Toyota has unveiled more electric vehicle concepts than we can remember over the past two years, and you can now add one more to the list: the Urban SUV Concept.
Unveiled today at Toyota’s annual Kenshiki Forum in Brussels, Belgium, the Urban SUV is said to preview a subcompact electric SUV for Europe that will be revealed in the first half of 2024 and will have its market launch later in the year. There is no indication that the new model will make it to the U.S. market, unfortunately.
Toyota says the Urban SUV will compete in the subcompact SUV segment (or B-segment, as it’s called), which Toyota expects to become one of the largest markets for BEVs in Europe. This is shaping up to be a very important vehicle for the Japanese automaker, so here’s what we know about it at the moment.
Toyota’s upcoming subcompact electric SUV is 169.3 inches (4,300 millimeters) long, 71.6 in (1,820 mm) wide, and 63.7 in (1,620 mm) high. For context, the Urban SUV Concept has a very similar footprint to the Volkswagen T-Roc, one of Europe’s best-selling subcompact SUVs; the Toyota is only marginally longer and taller than the German SUV.
The Urban SUV is also roughly the same size as a Toyota C-HR—it’s slightly shorter and narrower, though a bit taller; it will represent a fully electric alternative to the C-HR, which is available as a hybrid or plug-in hybrid.
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According to Toyota, the new vehicle will be “the most compact and accessible in a planned six-model dedicated BEV line-up.”
The range will include the existing Toyota bZ4X and the production versions of the Compact SUV Concept unveiled last year at the Kenshiki forum, the Urban SUV Concept, and the Sport Crossover Concept. The latter was first unveiled in China as the bZ Sport Crossover in April; the remaining two models that will be a part of Toyota’s European BEV lineup are unknown for now.
Toyota said the production Urban SUV will ride on a dedicated EV platform and offer two battery options “to suit different customer priorities of driving range and accessibility.” It will also offer front and all-wheel drive powertrains, although it’s too early for specific details on battery capacity or power and torque.
The automaker says the Urban SUV meets the priorities of European customers and will “deliver the quality, durability and reliability that are hallmarks of the Toyota brand.” The vehicle is also said to offer a “no compromise” design and engineering.
The Toyota Urban SUV Concept adopts the same styling language seen on the brand’s bZ family of EVs. Exterior highlights include the bulged shoulders, short overhangs, high driving position, and short hood.
Given that we’re less than a year away from the production model’s unveiling and seeing as the concept looks quite production-ready, the Urban SUV Concept is likely to see minor styling changes on its way to the European market. One change that’s not hard to guess is the adoption of traditional side mirrors instead of the study’s cameras.
While no photos of the cabin are available yet, Toyota said the flexible interior offers maximized space and can easily be adapted to prioritize passenger or load space depending on users’ needs.
The production model of Toyota’s subcompact electric SUV for Europe, as well as further details about it, will be released in the first half of 2024.
Though it’s often accused of being a latecomer to the EV game, Toyota says it has big plans for the electric world starting especially after 2026. Those plans include a Lexus sedan that tests out a wide variety of new features and software; a sports car that seems very likely for production; the adoption of Tesla’s NACS plug; and solid-state batteries with impressive range.
