Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder
Can the hybrid powertrain deliver on the Thrill of Driving?
THIS IS A SUPER IMPORTANT new car marking an important milestone — not only is it the first hybrid in the mid-SUV segment but, by extension, it's also the first mass-market hybrid in India. Long touted as the bridge between ICE and full EV, it's only now that hybrids are becoming mainstream and with the claimed 90 per cent localisation, Toyota (along with Maruti Suzuki) should finally make the fuel and emission reducing technology cost-efficient. But can the hybrid powertrain deliver on The Thrill of Driving?
Straight off we strap on the Racelogic VBOX test gear on the Hyryder to clock its 0-100kmph time. The powertrain uses a brand-new three-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine running the more efficient Atkinson cycle and putting out 91bhp. This 1.5-litre TNGA engine is mated to a single electric motor on the front axle that is fed by a 1.8kWh Lithium-Ion battery back in the boot and puts out 79bhp. The total system output is not 91 + 79bhp, that's not how the system works — the peak output is a rather more conservative 114bhp. Torque of the ICE is 122Nm which peaks at a relatively high 4400-4800rpm but of more significance and consequence is the 141Nm from the e-motor which is available instantaneously and stays flat all the way to 3995rpm.
The only gearbox available is the e-CVT and I stick the lever into Drive. There are no paddleshifters but the gearbox gets a B mode, sort of like the L mode on the old automatic gearboxes, and this will come in handy to hold a lower gear when driving down from Nandi Hills on the outskirts of Bengaluru. For the acceleration test D is better though and on the drive mode selector, a small button behind
the gear lever, I engage the Power mode. The battery is showing four bars and that's enough juice to ensure the full system output of 114bhp is on tap, along with the 141Nm of the e-motor. Brake torque it and launch.
The initial acceleration is actually pretty smart as you get all the torque instantaneously. It doesn't knock your head back into the headrest nor does it get the front tyres to spin up but it's not sluggish either. It's only after you cross 30-40kmph (there's no tachometer) that you sense a lack of urgency from the powertrain. Acceleration is linear and very smooth, no steps in the power delivery, no head tossing back and forth. Refinement is top notch but the performance is not super-urgent and 100kmph comes up in 13.83 seconds. This is quite a bit off Toyota's claimed 12-second time so I try the next run in B mode but the time drops to 14.57 seconds. And now that the batteries are getting depleted my next runs are even slower; 13.83 seconds remains our best time.
In terms of pricing the Hyryder will go up against the 138bhp 1.4-litre T-GDi in the Creta and Seltos along with the 148bhp 1.5 TSI in the Taigun and Kushaq, and it's only logical that we compare it with those and not the 1.5-litre NA or 1.0 TSI. And speaking of T-GDi and TSI motors, once the turbo spools up, they really get going, the turbo-torque shoving you into the seat and 100kmph coming up in under 10 seconds.
Which brings us to the inescapable conclusion. The hybrid is not going to beat turbo-petrols for The Thrill of Driving.
Incredible fuel efficiency
Where the hybrid engine scores, and scores massively, is fuel efficiency. The Hyundai Creta 1.4 turbo-petrol delivers an ARAI tested fuel efficiency of 16.9kmpl while the VW Taigun 1.5 delivers an even better 17.8kmpl. But none come anywhere close to the Hyryder's whopping 27.97kmpl on the ARAI test. That's incredible!
To test out real world efficiency, Toyota had laid out a test route for us and I got a whopping 22.5kmpl — this in a simulated city environment along with a bit of highway driving. I have to mention that I was driving with my eye on getting the best possible economy but whichever way you cut it, this efficiency is mind-boggling and the characteristics of the motor is such that the gap to the turbo-petrols actually widens in the city where the e-motor runs for 60 per cent of the time ensuring zero fuel consumption and zero emissions. After the entire day of testing, even running up and down Nandi Hills, the fuel economy was around 17kmpl and, to give you a sense of perspective, a turbo-petrol wouldn't come anywhere close to double-digits on such a run.
Now I don't believe fuel efficiency is the be-all and end-all for customers these days, especially in this segment, but even for a hardcore petrolhead such as myself this skyhigh fuel efficiency is impossible to ignore. And
The efficiency is mind-boggling, and the gap to turbopetrols widens in the city where the e-motor runs for 60 per cent of the time
then you have all the fuel economy displays and the power flow graphics which urge you to drive even more efficiently. In fact I had to be reminded to give it some gas and get a move on lest we miss our flight, so engrossed did I get it squeezing out even more fuel efficiency from the Hyryder.
