Toyota wants to add two more small vehicles to its American model lineup in response to rising fuel economy standards, said Jim Lentz, president of Toyota USA. He said a production version of the small A-BAT pickup concept, plus Europe’s new Urban Cruiser were both under consideration.
Toyota is aiming for a 35 mpg fleetwide fuel economy average by 2020, Lentz told Automotive News in a recent interview.
The A-BAT pickup was shown in concept form at the Detroit auto show in January. Riding on a unibody platform, it features a four-foot bed, but overall storage space can grow to as much as eight feet when the midgate is folded down. Power comes from a four-cylinder gas-electric hybrid setup.
Unlike the A-BAT — which is just a concept car at this stage — the Urban Cruiser is already headed for production in Europe. If the mini-SUV looks familiar, it’s because the Urban Cruiser is essentially a jacked-up version of the Scion xD. Whether there is enough of a difference between the Cruiser and the xD to warrant the sale of both models remains to be seen.
Lentz said either model could be badged as a Toyota or a Scion. “It doesn’t matter,” he said. “As long as we are keeping customers.”
02/25, 9:23 AM
posted by:
MY Si
They should considering all the other “Urban Utility Vehicles” that are doing well over here.
02/25, 9:25 AM
posted by:
MY Si
Ant because of the simularities the Urban Cruiser could be sold here under the Scion nameplate with no problem. give it some more HP and Turbo it! a nice little compettitor to the Subaru Impreza WRX (not STi)
02/25, 10:22 AM
posted by:
Heart64
This Toyota Bat is a nice comcept and would consider buying one, but I want a Hybrid variant and I am sure Toyota can deliver.
02/25, 10:38 AM
posted by:
DrFill
I approve of the A-BAT. Go for it!
Should be under $20k
DrFill
02/25, 11:02 AM
posted by:
Blakkarr
DrFill,
You know that under $20K new, even to start, is not going to happen. Blame on he weak dollar.
02/25, 11:07 AM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Heart64: read the article- it is a hybrid. Or at least the concept is.
02/25, 11:12 AM
posted by:
04focus
i suppose the urban cruiser could just be the xD awd.
02/25, 11:42 AM
posted by:
MY Si
If the A-Bat bows for under 20K, It will have a Ford Ranger chassis.
02/25, 12:10 PM
posted by:
Fletch
Yuck.
02/25, 12:40 PM
posted by:
Kaizen
If the Prius starts at $21.1K and the Camry HV at $25.3K, there’s no way this thing is clearing below $29K.
02/25, 12:41 PM
posted by:
Kaizen
That pricing would go up against the Ridgeline’s $28K.
02/25, 4:51 PM
posted by:
thegriffon
There’s some confusion being generation by media reports here. The Urban Cruiser is not a “jacked-up” xD. It is just a Scion xD with different badges. Both vehicles are simply export versions of the Japanese-market Toyota ist (which wears a Netz badge [a Japanese sales chanel] on the nose rather than the xD’s Scion or the Urban Cruiser’s Toyota), which is available in both fwd and awd versions. The awd version gains a mere 15 mm in height, but no extra ground clearance (in fact it loses 20 mm). Neither fwd nor awd version is any taller than a typical subcompact hatch. The photos released by Toyota Motor Europe are of the ist 150G, with the only change being the Toyota instead of Netz badge and LHD instead of RHD (or perhaps they merely flipped the photo). The xD is built with the largest engine option, which is only available in fwd (ist 180G in Japan). The 150G and base 150X are both available with a CVT transmission and either fwd or awd, and use the same 1.5 L engine as the Yaris (awd models lose around 6 hp).
02/25, 5:08 PM
posted by:
thegriffon
There is no “Japan Hilux” anymore. If you want a “Japan” pickup you have to buy a chassis-cab van with a pickup bed. The Mazda Bongo is over 20 years old, and the new Suzuki and Toyota models are built in Indonesia. None offer awd. The new Hilux is built primarily in Thailand (a few in South Africa), and neither it nor any other pickup like it is sold in Japan. Of course any number of people are trying to sell Chinese-built, rebadged, 20+ year old Toyota, Isuzu, Mazda or Nissan pickups in the US (complete with 20-year old OHV engines).
02/25, 5:17 PM
posted by:
audi-lover
a hybrid truck? toyota is so full of ****
02/25, 7:15 PM
posted by:
Kaizen
And Audi isn’t? With 3 misguided new models every year? Or the VW parent that refuses to listen to their customers? Grow up.
03/01, 12:32 PM
posted by:
jackjimturkey
Looks good. Or at least not as bad as other Toyotas