6:40 am, December 6, 2023
Toyota has given buyers their first peek of its new compact electric SUV ahead of an official launch next year.
The Japanese brand unveiled the new model at its product-previewing Kenshiki forum in Brussels last week.
The newcomer is the latest in a long line of electric concepts to be shown off by the outfit this year, including a new sports car, a larger SUV and a high-riding crossover coupe.
Called the ‘Urban SUV Concept’, the car hints at a model planned to be revealed in 2024.
It’ll compete in the B-SUV segment and will rival models such as the recently launched Volvo EX30, but it won’t replace the popular Yaris Cross hybrid.
Toyota was tight-lipped about specific details, but did reveal the small electric SUV will be offered with two battery options ‘to suit different customer priorities for driving range and accessibility’, and come in front- and all-wheel-drive versions.
Andrea Carlucci, Toyota Motor Europe’s vice-president of product and marketing management, said: ‘We want to be in the electric B-SUV segment – we don’t want to leave the space to our competitors.’
The baby electric SUV will be the smallest in a range of six new EVs Toyota intends to launch by 2026.
Shown alongside the small SUV were two concept cars that have already received their world debuts and will form part of that electric car roll-out.
The Sport Crossover Concept previews a D-segment, high-riding five-door fastback, while the Toyota FT-3e showcases a BMW iX-sized electric SUV.
The FT-3e sits on a new modular electric car platform shared with the recently revealed FT-Se sports car, the Lexus LF-ZL four-door saloon and the Lexus LF-ZC crossover.
It’ll likely use Toyota’s next-generation batteries, which will be cheaper to produce and offer more than 620 miles of range.
