2016 Toyota Innova spotted testing in Bangalore

The next-generation Toyota Innova has been spotted testing in India for the first time. Expected to go on sale in 2016, the new Innova will ditch its decade-old architecture to adopt the new TNGA platform, which is Toyota’s answer to other scalable platforms by manufacturers like Volkswagen and Honda. The car was spotted in Bangalore and was being tested alongside the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga as a benchmark vehicle. 

Besides the new TNGA platform, the Innova will also get revised diesel engines and an automatic transmission. Going by the spy pictures, the overall body structure of the new car isn't very different from the current car, though the roofline does seem to be lowered to give it a sportier stance. The test mule had a new front grille, refreshed headlamps and tail lamps, a new set of alloy wheels and a roof mounted spoiler. The car will also be updated with new tech and a longer equipment list. 

The new TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) is a brand new architecture and will be first seen in the next-generation Prius. The platform will be scalable to be used in cars from multiple segments and will also benefit from shared components to save costs. The new platform is a response to the host of safety recalls which have marred the company’s products in the last decade as well as to keep up with the competition. 

The Toyota Innova was launched in India back in 2005 as a replacement for the company’s popular workhorse, the Qualis. Despite being more premium and expensive than the car it replaced, the Innova turned out to be a cash cow for Toyota. While the Japanese manufacturer has been struggling to sell the rest of its line-up in India, the sales of the Innova have been pretty consistent over these years. The Innova goes up against other MUVs like the Mahindra Xylo and the upcoming Renault Lodgy. The current car suffers from many refinement issues in the engine and gearbox department, though we expect these problems to be sorted out in the next generation car.