While Electric Vehicles are indeed the future, the debate about its practicality are always in question regarding them being fit for a country like ours including challenges like access to charging stations, power consumption and more. Amongst all this, fuel prices continue to impact wallets as well. So, a solution for the time being is hybrid and there is no better indication of that than with the efficiency figure of the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder. At 27.9 kmpl, it is vastly more efficient than even hatchbacks and also in the real world, you'll get around 21/23 kmpl.


That is easily the most attractive highlight of the Hyryder and the one aspect that will drive people to the showrooms. Till now the hybrid version has actually got the most interest too.




The hybrid powertrain is similar in operation to the Camry hybrid or even the Vellfire while in the case of the Hyryder it is a 1.5l 92 bhp petrol working together with a 79 bhp electric motor. The total power output is 115bhp but then you can drive the car in ev mode and coast in total silence-depending on the charge.


Speaking of which you do not need to go hunting for charging stations with the Hyryder as it is a self charging hybrid with a mode for energy recuperation.


The hybrid system works flawlessly and you barely know when the engine kicks in. The EV mode is also not dependent on speed and can come up at high speeds also when cruising at steady throttle. There are various drive modes including eco where you see EV coming on the most. As said earlier the efficiency even with fast driving/city traffic is 21/22 kmpl and you can get more.






Another crucial factor is the refinement and you can cruise around at low speeds with no sound at all and NVH levels are also terrific. When you push hard the engine does get a bit vocal but that's when really driving it hard and this car works best with taking it easy along with more on electric power.


Acceleration is decent but not a highlight here as it is more of a refined cruiser and that's fine too. The steering is light but is direct and it feels stable at high speeds. What's impressive further is the ride quality as it tackles bad roads with remarkable ease and also the ground clearance is way more than what it looks. It is around 210mm and the Hyryder hybrid has more than enough ground clearance for a decent bit of offroading despite the low chin.




The hybrid does not get the AWD system like on the standard 1.5 but it's stable enough and competent for a family SUV in this class.


The interior is also another area where Toyota has packed in way more features than even it's more expensive cars! The dual tone dash and soft touch inserts are a nice touch and so is the steering wheel design along with the digital instrument cluster.


The digital display is new and exclusive to the Hyryder and gets a vast amount of information. There is a centre 9inch screen too and that houses the new infotainment system seen also on the new Glanza. A 360 degree camera with multiple angles, a premium audio system, ventilated cooled seats, connected car tech, a massive panoramic sunroof with dual pane opening, climate control, wireless charging and more sum up the features list. However, the Heads up display is another segment first addition seen from the Glanza too. You can adjust the view or the info also and that makes it suit all drivers.



The front seats are accomodating while the rear seats are good enough for two passengers while three would be a squeeze due to the lack of width inside. The seat itself is comfortable at the rear with backrest recline but headroom is tight for rear passengers.


Overall, the Urban Cruiser Hyryder is probably the strongest rival to the current top sellers in this class by bringing in something which was not available earlier and it's even more apparent with rising fuel prices. The hybrid is the one to go for with its calm driving manners, excellent efficiency and ride quality. It also looks distinctive with the dual LED DRLs and projector headlamps along with sharply styled 17-inch wheels while there are plenty of proper SUV design cues being used here.


In short, the Urban Cruiser Hyryder hybrid has all the makings of being a serious player in this competitive compact SUV space.


We like- Hybrid powertrain, efficiency, features, ride quality, refinement, looks


What we do not like- rear seat headroom is limited, engine tuned for efficiency than performance


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