Car Statistics: Toyota - Urban Cruiser Series 09 (3 stars)

Styling (4 stars)

Funky but not wild, the Urban Cruiser should appeal to those wanting a small car that makes more of a statement than most superminis. It certainly has more road presence than a Yaris.

Handling (3 stars)

Safe but not exciting. The Urban Cruiser will scrub predictably wide if you try to corner too fast, and it comes with ESP to ensure things never get too hairy.

Comfort (3 stars)

More headroom in the cabin makes life easier for passengers, but it's not luxurious. A mostly decent ride occasionally becomes unsettled by seriously rutted roads.

Quality (4 stars)

Toyota has an outstanding reputation for quality and dependency, and we have no reason to expect the Urban Cruiser to deviate from that. All the visual signs - panel gaps, paint quality, fit and finish - seemed strong on our test car.

Performance (3 stars)

Not outstanding, the Urban Cruiser is geared more for economy than go. Zero to 62mph takes 12.5 seconds with either the petrol or diesel engine fitted. Top speed is 109mph.

Roominess (4 stars)

It is more spacious than most superminis, but not on a par with price point rivals that are genuine small SUVs and have more load space. The interior packaging is not bad given the Urban Cruiser's diminutive dimensions, though.

Costs (4 stars)

Decent fuel economy and Toyota's reputation for long-term reliability stand in the Urban Cruiser's favour here. Claimed fuel economy of 51.4mpg is impressive for the diesel, but it didn't take much for us to fall below that average when we were driving in the real world.

Value (2 stars)

The price of the model most people will want - the 1.4-litre D4D with four wheel drive - is way above what you'd expect to pay for most superminis. It does at least comes generously equipped, but we're not sure the Urban Cruiser is worth such a premium over the best conventional small cars.

Stereo (3 stars)

The sat-nav is a high-end option that only comes with the top model, but it is a good unit that's relatively easy to use.