Toyota Urban Cruiser vs. Suzuki eVitara: clash of the platform siblings

While it started slowly in the Philippines, the electric vehicle (EV) market has shown stellar growth as of 2026. Almost all car brands in the local market now have a battery-electric vehicle (BEV) offering, and more are coming each quarter with no signs of stopping. 

One of these brands is Toyota, which brought in the all-new Urban Cruiser earlier this year as a follow-up to the much larger bZ4X crossover EV. 

Fast forward to June 2026, and Suzuki has showcased the eVitara at the 10th Philippine International Motor Show. 

For the unaware, the Toyota Urban Cruiser and the Suzuki eVitara are platform siblings, with both being underpinned by Suzuki Motor Corporation’s Heartect-e EV platform. But how do these two compare to each other on paper? Let’s find out here. 

Powertrain

When it comes to powertrains, both the Toyota Urban Cruiser and the Suzuki eVitara utilize a single electric motor setup and the same 61-kilowatt-hour (kWh) lithium iron phosphate battery pack. The two also get an identical array of drive modes (economy, sport, normal, snow), and the same single-speed electric drive transmission. 

With this, the two can provide their owners with a range of up to 475 kilometers. Output figures for the two platform siblings are likewise identical at 171 horsepower and 193 Newton-meters of torque. 

Topping up the Toyota and Suzuki all-electric crossovers can be done easily via their direct current (DC) CCS2 ports, although a slow trickle alternating current (AC) port is likewise available. If done with the DC port, one can increase their battery levels from 10-80 percent in 45 minutes. 

As far as underchassis components go, the two nameplates are likewise identical. Both use a front MacPherson strut suspension and a multi-link rear suspension. Also common between the two are front and rear disc brakes. 

Furthermore, both the Toyota Urban Cruiser and Suzuki eVitara get regenerative braking systems. 

As expected, the two competing EV crossovers are mechanically identical. So, let’s move on to their exterior designs and features. 

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Exterior

While the Toyota Urban Cruiser and Suzuki eVitara are quite similar mechanically, they do have some exterior design details that help distinguish them from each other. This is apparent from their front ends, which clearly go for virtually opposite design directions. 

To be more specific, the front fascia of the Toyota Urban Cruiser applies the Japanese car brand’s "Beyond Zero" (bZ) EV design language. This supplies it with a sleek and aerodynamic-looking front bumper, a pair of sharp LED headlamp clusters, and a largely smooth (closed-off) grille section. 

In contrast to the aforementioned, the Suzuki eVitara goes for a more adventurous look that’s more akin to rugged sport utility vehicles (SUV). It features dramatic lines with plenty of bulges on its lower front bumper, a protruding grille section, and somewhat larger, chunkier LED headlamp clusters. 

Apart from the differences between their front ends, the two crossovers’ side sections and rear sections come with the same styling cues. In these parts, both get plenty of black plastic claddings and some measure of character lines. 

The two nameplates even come with the same set of exterior features. Apart from what was already mentioned above, the two get LED front and rear fog lamps, rain-sensing wipers, power-folding/adjustable side mirrors, a set of 18-inch alloy wheels, and a roof-mounted spoiler. However, the Toyota model does get a moonroof, while the Suzuki comes with a glass roof. 

On the one hand, the two do have some discrepancies in dimensions, though these may be attributed to their vastly different front clips.

	Toyota Urban Cruiser	Suzuki eVitara
Length (in millimeters)	4,285	4,275
Width (in mm)	1,800	1,800
Height (in mm)	1,635	1,635
Wheelbase length (in mm)	2,700	2,700
Ground clearance (in mm)	180	180

Based on the figures above, the Toyota model is slightly longer than the Suzuki model. 

Interior

As far as interiors go, the Toyota Urban Cruiser and Suzuki eVitara share identical cabin layouts, with five-seater configurations and leather/fabric upholstery, automatic climate control, and a somewhat flat dashboard dominated by a 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen. 

On both models, their central touchscreen displays come with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a wireless smartphone charging pad, and USB Type A and C ports. The Toyota nameplate, however, does come with a JBL nine-piece speaker set, whereas the Suzuki comes from the dealership with a generic six-piece speaker set. 

And, as far as our observations go, the Urban Cruiser and eVitara do get differing user interfaces for their touchscreen head units. The same applies to their fully digital gauge clusters, which otherwise come in the same 10.25-inch size. 

Other key interior features common between the Toyota and Suzuki BEV models include, but are not limited to: 

• Leather steering wheel
• Voice recognition
• Keyless system with push-to-start button
• Automatic anti-glare rear view mirrors
• 40:20:40 split-folding second row seats
• Power-adjustable driver’s seat 
• Electronic parking brake
• Drive mode selector

Safety

Just like most of the features mentioned here, the Toyota Urban Cruiser and Suzuki eVitara share the same exact safety kits. 

Both get anti-lock braking systems, vehicle stability control, hill-start assist, ISOFIX child seat anchors, and a panoramic view monitor - among others. 

The two nameplates also get the same set of advanced driver-assist systems, but each gets unique branding. The Urban Cruiser comes with Toyota Safety Sense. The eVitara, meanwhile, has the Suzuki Safety Support. 

These two ADAS suites, however, are also quite similar and are comprised of:

• Adaptive cruise control
• Pre-collision system
• Lane-keep assist
• Lane departure alert
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Rear-cross traffic alert

Final thoughts

On paper, choosing between the Toyota Urban Cruiser and Suzuki eVitara will largely boil down to brand loyalty. 

However, the Philippine-spec versions of these two have slightly differing price tags, with the Toyota Urban Cruiser retailing at P2.135 million and the Suzuki eVitara at P2.02 million. 

In this case, the Toyota-branded BEV crossover carries a hefty premium over the Suzuki. We aren’t sure why this is the case, but do remember that the Heartect-e platform that underpins these two models was originally developed by Suzuki. Take from that what you will. 

So, predictably, those wanting an all-electric crossover from a Japanese brand could go for the slightly more affordable eVitara. Then again, it can be argued that many will also prefer Toyota as it does provide access to a much larger dealership network in the Philippine setting. 

Also read:

Suzuki e-Vitara: 2 tamed colors

3 reasons to be excited for the Suzuki e-Vitara

Zigwheels PH most viewed for 2025: Suzuki S-Presso

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