Mini Fortuner: The Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder is one of the biggest launches in India’s hotly-contested compact SUV segment.
Often referred to as a ‘Mini-Fortuner’ by fans and the motoring press, this mid-size SUV takes Toyota’s luxury SUV style and pedigree and applies a smarter packaging approach to open up the category, along with hybrid technology that no other mid-size SUV currently offers – just as the family market becomes more and more environmentally aware.
The Hyryder’s position in Toyota’s line-up tells us interesting things about how global car makers are dealing with changing tastes in India.
Table of Contents
Mini Fortuner: Design Philosophy-
Hyryder’s design philosophy is very obviously taken out there from Toyota’s range-topping Fortuner, but manages to carve out its own unique look.
Its front includes an upright grille that shares hints of its larger brother but also sculpting with a new split LED headlamp motif.”
The upright silhouette, bulging wheel arches and exaggerated shoulder line promote this family resemblance and put the coupe in proportion and perspective with the smaller package.
In side profile, the Hyryder looks like a more modern crossover instead of the old-school and rugged look of the Fortuner to cater to the urbanite consumers.
The high beltline and subtle wedge of the greenhouse give the car its sense of action while maximizing interior roominess.
At the rear, a pair of C-shape LED taillamps are linked by a chrome strip” a premium touch that enhances perceived width and adds sophistication.
This intelligent design strategy will see the Hyryder cash in on the Fortuner’s badge appeal without the cartoonish proportions that often afflict cars looking to downsize larger design languages.
The outcome is a harmonious aesthetic that’s proudly emblazoned in Toyota’s global SUV product portfolio.
Powertrain Innovation: Trailblazers of the Hybrid Revolution.
Mini Fortuner- Perhaps the most significant success of the Hyryder is the introduction of cutting edge powertrain options in India. ToyotaProvides two different power units as follows:
Neo Drive (conjointly developed with Maruti-Suzuki): A 1.5-litre K-series petrol engine with mild-hybrid technology, which develops 103 PS and 137 Nm of torque and can be coupled to either a 5-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission.
The strong hybrid system (Toyota’s expertise): A 1.5L TNGA engine and electric motor that produces a combined output of 115 ps and is available with an e-CVT exclusively.
This setup allows for pure EV driving at low speed and seamless switching between pure EV running and hybrid running depending on conditions.
The more potent hybrid sees some between-the-lines improvements to its fuel economy numbers as well at 17.85 km/l, which is out of this world in this segment and approaching numbers in much smaller, much less capable economy cars.
This incredible economy is complemented by no compromise on performance, thanks to the electric motor’s instantaneous torque resulting in instantaneous acceleration that is especially useful in town.
In the process not only does Toyota make a strong hybrid available at this price but also creates a critical foot-in-the-door car between conventional internal combustion engines and full electric vehicles, a sensible half-way house for a market like India where charging infrastructure is still inadequate in many parts of the country.
Inside Story An experience in refinement.
Inside, the Hyryder is a mix of premium finishes with a durable, utilitarian cabin design. The double-layer dashboard comes integrated with soft-touch materials in areas you are likely to touch, piano black accents and satin die-cast chrome highlights, giving a luxurious feel that does not seem overdone.
The modern connectivity is headlined by the 9 inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and complemented by the 7 inch digital instrument cluster which gives different views with specific hybrid information in applicable versions.
An array of premium features, such as ventilated front seats, panoramic sunroof, head-up display and wireless charging, answer Korean rivals that historically have set the feature-count pace in this segment.
A particular focus is rear passenger comfort – something so many compact SUVs sacrifice. The Hyryder gets ample legroom, rear seat recline with rear AC vents and USB charging that cater to India’s inherent need of extracting passenger space even in compact vehicles.
Positioning & Strategy in the Marketplace
The Hyryder serves an important role in Toyota’s line-up in India. Where the original Urban Cruiser was very much a Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza with a Toyota badge, Hyryder is a far more collaborative effort from the Toyota-Suzuki alliance – Toyota has lent its hybrid know-how and design nous to create a car that really stands out from the crowd.
This places Toyota in a position to cater to the wide space between the low-cost Glanza hatchback and the Fortuner full-size premium SUV, which only costs a hundred grand (XLE trim) more than the XPlus terminals, with the true Toyota faithful looking at something that carries the same reliability and a cheaper asking price in the milieu of a more urban-friendly package.
The hybrid powertrain also sets the Hyryder apart from the Hyundai Creta, the Kia Seltos, and the Volkswagen Taigun among direct competitors, providing it with an USP in a competitive space.
Pricing as seen from ₹10.5 lakh to ₹18.9 lakh (ex-showroom) makes the Hyryder quite tempting in the compact SUV section while the hybrid is catered as a top spec option for people who are looking for the cutting edge technology as well as a highly efficient option on the environment front albeit at a premium.
Mini Fortuner:
The Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder will be conceived with advanced product planning, drawing on the company’s global design and development capabilities, coupled with an Oriental insight of the local market.
Adapting design cues from the aspirational Fortuner and being the first-in-category with hybrid technology, Toyota has put together a pretty impressive package that separates the Urban Cruiser from both badged competitors or traditional subcompact SUVs.
For an Indian market, the Hyryder is a significant step in a gradual shift toward the sustenance of mobility systems.
Thanks to Toyota delivering such robust hybrid technology at a mainstream price point, it has very neatly built a real-world segue from conventional powertrains into full-electric –evolution not revolution–
by which those immediate environmental challenges are met and infrastructure limitations that make pure electric vehicles still a nigh impossibility in many locations are confronted.
With India’s automotive tastes increasingly moving towards more sophisticated, feature-loaded and eco-friendly vehicles, the Hyryder’s measured approach could very well be a template for successful product introductions in this dynamic market.
