The Toyota Innova Hycross was launched on November 25 as the next generation of the popular Innova Crysta MUV. The Innova Hycross will be sold along side the current Innova Crysta and is positioned between the Crysta and the Fortuner in Toyota’s lineup. Sporting a new exterior design, new interior space, and new powertrain, the Innova Hycross is truly a brand new generation in the Innova lineage. The Innova Hycross has been priced starting at Rs. 18.30 lakh (ex-showroom). Here is everything you need to know about the Toyota Innova Hycross.
Innova Hycross – Exterior
The front of the Innova Hycross is split into two parts: a large hexagonal grille with a wide headlamp which has two L-shaped inserts that house the main light units, and triangular-shaped air dam elements. Below the triangular-shaped air dam elements, the fog lamps are placed in triangular housings. Moving to the top, the bonnet seems to have much more aggressive crease lines with the same being followed on the rear doors and fenders.
One new addition is the panoramic sunroof that is a first for an Innova. This one feature highlights Toyota’s intent to position the Innova Hycross as a more premium car meant for a more demanding buyer. The new MUV also does away with the ladder-on-frame chassis of the previous generation car and moves to a lightweight monocoque chassis that will improve handling, stability, and fuel efficiency.
Innova Hycross – Interior and Features
As mentioned above, the Innova Hycross features a panoramic sunroof along with a multi-layered dashboard design that includes a floating touchscreen infotainment system in the centre and the gear selector. Also, there seems to be a separate panel for climate control with touch-sensitive HVAC controls with no physical buttons present. The Innova Hycross also features a dual tone interior for an overall premium touch.
Moving forward from the interior design, the Hycross features ventilated front seats, digital instrument cluster, a 360-degree camera, 9-speaker JBL sound system, electric-powered driver seat with memory function, a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and Ottoman seats in the second row. Along with these features, the Hycross is the first Toyota car in India to feature Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) comprising adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and forward-collision prevention. These features and the upgraded interior space targets a more premium customer tat was so far served by the Carnival.
Innova Hycross Powertrain
After shifting to a monocoque design, the Innova Hycross has also made a shift to a front-wheel drive layout, a first for an Innova. Toyota has also dropped the diesel engine entirely in favour of a 2L strong hybrid petrol engine, producing 190 HP with an e-CVT gearbox. Having an electric motor means better fuel economy in the city as well as instantaneous torque for better acceleration. There is also a 2L petrol-only option producing 170 HP, paired with an automatic gearbox.
Considering both the options, while they are higher in specs than the Innova Crysta, they can fall a little short in front of the Kia Carnival, with its diesel engine producing roughly 200 HP. Moreover, by dropping the diesel option altogether, the Innova Hycross may not be the go-to choice for commercial use. The hybrid system will still deliver for those looking to drive long distances while getting better fuel mileage than the Innova Crysta.
Innova Hycross Hybrid price, rivals
Toyota Innova Hycross Price & Variants | ||
Variants | Seating Capacity | Price (Ex-Showroom) |
Hycross G (Fleet operator exclusive) | 7-Seater | Rs. 18.30 lakh |
8-Seater | Rs. 18.35 lakh | |
Hycross GX | 7-Seater | Rs. 19.15 lakh |
8-Seater | Rs. 19.20 lakh | |
Hycross VX Strong Hybrid | 7-Seater | Rs. 24.01 lakh |
8-Seater | Rs. 24.06 lakh | |
Hycross ZX Strong Hybrid | 7-Seater | Rs. 28.33 lakh |
Hycross ZX (O) Strong Hybrid | 7-Seater | Rs. 28.97 lakh |
Toyota has priced the Innova Hycross at a starting price of Rs. 18.30 lakh for the 7-seater G variant, which will be exclusively available to fleet operators only. For the general buyer, the GX variant, priced at Rs. 19.15 lakh, becomes the base variant. For perspective, the Innova Hycross GX 8-seater comes at a premium of just Rs. 13,000 over the Innova Crysta’s GX 8-seater.
At its current price, the Innova Hycross has been positioned to compete against the Kia Carnival, Tata Safari, Hyundai Alcazar, MG Hector Plus, and Mahindra XUV700, covering a wide field of competitors. Paired with Toyota’s reputation for reliability as well as the option of a strong hybrid system, the Innova Hycross represents great value compared to its rivals.
Conclusion
All in all, the Toyota Innova Hycross Hybrid changes the perception of what an Innova should be. The Innova Crysta is one of the most popular 7-seater MUVs in India and the Innova Hycross looks set to continue its dominance in the segment. Housing a lot of new features that are new for the Innova nameplate, the Hycross aims to be the most ambitious project for Toyota in India, quite possibly even overthrowing the Innova Crysta by its looks and features.
