Toyota has finally showcased its top-of-the-line MPV, the Toyota Innova Hycross in India today. This is only days after it made its debut in Indonesia. While the prices will be announced during next year’s Auto Expo, we do know that Toyota will offer the Hycross in five different variants and two engine options – petrol and a strong-hybrid one. Prices are expected to start from Rs 20 lakh and go all the way up to Rs 30 lakh (ex-showroom).
While the new Innova is called the ‘Zenix’ internationally, it will be sold under the ‘Hycross’ badge on our shores alongside the existing Innova Crysta. And there many highlight-worthy changes which differentiate the two. For instance, the Hycross is the first Innova to come with a hybrid powertrain option and will be built on a monocoque platform.
Other visual changes include its SUV-like design, with an upright grille, a huge front bumper, a raised bonnet and body cladding all around. Even the front grille has now been updated and comes with a gunmetal finish. Flanking it are two sleek-looking LED headlamps, which seemingly blend into the bodywork.
f you take a look from the side and rear, the SUV-like silhouette will be more evident, with an upright shoulder line, big wheel arches, a roof-mounted spoiler and chunky-looking LED tail lights. The 10-inch spoke alloy wheels come finished in chrome. Overall, the Hycross is slightly lengthier and wider than the Crysta, with a 4,755mm length and 1,850mm width. Even the wheelbase is 100mm longer on the Hycross. The Innova Hycross will be available in 7 and 8-seat layouts, with the former getting two captain’s chairs in the middle row (first-in-the-segment).
Things couldn’t be more different on the inside, with a new multi-layered dashboard design which now houses a larger 10.1-inch floating touchscreen. Other noteworthy features here include a 4.2-inch driver’s aid display, a semi-digital instrument cluster, a dashboard-mounted gear console and a dual-tone theme. The equipment and feature list here consist of ventilated front seats, a 9-speaker JBL audio system, paddle shifters, multi-zone climate control, a powered tail gate, ambient lighting and of course, a panoramic sunroof.
In addition to all of this, the Hycross comes with ADAS tech like adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring system, rear cross-traffic alert, pre-collision system and more. Safety here is handled by six airbags, ABS with EBD, ESP, three-point seatbelts and traction control.
Gone is the older diesel motor, replaced with a choice of either a 2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine (174PS) or a 2-litre strong-hybrid petrol powertrain (186PS), both with front-wheel-drive. Transmission here will be handled by a CVT gearbox on the ICE variant and an e-CVT gearbox on the hybrid. Toyota claims that the Hycross Hybrid can deliver a fuel efficiency of 21.1kmpl and can do a 0-100kmph run in just under 10 seconds!
Once the prices are announced, the Innova Hycross will go up against the Kia Carnival, Mahindra Marazzo and even the Kia Carens.
