Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor has been confirmed to launch on April 3, 2024 in India and is nothing but the rebadged version of the Maruti Suzuki Fronx
Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) is experiencing the advantages of its collaboration with Maruti Suzuki, evident in the sales of the badge-engineered Glanza. Additionally, the Urban Cruiser Hyryder has emerged as another successful outcome of this collaborative effort. The Japanese auto major trademarked the Urban Cruiser Taisor name last year and since then, the speculations surrounding the arrival of a new SUV have escalated.
Toyota introduced the Rumion MPV, the rebadged take on the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, in August 2023 and it has been doing decent numbers as well. The brand has now confirmed that the Urban Cruiser Taisor will be launched on April 3, 2024 and it will be the badge-engineered version of the Maruti Suzuki Fronx, which has been well received by customers.
The Urban Cruiser Taisor is expected to contribute to increasing Toyota volume sales further as it will be positioned above the Glanza premium hatchback and more importantly, the prices will likely be similar to its donor – mostly starting at around Rs. 7.7-7.8 lakh (ex-showroom). In contrast to the significant differences between the Glanza and its donor, the Baleno, minimal cosmetic changes are expected for the Taisor.
These changes may include a new grille and slightly tweaked bumpers at the front and rear, with no other revisions likely on the horizon. The forthcoming Urban Cruiser Taisor has the potential to serve as a spiritual replacement for the erstwhile Urban Cruiser compact SUV, which is the rebadged first-gen Vitara Brezza. The Taisor is expected to offer the same features list and interior as the Fronx.
The compact SUV coupe could be powered by a 1.2L K-series Dual Jet Dual VVT petrol engine, which will come standard with a five-speed manual transmission and offer a five-speed AMT as an option. Additionally, there’s speculation that the 1.0L three-cylinder turbo BoosterJet petrol engine may also be part of the powertrain lineup.
The powertrain is capable of producing 99 bhp and 148 Nm of torque, and it will likely be paired with either a five-speed manual transmission or a six-speed torque converter automatic transmission equipped with paddle shifters.