Toyota Urban Cruiser

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Toyota Urban Cruiser

Despite the green lobby's best efforts, sales figures suggest that the 4x4 is here to stay albeit with a growing emphasis on smaller cars.

Eager not to miss out on this growing market, Toyota is showcasing the Urban Cruiser, a small 4x4 that will sit in its range below the RAV4. It is based on the Toyota Ist and Scion XD, which are sold in Japan and the USA respectively, but features some minor styling changes.

It is powered by a 105bhp 1.5-litre engine mated to a continuously variable transmission and will be available in front- and four-wheel-drive versions.

Other cars on show
Toyota is also showcasing the 1/X Plug-in Hybrid Concept, which utilises flexible fuel technology and shows how the next Prius may look.

Also on display is the i-Real personal mobility concept car, which was shown in Tokyo in 2007 and which adds an edge of madness to proceedings.