Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor compact SUV coupe is expected to go on sale in the coming weeks and is the rebadged version of the Maruti Suzuki Fronx
We all know about the deal between Maruti Suzuki and Toyota which allows the manufacturers to share some of their models with each other. The primary benefit of this deal is the reduction of costs in R&D while also gaining technical expertise from each other.
The current set of products that are available in this deal are Baleno-Glanza, Ertiga-Rumion, Grand Vitara-Urban Cruiser Hyryder, and Invicto-Innova Hycross. So, this will be the fifth model to be shared between the two Japanese manufacturers.
After the Urban Cruiser (rebadged Brezza) was discontinued from the Toyota lineup the Sub-4m SUV segment is currently empty which means that Toyota will benefit a lot from the rebadged Fronx. This will make Toyota more accessible as it will have a model that starts from under the Rs.10 Lakh segment.
Here is a list of things we believe can be expected from the Toyota version of Fronx.
1. Exterior
Similar to the other products that are shared between them, there will be minor updates to the front fascia while the rear end will almost remain the same with the Toyota badging of course. This is not a bad thing as the Fronx looks good from all angles, especially from the rear. The sloping roofline and the connected LED taillights give it a modern aesthetic look and we won’t be complaining if it carries forward the same design.
2. Interior
There will be no changes expected in the interior except for the usual Toyota badging and a slight change in the colour scheme. Other features like the floating 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, heads-up display, 360-degree camera, cruise control, ESP etc., will be carried over.
3. Powertrain
Initially, we believe the Toyota version will be available with the 1.2-litre Naturally Aspirated DualJet petrol engine that’s good for 90PS/113Nm mated to a 5-speed manual or 5-speed AMT, along with the 1.0-litre Turbo-petrol engine that spits out 100PS of power and 148Nm of torque with transmission options limited to a 5-speed manual and a 6-speed torque converter with paddle shifters. We expect Toyota to launch the CNG variant of the Fronx as well but it may come at a later point in time.
4. Price
The price range is also expected to remain similar which means it will start in the range of Rs.8 Lakh ex-showroom. This will give buyers a wider range to choose from the Toyota lineup.
5. Rivals
The Sub-4m SUV segment is the most heated segment in the market and the demand for SUVs is only increasing every day. Almost every manufacturer has a product in this segment and as of now, it is the Tata Nexon and the Maruti Suzuki Brezza which holds a major share in the market. Other products include the Mahindra XUV300, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, Nissan Magnite and Renault Kiger.