20/10/09

• Price£14,520
• We like...Cabin space
• We don't...Gutless engine

City-tough urban battler has plenty going for it. But, looks apart, is it talented enough to qualify as an all-rounder? Urban Cruiser. Funky name, sure. But...funky car? Well, it’s only a touch longer than Toyota’s Yaris supermini, so it’s no monster size-wise. Rather it’s another of the new breed of go-anywhere, do-anything cars that don’t compare directly in size and ability with what’s gone before.

If you’re looking at one of these, it’s our hunch that you’d also be considering a Citrn C3 Picasso or a Skoda Roomster. Like its competitors, the Cruiser has an upright, boxy body and raised seating. There are seats for five and the rear seats slide to and fro, to juggle luggage and cabin space. Pushed back, the back bench is roomy and comfy, and headroom is good for all but the very tall. Out back, there’s a relatively big square boot, although way that the luggage cover extends as you slide the seats is fiddly and dsn’t look tough enough to last the life of the car.

It may look Tonka-tough outside but inside it’s conventional, not funky. There are twin glove boxes in the dash, and the inside’s clad in hard textured plastic. It looks as if it will be durable but it’s not as nice to the touch as the squishy stuff you’ll find in Volkswagens or Vauxhalls.

This one has two-wheel drive and a 1.3-litre petrol motor. There’s also a diesel-engined version, which has four-wheel drive. This one pumps out a mighty-sounding 100bhp, but also promises sparkling fuel economy and low tailpipe emissions. One way it ds this is via its stop-start system, which stills the engine if you’re at a standstill, pop the gears to neutral and release the clutch. To restart, you simply dip the clutch and select gear.

Or that’s the theory. In practice, we found that it would stop reliably enough, only to restart unasked a few seconds later. We understand that, for such a system to give its best, the car’s battery must be charged and it must not have too many power-sapping gadgets running. We experimented by turning off the air conditioning, sat nav and even the radio, but none made a difference.

The Cruiser rides comfortably enough and with an assurance that belies its modest size. The steering is light, easy and accurate, though it won’t tell you too much about whatever the front tyres are up to. But its motor’s lack of punch is a problem. Its power is enough to tootle through town but, take it on a motorway and you must thrash it to make even modest headway – even when you’re the sole passenger aboard. And, to pass other traffic, you’ll find yourself dropping down a couple of gears in its six-speed transmission. Fun it ain’t.

Still if you’re the type that drives everywhere gently, and use it mostly for kid-filled hops across town, it’ll be just fine.

Should you buy one? Possibly. While it’s well equipped, the price is on the high side. Look at the C3 Picasso and Roomster, compare value and then decide.

To view and buy new and used Urban Cruisers on motors.co.uk, click here

• Engines1.3 petrol
• Power100bhp
• 0-60 mph12.5secs
• Economy51.4mpg
• CO2g/km129
• Insurance groups4E
• EuroNCAP
• Airbags7
• Seats5

Motors.co.uk value verdict: