Toyota Innova just turned 20. The premium MPV made its debut in India two decades ago and continues its dominance in the MPV segment till date. The Innova became a household name that centred around the Toyota’s core philosophy of Quality, Durability, and Reliability (QDR).
Since its introduction in the Indian market in 2005, Toyota has manufactured more than 12 lakh units of Innova. The firstgen model of Innova was built on a bodyonframe architecture, something that SUVs are generally known for. The secondgen model introduced in 2016, named Innova Crysta, carried forward the same durability and reliability as the older model but added a bit more sophistication with more features offered.
In 2022, Toyota made a stark departure when it moved from rearwheel drive, ladderonframe chassis Innova to a frontwheel drive Innova underpinned by a monocoque chassis. The new Innova goes with a new surname Hycross, and it continues to carry forward the legacy of the Innova brand.
Its monopoly in the fleet car segment is undisputed as cab operators continue to vouch for its reliability, comfort, and relatively low running cost. Here’s a brief rundown on what makes Innova a grand success in the Indian market.
All iterations of Innova till date have been built robustly. They can go anywhere and can take a beating on bad roads without making too much fuss. It can do all that a contemporary SUV can do with more comfort. Also the flexibility of seven or eight seats make the Innova a onestop solution for large families.
The bulletproof engines offered in Innova can run for ages. They offer decent performance but even better fuel efficiency for the diesel and the strong hybrid petrol powertrains. The Innova Crysta is powered by a 2.4litre diesel engine that kicks out 148 bhp and 343 Nm of peak torque while being paired with a fivespeed manual gearbox. This powertrain returns a fuel efficiency of around 14 to 14.5 kmpl.
On the other hand, the Innova Hycross gets a 2.0litre petrol engine paired with a selfcharging hybrid electric system that delivers a combined output of 184 bhp. Toyota claims a mileage of 23.4 kmpl with this hybrid powertrain that has been reported in multiple use cases.
