Toyota Ebella EV Review: Compact And Fun-To-Drive With The Promise Of Stress-Free Aftersales

PHOTOGRAPHY: ARVIND SALHAN

Toyota is a rather uniquely positioned brand in India. It has never been a best-seller but still commands one of the highest respect as a car maker for most Indians. A strong line-up, of mostly big, reliable cars is doing the trick. Its global alliance has meant a slew of rebranded Suzuki cars making their way into showrooms, including the Urban Cruiser Ebella, which is the first fully electric model for Toyota in India. And here’s what’s in store.

Toyota Ebella: Design & Dimensions

Ebella, derived from Italian word ‘bella’ or beautiful, is based on Suzuki’s Heartect-e platform. It is a pure electric platform made specially for battery-powered vehicles complete with a a flat floor, use of high tensile steel and able to support two as well as all-wheel drive configurations. While it is identical in size to the eVitara – including the 2700mm wheelbase, this Ebella is marginally longer due to the way it is designed. Nevertheless, this too has an identical 5.2m turning radius which means you will need the same space to manoeuver it. Despite the battery under the floor, ground clearance is 185mm which is similar to, say, a Kia Sonet or a Toyota Rumion. So, most speed breakers will not be a bother.

The more significant change though is on the design front. Toyota calls it ‘Urban Tech’, but to us this version looks sportier and more butch thanks to the way the LED headlights are designed with a cleaner front grille. The only miss here is that Toyota has let go of fog lamps, something that you do find on the eVitara. In profile it looks too similar to the Suzuki version. They have not bothered to change even the alloy design. But it does look neat. The only differentiator is the BEV lettering on the front fenders and the Toyota logo on the centre of the wheel. At the rear, it is near identical but once again a neat, modern-looking design with sleek lamps and curvaceous hatch and bumper.

SPECS

Length: 4285mm

Width: 1800mm

Height: 1640mm

Wheelbase: 2700mm

Ground Clearance: 185mm

Turning Radius: 5.2m

Tyres: 225/55 R18

Tyre Pressure: 36psi

Toyota Ebella: Battery & Powertrain

There are two batteries on offer. The base variant gets a 49 kWh lithium-Ion battery back which has a claimed range of 440 km. This is paired with an electric motor which can churn out 193 Nm of peak torque and 106 kW (around 142 bhp) of peak power.

The higher variants get this bigger 61 kWh battery pack with a claimed range of 543 km. Going by on-board figures during our first drive test run – this 61 kWh version of the Urban Cruiser Ebella could return around 400 km of range on a full charge. Going by that the smaller battery could potentially go 330 km under regular use on a full charge.

Toyota Ebella: Drive & Dynamics

Ebella gets three driving modes as well – Eco, Sport and Normal – while not very noticeable change in demeanour but range does get affected while toggling between them. That apart, there are no multiple regen levels (some electric cars use paddle shifters for engaging these) that helps you enhance range a bit. However, there is a switch on the centre console for single-pedal driving.

Interestingly, this electric car gets a familiar-looking Maruti key – small rectangular one – which is there for most of its cars. Press the brake pedal and then press the start button to bring the car alive – without drama, of course. The gear shifter in the Ebella is a large dialler that has got a soft and tactile feel. Turn it clockwise to engage ‘drive’ and anticlockwise for ‘reverse’. Press it down for ‘neutral’. Parking can be engaged via another button at the front. The car gets auto hold function as well which is handy in traffic and if you have stopped on a slope. It gets electronic parking brake as well.

Toyota Ebella: Ride & Handling

The Urban Cruiser Ebella sits on large 18-inch semi alloy wheels which are standard across the range. It is shod with MRF Wanderer rubber which gives a decent mix of grip and comfort. The suspension is softly sprung which is good for uneven surfaces. But this is a heavy car, thanks to the battery weight, so suspension travel does feel a bit restricted. It is particularly a bit too bouncy when at slow speeds and on bad roads. On fast, smooth highways though it feels pliant, even under braking. Disc brakes at all four wheels helps.

The steering isn’t too light. It has some heft and that helps. It is a good balance for both slow and high-speed driving. The acceleration feels brisk and confident. The compact body ensures quick manoeuvers face less resistance. The car feels nimble and eager. The battery weight helps keep a lower centre of gravity and that has kept body roll in check. The Urban Cruiser Ebella makes for a handy inter-city ride as well. Cabin is well insulated and wind and road noise are kept in check. It feels solid and confident on the move. In the top variant, the car also comes with Level 2 ADAS, which adds to driver convenience. Adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitor and 360-degree cameras are some of the features of note.

Toyota Ebella: Cabin & Features

The Urban Cruiser Ebella is a strict 5-seat SUV at best. The front seats feel plush and come with power adjustments for the driver. However, seat ventilation is offered on both and work well. AC is powerful and comes with two-way adjustment. AC vents are also placed for rear passenger comfort. No controls, through. The dashboard features a large twin display that includes the instrument cluster and touch infotainment screen. The interface looks modern, clean and it is easy to operate. Wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay connects seamlessly. There are two charging ports at the front along with a large phone charging pad. There are more than enough storage areas in the car – from door pockets to centre console and armrest, the Ebella front seats are quite practical.

At the rear the seat can be reclined as well as adjusted for legroom. Not many cars of this size or price offer that. The cushioning is firm and well-contoured. But lack of under-thigh support might be an issue for taller people as you sit knees up – the floor feels too high. Since we drove the top variant, the car came with a panoramic sunroof – so the cabin didn’t feel cramped. What also helped were the premium dual-tone leatherette/fabric upholstery. Base variants with get a dark fabric finish only.

Toyota Ebella: Verdict

As an electric vehicle, the Urban Cruiser Ebella tries to keep it simple. Pretty much like a Japanese approach of offering what is needed. It is not oversized nor does it look in your face. It offers a decent-sized battery that does well on the battery management front to offer a reliable and predictable range. The car has enough features to address the needs of modern Indian car buyers.

Toyota has also integrated connected car features into its app with features specific to the EV world such as remote display of battery health and charge level. And it is offering the full range of services that have made the Toyota network synonymous with a great after-sales experience. So, an 8-year battery warranty, option to buy the car with ‘battery as a service’ and an assured buyback of 60 per cent of the price of the car after 3 years are something that customers can expect. Toyota also claims that being the pioneers of battery-petrol hybrids will only help its technicians to seamlessly move to pure electric as the working of the electric systems are the same.

One big question that remains unanswered though is the final price of the car as for many of you that can be a deal maker or breaker. While we wait for it, we reckon if Toyota could keep the price below Rs 20 lakh for the top variant, the Urban Cruiser Ebella can be a car worth considering for small or young families or individuals too who want to jump to the battery side of mobility.