How does the hybrid system work?
You're never going to drive with your foot planted to the floor 100 per cent of the time. Driven at a slightly sedate speed, speeds you would normally do unless in a tearing hurry, the Hyryder feels adequately quick. It's here that the smoothness of the powertrain comes to the fore. No matter how aggressive you are with the throttle, neither you nor your passengers' heads are going to be tossed back into the headrest and that means everybody is comfortable and relaxed.
Then there's the refinement. More often than not you get going in pure EV mode and that means no noise, no vibrations, just absolute silence. You also get moving in EV mode rather smartly, peak torque available at zero revs means you scurry away from traffic lights quickly enough. In the city this makes for a very easy car to drive with the linearity of the power delivery resulting in excellent manners.
There's no figure for the EV-only range because the system dynamically decides where the power is coming from. As the battery charge depletes the ICE chips in, sending power to both the front wheels as well as to the battery to juice it up. Now the Hyryder is no Camry, and you can feel and hear when the 3-cylinder engine fires up, but that said it is just about audible. At 60kmph the noise difference between EV and engine mode was only 10 decibels, attesting to the refinement of the powertrain.
Gas it hard though and the decibels shoot up. The e-CVT gearbox holds on to revs with that typical rubberband effect and that means the engine whines at the peak of its rev range as you build speed (no tacho so no clue what it's revving at). It's here that the engine feels strained and you wish for the punch that we have now gotten used to from turbo-petrol motors.
Get off the accelerator and the power flow graphic immediately shows that both the engine power and the energy being recovered from deceleration is going to the batteries to charge it up. Soon enough the engine cuts out and as you coast or even brake, the system recovers kinetic energy that's usually lost in braking to charge the batteries. Again all this happens seamlessly and unless you're looking at the graphic you won't know what part of the system is working — this is after all a Japanese
powertrain and refinement has always been among their biggest calling cards.
As you come to a complete stop more often than not the battery will have enough juice and that means you coast to a stop in EV mode and while idling, the batteries keep the air-con running and the engine is switched off. That means at traffic signals, you're in pure EV mode, with zero emissions and zero sound.
On the highway, say you're cruising at 80kmph and you spot a gap you want to overtake into, when you step on it, there's none of the DCT and turbo-petrol responses. You have to wait a while until the system responds to your demand for more power and then the build up of speed is also rather gradual (and noisy) forcing you to plan your overtakes better.
Dynamically sorted!
Before we get to the ride and handling let me tell you about the steering that is surprisingly good. All Suzukis — and under the skin this is more a Suzuki than a Toyota — have light, vague and imprecise steering. Not this SUV. The steering weight is very nicely judged, a very good balance between ease in the city and delivering confidence on the highway. Chuck it into a corner and it does not feel disconnected, there's nice response and feedback which gives you a lot of confidence.
And then there's the chassis that also delivers plenty of confidence. This is based on
Suzuki's Global C platform which is the next generation of the Brezza's platform, and unlike the Baleno and Glanza's Heartec which has an overwhelming sense of lightness, this feels more solid. Throw it into corners and the front end delivers good bite, resists understeer rather well and contains body roll surprisingly well for its 210mm ground clearance. Throw it even harder into tight corners and it also lifts an inside rear wheel, much like the Taigun and Kushaq do, with the 17-inch rubber delivering tenacious grip. The latter two are still the dynamic benchmarks in this category but the Hyryder does come close and delivers surprisingly good handling ― so good in fact that the powertrain, with its laid-back responses, ends up frustrating you as you keep asking for more power to push the chassis harder.
To give it this dynamic composure the Hyryder has a slightly firmer suspension setup and that means you do get a bit of low speed firmness. But it's never uncomfortable and you can drive over bad patches of roads in the city with ease and comfort. This has grown-up road manners with very good suspension refinement, and it brings to mind the European setup we've praised on the Taigun and Kushaq. Out on the highway the suspension delivers a planted ride, there's no float or wallow over undulating highways, while the body control is top notch. This is a Japanese car that runs the Europeans rather close in terms of dynamic polish and that's saying something.
