Toyota’s Yaris Cross is an incredibly popular subcompact crossover that offers hybrid and plug-in hybrid power, but no fully-electric option. But if the absence of a BEV model seemed like an oversight, Toyota’s thinking makes better sense following this weekend’s reveal of the Urban SUV Concept.
The automaker freely admits that the Urban ‘concept’ hints at a production version of a new EV that goes on sale in Europe during 2024 and will serve as an electric alternative to the Yaris Cross, through the two are in fact different cars. But in reality it does more than hint. Swap the fancy digital mirrors out for conventional glass jobbies and this is what you’ll be able to buy next year.
One of no less than six new electric cars Toyota will launch in Europe in the next two years, the Urban SUV will battle rivals like the electric Jeep Avenger, Volvo EX30 and upcoming Mini Aceman, and is believed to be based on a version of the e-TNGA platform used in the bZ4X. It might even be known by a similar name by the time it hits the streets in 2024.
Related: Toyota bZ Sport Crossover And FlexSpace Concepts Preview Production EVs
Toyota is keeping almost all of the technical details to itself for now, telling us only the external dimensions, which reveal that the 4,300 mm (169.3 inches) E-SUV is 120 mm (4.7 inches) longer than a Yaris Cross, 55 mm (2.2 inches) wider and 40 mm (1.6 inches) taller. But Toyota product development boss Andrea Carlucci told Autocar that the production car would be offered with front- or all-wheel drive configurations and two sizes of battery, the biggest of which could give a range of around 250 miles (402 km).
Carlucci also hinted that potential buyer should brace themselves for a price premium over the Yaris Cross due to the cost of the battery hardware. A starting price somewhere in the £30,000 (€35k / $38k) range seems likely.
Toyota’s Brussels event gave the automaker a stage to show off to European eyes some other electric concepts we’ve seen previously in other parts of the world, including the Sport Crossover Concept unveiled at Shanghai back in April. The automaker now says the sleek four-door liftback coupe-crossover (seen below alongside the Urban SUV) will be on sale in Europe in 2025.
