Toyota Urban Cruiser

Toyota’s Scion-derived take on the mini-MPV formula, the Urban Cruiser looks good but, predictably, comes up a bit short in the driving stakes.

• Comfort

  Reasonable legspace in the front and rear, but the seats are appalling, too short of squab and lacking in support. We'll only see top-spec Urban Cruisers in the UK, so there's plenty of kit on board. But it comes at a price, which is, er, the price...

  

• Performance

  1.33-litre petrol and 1.4-litre diesel offer similar pace, but the diesel is the more relaxed drive thanks to a decent amount of low-end torque. Both engines are firmly in the ‘decidedly modest' performance category, though. 

  

• Cool

  The coolest thing to come out of Toyota in a while. Admittedly that's not much of a compliment, but it's a start, guys... 

  

• Quality

  Though the cabin is surprisingly dull, everything feels resolutely bolted together. There's a slightly flimsiness to the Cruiser's responses, though expect the mechanicals to be typically bulletproof. 

  

• Handling

  Despite the Urban Cruiser's tall, boxy profile, body roll is very well contained. However, neither engine allows you to get near to the limits of the chassis, and there's a slight disconnectedness between front and rear when you're trying to hustle along. 

  

• Practicality

  Rear seats can split, slide forward or fold flat, which means a decent flexible loadspace in the back. The high seating position allows good all-round visibility. 

  

• Running costs

  CO2 emissions from both the petrol and diesel engines are among the best in class, but opt for the two-wheel drive petrol version for better economy. Though it's well kitted, the Urban Cruiser's high list price might see it take a hit come resale time, though relative rarity should balance this out...