confirmed this and the compact SUV will be known as the Toyota Urban Cruiser.

The Toyota Urban Cruiser will be the automaker’s playing card for the highly competitive compact SUV segment. This SUV will tussle against some popular & strong contenders like the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon, Ford Ecosport and the upcoming Kia Sonet & Renault Kiger. It is expected to hit the showrooms in the coming months.

Toyota Urban Cruiser compact SUV will be based upon the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza and will be manufactured in the Maruti’s Gurgaon plant. Earlier, Toyota joined hands with Maruti Suzuki for the production of its hatchback Glanza, which is based on the Maruti Suzuki Baleno.

Unlike its hatchback, the upcoming SUV will sport a distinct body design, imparting it a unique identity. Toyota has planned uniquely designed grille, bumpers & other design elements for its compact SUV. It will bear a design similar to other Toyota vehicles sold in the market. However, it will share its raw materials with its sibling cum rival, the Vitara Brezza. Sources suggest that it will use light-coloured upholstery & trim to keep its interior, simple & distinguishable against the Brezza’s dark & black interiors.

Under its hood, the Urban Cruiser is expected to borrow the Vitara Brezza’s 1.5-litre power plant that produces 105 hp & 138 Nm of torque. Rumours also hint towards this SUV getting a ‘SmartHybrid’ mild hybrid system. The SUV will be available with both manual & automatic gearbox options. Finally, it will be offered as Petrol only vehicle, without Diesel variant option, just like its counterpart.

As for its pricing, the Toyota Urban Cruiser is expected to be priced competitively against its competitors and especially the Vitara Brezza. According to sources, it is likely to be offered in fewer variants. As for its availability, we can expect it to hit the roads in the coming months.