Smart styling and spacious interiors
On the road the Toyota does cut a handsome figure. It looks grown up and unmistakable without resorting to extensive use of chrome and over-the-top details; a mature design as befitting a Toyota. Styling though is a personal subject and you can draw your own conclusions, so I won't waste your time on this.
The Hyryder is the longest SUV in this category and that translates into a spacious cabin. With the driver's seat adjusted to my driving position, I still had plenty of free knee room at the back. The rear seats are comfortably padded with good under thigh support, it reclines, there's enough headroom, and there's plenty of space under the front seats to tuck in your feet. However this is narrower than the Creta and Seltos and three abreast is still a squeeze while the transmission tunnel is also prominent (remember there is all-wheel-drive available, but only with the Suzuki K-Series 1.5 engine which we didn't get to experience on this drive).
Up front the seats are comfortable, well bolstered and also have ventilation. The driver's seat is (manually) height adjustable while the steering adjusts for reach as well as rake making for a good driving position. The design of the dash is mature and restrained, though it won't
Front end delivers good bite, resists understeer and contains body roll surprisingly well for its 210mm ground
clearance
make you go wow like the first time you sat in a Creta or Seltos. You also notice plenty of Maruti Suzuki components. The 9-inch infotainment is the same as the Brezza and Baleno (and by extension the Glanza) and gets the same 360-degree camera and head up display. The steering wheel too is borrowed from other Suzukis as is the gear lever, all the stalks and the window switches, but the overall dash design is unique and smart. You get a 7-inch digital cockpit on the full hybrid which is of a high quality and shows a whole bunch of things including multiple graphs for fuel efficiency ― wherever you look there's a subtle nudge to drive more efficiently!
The Hyryder also gets connected car features, wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, and that all important panoramic sunroof and here even the rear glass slides back to make for a wider aperture when the sunroof is open. However it gets a fabric cover which is not completely opaque and cannot cut the sun
Facing page, clockwise from top left: High quality 7-inch digital cluster also has the power delivery graphic; big panoramic sunroof; more graphics on the 9-inch infotainment screen; can select EV mode if there's enough juice in the batteries; plenty of space for rear passengers, though three abreast is still a squeeze; 17-inch wheels fill out the arches nicely completely ― that can give you a headache when driving it in the mid-afternoon sun. In terms of perceived quality this does not set any new benchmarks, the doors shut with a typical Suzuki lightness and the plastic feel is average, but it all feels very well put together. The boot space at 255 litres is the smallest in this class and that's because the batteries are under the boot ― but the gain in fuel efficiency is well worth the compromise.
Can Toyota price it aggressively?
The Hyryder is the first real fruit of the Toyota - Suzuki global alliance that was inked in 2017, wedding Toyota's technology particularly in electrified powertrains to Suzuki's low-cost manufacturing prowess. And I love the fact that, after very long, we have a genuinely interesting powertrain option in this class. The hybrid does not deliver particularly thrilling acceleration but the fuel efficiency is massively impressive, as is the refinement and ease of driving. And the way the Hyryder rides and handles is another plus point, right up there with the class benchmarks.
Ultimately though it all depends on pricing and if the City Hybrid can be under `20 lakh, there's no reason why the Hyryder with its 90 per cent localisation shouldn't top out at `18 lakh matching the Creta turbo-petrol. We even hear the starting price will be around `10 lakh and if Toyota can maintain an aggressive price point then you can be sure that the second line at Toyota's Bidadi facility, that will manufacture both the Hyryder and Grand Vitara, will soon ramp up to its 2 lakh annual capacity. ⌧
This is a Japanese car that runs the Europeans rather close in terms of dynamic polish and that’s saying
something
Engine 1462cc 3-cyl NA petrol with hybrid assistance via 1.8kWh Li-ion battery pack Power 91bhp @ 5800rpm (ICE), 79bhp @3995rpm (e-motor), 114bhp (system output)
Torque 122Nm @ 4400-4800rpm (ICE), 141Nm @ 0-3995rpm (EV) Weight 1185kg 0-100kmph 13.83s (as tested)
Top speed NA Price `18 lakh (estimated, ex-showroom) + Incredible fuel efficiency, refinement, good chassis
- Not very quick, interiors feel too familiar
evo rating ★★★★ @