The Toyota Innova was first launched in the year of 2005 in India by the Japanese multinational automaker Toyota. The Toyota Innova is a compact MPV (multi-purpose vehicle) that is a blend of excellent features. In point of fact, the Toyota Innova has been getting updates since its launch.
Undoubtedly, it is one of the most popular MPVs in the Indian market. The Toyota Innova comes with a seating capacity of seven and eight adults and the car is well-known for its comfort.
The car is available with both petrol and diesel engine options and there are more than 20 variants of the car ranging in price from Rs 9.77 lakh to Rs 16.73 lakh. All prices are Ex-showroom, New Delhi. The main competitors of the Toyota Innova are the Maruti Ertiga, Honda Mobilio, Renault Lodgy and Chevrolet Enjoy.
ENGINE AND SPECIFICATIONS
The Toyota Innova is available with both petrol and diesel engine variants. The petrol engine is powered by a 1998 cc, 1TR-FE, inline 4 cylinder engine that has Electronic Fuel Injection technology. The petrol engine produces a maximum power of 132 bhp at 5600 rpm with 181 Nm of peak torque at 4000 rpm.
While, the diesel engine of the Toyota Innova is powered by a 2494 cc, 2KD FTV, four cylinder engine with intercoolers and turbochargers. The diesel engine is equipped with Common-Rail Direct Injection fuel supply system and makes 102 PS of maximum power at 3600 rpm and 200 Nm of peak torque at 1400 – 3400 rpm. Both the engines of the car come mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox.
As far as mileage is concerned, the petrol version of the Toyota Innova returns an ARAI certified fuel economy of 12.5 kmpl while, the diesel version of the car gives a mileage of 13.5 kmpl, that is ARAI certified.
In terms of acceleration, the petrol-powered Innova sprints from 0 – 100 kmph in just 12.8 seconds with a top speed of 179 kmph whereas the diesel version of the car accelerates from 0 to 100 kmph in 15 seconds with a top speed of 149 kmph. Besides, the Toyota Innova comes with a fuel tank capacity of 55 litres.
EXTERIOR
The exterior of the Toyota Innova looks stylish. The front end of the car gets a prominent radiator grille with three chrome plated slats while the side profile of the Toyota Innova has simple but effective designs. The headlamps of the car are angular while the fog lamps are oval and both look good. Besides, the stylish body graphics and designed alloy wheels give the car a sporty look.
Dimensionally, the Toyota Innova measures 4585 mm in length, 1765 mm in width and 1760 mm in height. At the same time, the car has the class-leading 2750 mm of wheelbase along with the minimum ground clearance of 176 mm. The Toyota Innova comes in seven glittering colours- Dark Red Mica Metallic, Silver Mica Metallic, Grey Mica Metallic, Blue Metallic, White, Silky Gold Mica Metallic and Super White.
INTERIOR
The interior of the Toyota Innova is extremely stunning. The seats of the car are very comfortable and the dual tone seat covers are of really good quality. The Toyota Innova has ample leg room, knee room, head room and sufficient shoulder space.
The Toyota Innova is loaded with features such as leather covered steering wheel, keyless entry, power windows, reverse parking camera, spacious glove box, 6 inch touchscreen panel for audio, USB, Aux In and Bluetooth compatibility, dual zone air conditioning with remote controlled rear AC system, steering mounted controls, cup holders, warning lamps for driver information display.
In addition to these features, the Toyota Innova comes with an excellent boot space of 300 liters, which can be expanded up to 1128 liters by folding the rear rows.
PERFORMANCE
The Toyota Innova is a decent performer. The handling of the car is good and even at high speeds it is stable. The front suspension of the Toyota Innova consists of an independent coil with double wishbone and the rear suspension of the car consists of four link with lateral rod, which provide a comfortable ride. In terms of breaking, the front wheel of the car has disc brakes whereas the rear has drum brakes.
The Toyota Innova comes with a bunch of safety features like ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), dual front SRS air bags, child protector locks, side door impact beams, centralized door lock and three-points seatbelt for every row. Furthermore, the Toyota Innova is also equipped with an advanced safety feature called LSPV (Load Sensing Proportion Valve) which provides good braking performance.
ADVANTAGES
The Toyota Innova has good build quality and finish. The car has luxurious interiors with great cabin space.
DRAWBACKS
The Toyota Innova does not have traction control. Fuel efficiency of the Toyota Innova is not up to the mark. Besides, the large chrome grille of the car looks awkward.
VERDICT
The Toyota Innova is a highly reliable MPV. It is comfortable and spacious. The car has good drivability too. No doubt, the Toyota Innova is an excellent MPV for long distance travel. Moreover, the car has decent features which make it a leader in its class.
