Toyota Innova Facelift

The Innova is one of the most successful cars in this country. Of course, that does not mean we can directly compare the sales figures with the Alto or any car for the top ten list for that matter – but consider this, even the most basic variant of Innova has an on-road price of well over Rs 10 lakh.

Since its launch in 2005, the Innova has been a steady seller for the Japanese carmaker and the reason behind this is very simple, it offers incredible utility with a touch of luxury. Also the Toyota badge brings with it reliability, low ownership cost and resale value, but things might change soon – the rivals are catching up, their products are less expensive, have bigger features list and are powered by better drivetrains compared to this decade old people carrier.

While Toyota is waiting to unveil the all-new Innova in a year’s time, it has released this updated car as a stopgap arrangement to get it back into the limelight.

A comprehensive facelift of the Innova was launched at the 2012 Auto Expo, which is when the creases on the bonnet, the angular headlamps, new alloy-wheels and refreshed tailgate appeared. None of these have been altered, only a few extra bits have been added that enhance the street presence.

The front grille is inspired from the Fortuner – it is all-chrome with thick horizontal stats that look like a shield. The front bumper is also a little different and it now has chrome inserts for the fog lamp surrounds.

The side profile is exactly the same unless you are looking at the new top-end ‘Z’ variant, it has a roof spoiler, body graphics and bigger side molding. The rear end stays, albeit with some more chrome and a couple of reflectors.

I think the previous version of the Innova was more pleasing to the eyes – the new grille is disproportionate and has so much chrome that drivers in the opposite lanes might blind themselves from reflection, if they use the high beam! That said there is no denying the fact that this Innova has solid street presence and there is no need to worry much about the styling as the people carriers are not bought for their looks.

The Z variant gets dual tone leather upholstery, but the rest of the cabin is very familiar. It is roomy with dual-tone combination of beige and light grey. Despite this, the Innova interiors don’t feel luxurious especially considering the fact that it is priced in competition with the D-Segment sedans.

The music system with silver inserts seems aftermarket, the sound is ordinary and the visibility under bright light is quite poor. The Innova is an old car and that is evident when you look at the features list; some of the very basic amenities are missing – front seat belts are not adjustable, no dead pedal, driver side window with no auto-up function and only the co-driver gets a vanity mirror and that too without a light.

From the utility perspective though there is nothing to complain about – there is ample room in the first two rows and the third row is not half bad, it is quite comfortable for children and even teenagers (provided you have one of the top trims with rear AC vents!). There are plenty of cubby holes, bottle holders and cabin lamps in the car; also the AC is efficient with rear coolers and vents for both the second and third row.

The engine of the Innova is the same four-cylinder 2.5-litre diesel – the BSIV version gets an intercooler, while the BSIII has to make do without one. We drove the diesel BSIV that pumps 101bhp and 200Nm of torque in and around Mumbai City. The drivability in the City is fantastic, there is no turbo lag and short gearing means there is ample torque to negotiate speed bumps and potholes.

On the other hand, the drive on highways is a bit disappointing; here the short ratios work against the 1.7 ton MUV. The Innova does 100kph at 2,700rpm in fifth gear and that is awful for both the efficiency and cabin noise. The real world efficiency is between 9kpl and 11kpl, a tall fifth gear or an extra gear could do wonders to this number. The vibrations can be felt on the gear lever from the moment you crank the engine and they won’t ease at any rpm. The five-speed gearbox is smooth and the clutch isn’t too heavy, but the gear throws are too long and needs time getting used to.

The ride and handling of the Innova makes up for the flaks it receives for being unrefined and under-equipped. The Innova feels very much like a car, only heavier. In terms of handling, it is a lot superior to other body-on-frame UVs and also feels better than the XUV500 which has a monocoque chassis.

There is plenty of body roll (that is obvious given its size!), but the Innova is predictable and easy to manoeuvre, at high speed. The hydraulic steering is a tad bit heavy at low speeds, but weighs up nicely with speed. I was not impressed with the braking – there is actually nothing wrong with it, the Innova does not twitch or nose dive even under panic braking; just that I will be happier if the brakes had more bite. The ride is a bit bouncy on rough roads, especially if there isn’t enough load in the car; but the highway comforts at cruising speeds are absolutely unmatched.

The Innova is a very old model and hence scores poorly on refinement and convenience (in terms of features), but despite that, it is still the most comfortable UV in the segment. Add to this Toyota’s brand image and you have a product that is competent. It has worked in their favour for the last couple of years since the competition is lackluster, but the Japanese carmaker needs to get its act together. For now the Innova is good enough, mainly due to lack of options. But the MUV’s dominance might come under serious threat soon, if they don’t improve the overall package.