Sibling rivalry

Toyota’s fourth local tie-up with Suzuki unlocks extended proportions and more distinct styling for the second generstion of SA’s most popular crossover, but its badge belies which of the two offers better ultimate value

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As if anybody still needed reminding, the last few remaining South African consumers who have not yet fallen off the debt cliff are now merely hanging on by their well chewed fingernails.

The nose-diving rand, rising interest rates, relentless increases in food- and energy prices and the demands of weathering merciless power cuts has created a massive affordability abyss for all but the most resilient.

A study released by Wesbank in May highlighted that a budget car costing R280 000 and travelling 2 500 km per month, along with instalments, fuel, insurance and maintenance, will now whack your wallet by nearly R3 800 more per month than it did five years ago. That's a 48 per cent increase.

Price: R347 400 0-100 km/h: 11,3 seconds Top speed: 170 km/h Power: 77kW Torque: 138 N.m CAR fuel index: 8,76 L/100 km CO₂: 146 g/km

By implication, the cash crunch that followed the pandemic has undoubtedly forced car shoppers to either hang on to their previous purchases for longer or downsize dramatically.

As such, compact crossovers have come to dominate the passenger-vehicle market. In 2022, Toyota's Urban Cruiser was crowned the B-segment king, which is hardly surprising if one considers the offering's combination of practicality, (relative) affordability and badge promise.

Launced locally in 2021, the Urban Cruiser is a badge engineered Suzuki Grand Vitara (formerly Vitara Brezza), built in India and powered by the brand's omnipresent naturally aspirated K15B engine that produces 77 kW and 138 N.m, coupled in our XR test unit to a five-speed manual gearbox.