Toyota Taisor, Built on Maruti Fronx Platform, Set to Make its Debut on April 3

New Delhi: The much-anticipated Toyota rendition of the Maruti Suzuki Fronx has been long awaited, and the official confirmation of its debut on April 3 has now arrived from the company. Back in August 2023, Toyota secured the trademark for the nameplate “Urban Cruiser Taisor” in India, which is believed to be the moniker for the rebranded Fronx. Just like existing collaborative models between the two brands, we anticipate some visual discrepancies both internally and externally, while the underlying structure remains unchanged.

Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor: new exterior and interior

Anticipate updates akin to the Baleno-Glanza for the rebadged Fronx, given its Baleno roots. Foresee a refreshed bumper, revised headlamp clusters, new LED daytime running lamps, updated alloy wheels, and tail-lamps, with soft plastic part modifications, retaining the original sheet metal. Interior tweaks include new colors and trim materials, revamped upholstery, while top-spec models maintain similar equipment levels. Toyota might streamline trims, enhancing differentiation with improved standard warranties.

Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor: powertrain options

The Fronx offers two engines: a 1.0-liter BoosterJet unit generating 100hp and 147Nm, and a 1.2-liter naturally aspirated petrol engine producing 90hp and 113Nm, paired with a standard 5-speed manual gearbox. Automatic options include a 6-speed torque converter for the turbo-petrol and a 5-speed AMT for the petrol variant. The 1.2-liter petrol, favored by over 80 percent of Fronx buyers, is expected to transition to the Taisor. Whether the Boosterjet will accompany it remains uncertain, marking a potential introduction of a turbo-petrol option to Toyota’s predominantly hybrid and diesel lineup. Additionally, the CNG powertrain option available for the Fronx is likely to be retained in the Toyota version.

Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor: rivals and launch

The debut of the Urban Cruiser Taisor signals Toyota’s reentry into the sub-4m SUV segment, following the discontinuation of the Brezza-based Urban Cruiser in late 2022, now reimagined as a coupe-SUV. Alongside the Fronx, it will compete with compact SUVs like the Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, Mahindra XUV300, Maruti Suzuki Brezza, and others. Price-wise, anticipate a slight premium over the equivalent Fronx model.