Comparison: Toyota Innova Hycross vs Toyota Innova Crysta

The Toyota Innova Hycross was launched in India at Rs. 19.15 – 28.97 lakh (ex-showroom), attracting numerous potential buyers for itself. While the Toyota Innova Hycross was essentially the next generation of the Innova, it was sold alongside the very popular Toyota Innova Crysta with deliveries commencing in January 2023. The Japanese carmaker left no stone unturned when making the 7- & 8-seater Innova Hycross as premium as possible as it was positioned above the Innova Crysta and served those looking to own a premium Toyota 7-seater.

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On the other hand, the Toyota Innova Crysta is the undisputed king of the MUV segment and has remained Toyota’s best-selling model for years. In India, the 7-& 8-seater MUV has built a reputation for its unmatched comfort and perennial durability, so much so that it is one of the few cars that command a great resale value. The launch of Innova Hycross is destined to draw comparison with the Innova Crysta, either to justify the higher asking price of the Hycross or settle for the capable Crysta. If you are in a similar dilemma, this comparison of the Innova Hycross vs the Innova Crysta on multiple factors will help you decide between the two MUVs.

Toyota Innova Hycross vs Toyota Innova Crysta: Dimensions

In terms of appearance, the SUV inspired  design of the Toyota Innova Hycross is its most prominent highlight. Both MUVs have hexagonal grilles, however, the one on the Hycross has a honeycomb pattern, while the one on Crysta features multiple horizontal slats. Moreover, the Hycross has slimmer wraparound headlights than those of the Crysta, and are now full-LED units divided by chrome separators.

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Coming to the size, the Hycross is slightly bigger than Crysta in all dimensions, except the similar height. The additional 100 mm of wheelbase and 20 mm of extra width make the Hycross notably more spacious than the Crysta. However, the Innova Crysta has more than enough space and has always been regarded as one of the most comfortable 7- & 8-seater cars in India. The 300 litres of boot space in both MUVs is sufficient for most luggage-carrying needs, with the option of folding the third row to open up more space present on both cars.

Toyota Innova Hycross vs Toyota Innova Crysta: Engine & Transmission

The powertrain comparison brings out a dramatic difference between both MUVs. The smaller 2.0 litre petrol engine of the Innova Hycross has been tuned to produce more power than the bigger 2.7 litre petrol engine of the Innova Crysta. On the other hand, due to better torque figures, the Crysta will feel punchier than Hycross, and even deliver better acceleration. All the same, better fuel economy is the need of the hour, and with its 21.1 km/l mileage figures, the Hycross has a strong lead in this department. However, the removal of the manual transmission from the Hycross is a limitation.

Moreover, just like Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, the Hycross is expected to come with EV-only mode on the strong hybrid variants. Nevertheless, if a diesel-powered Innova is what you are looking for, then the Innova Crysta is the only option, and since the diesel engine on Innova has been discontinued, you can own one from the used car market only.

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Toyota Innova Hycross vs Toyota Innova Crysta: Features & Comfort

In terms of interiors, the Innova Hycross has a completely new design compared to the Innova Crysta. The most overt difference is the free-standing touch screen mounted at the top of the dashboard, with the central AC vents below it, while the Crysta sports its touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard, flanked by the central AC vents. In addition to that, while Crysta has knobs and dials for the air conditioning, the Hycross gets only buttons. The gear lever on the Hycross has been integrated into the dashboard, whereas it is mounted on the floor in the Innova Crysta. While the lower variants of both Hycross and Crysta have an all-black interior, the Hycross’s higher variants get a black and brown interior and Crysta’s higher variants have a black and beige interior.

Without a shadow of doubt, the Hycross is leaps ahead of the Crysta in the features department. The key advantages of the Hycross include segment-first powered captain seats for the second row (7-seater) with ottoman function, panoramic sunroof, connected car tech, ventilated front seats, powered tailgate, 9-speaker JBL sound system. These features together offer a more premium and comfortable passenger experience for those in the second row compared to the Innova Crysta. The addition of the panoramic sunroof on the Hycross makes the cabin feel more open and spacious than the Crysta, which complements the overall premium experience inside the Hycross.

The Crysta on the other hand has so far been the most premium as well as coveted offering in its segment and has more than enough features to deliver a supremely comfortable and convenient passenger experience to all 7 or 8 occupants.

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Toyota Innova Hycross vs Toyota Innova Crysta: Safety Features

As can be seen, both MUVs have been loaded with many safety features to ensure maximum safety. However, the Toyota Innova Hycross has a big edge over the Toyota Innova Crysta, due to the availability of an electronic parking brake with auto hold and some Level 2 ADAS safety features such as adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, lane departure and keep assist, automatic high beam, rear cross-traffic alert, and a pre-collision system.

Toyota Innova Hycross vs Toyota Innova Crysta: Price comparison

The Toyota Innova Hycross is clearly pricier than Innova Crysta. However, the higher price of Innova Hycross seems a small premium to pay for its considerably more spacious cabin, an attractive abundance of additional premium features, increased safety, and better mileage. Moreover, it’s worth noting, the base variant: G variant of Innova Hycross is priced Rs. 18.30 – 18.35 lakh (ex-showroom) which is exclusively available to fleet operators only.

Toyota Innova Hycross vs Toyota Innova Crysta: Summary

In conclusion, this comparison does tip the scale in favour of the Toyota Innova Hycross for increased safety, a lengthier feature list, extra space, and better fuel economy. Therefore, if you are comfortable stretching your budget by Rs. 4-5 lakh, then Toyota Innova Hycross is the one you should choose. Also, it’s worth noting the ADAS safety suite and panoramic sunroof offered in the Hycross, are not available in the Kia Carnival priced at Rs. 30.99 – 35.49 lakh (ex-showroom) and the Toyota Fortuner priced at Rs. 32.59 – 50.34 lakh. However, if that’s too much for your budget extension, and you are looking to own a premium MUV under Rs. 20 lakh, then the Toyota Innova Crysta will fulfill all your needs.

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Toyota Innova Hycross vs Toyota Innova Crysta: FAQs