Toyota's Urban Cruiser
Once upon a time there was a concept of city motoring. It laid out a future of such abundant variety, we could hardly wait.
At its core was an idea to combine the attraction of a slimmed-down, low-testosterone SUV shape, avant-garde styling and a small, efficient engine - all wrapped up in smart urban dress.
It was the era of the niche, when we sought unremitting variation from our cars. It was a time when what we bought had to be different, had to say something about our lifestyle.
And for a brief, flickering moment the future of the genre looked bright. Then came the recession and we all applied the brakes.
Toyota's new Urban Cruiser is an incarnation spawned in anticipation of the good times continuing. It tries to be a smart, but slightly butch, chunky small-time SUV that would look smart in the city but get you to the country with ease as well.
It's under consideration for release in South Africa but no final decision has been made yet.
It's hit the world markets at a bleak time. As I said recently in a review of its main rival, the poppier and peppier Kia Soul, they'd be queueing up for it - if there were a market.
This has a good deal of room, though the low-slung roof ensures you do not sit tall.
The rear seats slide forward to apportion passenger or luggage space and it was a pleasant sturdy, solid drive around town. There are lots of cubbyholes. Think of it as a muscled-up, large family hatchback and you get an idea of what to expect.
Apart from the lower ceiling, the cabin is not quite as funky as the outward appearance might presage.
I wanted it to be bright and cheery without descending into the realms of garishness. It didn't do either - but I'm easily swayed by a car with a good engine and a real fan of the 1.4-litre diesel. It may have its equals but few better it.
Put that alongside Toyota's renowned ability to produce reliable cars, a good level of equipment and you have a case for buying. Only, no matter what sort of case you make, few are likely to be swayed.
Hardly an environment to encourage expenditure on a butch urban cruiser, is it? Yet, if one was in pursuit of a family car and it came to a choice between the Cruiser and a sedate, conventional saloon, I would go for this.
Correction, I would agonise between this and the Kia Soul and I have to say the latter is my raging favourite at this point in time. It has more brio, more fun about it. Frankly it evokes the "once upon a time" era better than the Cruiser.
SOMETHING DIFFERENT
But that's all right for me to say because I am not going to buy. I am making a hypothetical purchase. Not a cent is changing hands.
Which is why, despite my personal preference, the Cruiser will be high on the few shopping lists that are drawn up over the next year or so - it's likely to appeal to a more "mature" or conservative buyer.
That's a pity in a way because this was a chance to do something that bit different. As I said, it was grand around town, but not as slick as it could have been over the back roads.
One big compensating factor was the power, zip and frugality of the excellent 1.4-litre engine.
Another was the security in these uncertain times that it was a Toyota. Such basic instincts transcend the eras of up and down. But a little bit more spice would not have gone amiss. -Irish Independent