Hello and welcome to LikeAutomotive. Toyota kick started the MPV revolution in India with the launch of its Qualis, which was succeeded by the Innova in 2005. Now after 11 years, we have the second generation Innova with us, it’s called the Innova Crysta, it’s new in almost every dimension and it goes the premium route. Well how does the Innova fare, we are here to find out.
2016 Toyota Innova Crysta Review, Interior and Specs
The Innova is now an attractive looking car with the frameless grille, projector headlights with DRLs, 17-inch alloy wheels and L-shaped tail lights. It has grown in size but the MPV profile is very evident from the side.The cabin of the new Toyota Innova Crysta has severely improved and looks very premium but the wheelbase remains the same. Quality is excellent and practicality is at the forefront here. It might be hot but I don’t feel dehydrated at all because the Innova has 20 bottle holders inside the cabin.
Now this car is made for the passenger, so yes the seats are very comfortable, there is good amount of legroom and knee room in the second row and headroom is also plenty. One can push forward the front co-passenger seat from behind to increase room even further. The seats are wide and supportive while the second row also gets tables. The last row is best used by kids even though it gets three proper seatbelts. The Innova has very flexible seating and luggage carrying options. It also gets two gloveboxes with the upper one being chilled. The side AC vents have bottle holders right in front and even the last row has a chilled bottle holder.
Toyota has loaded the Innova Crysta with a ton of features and the top-end ZX trim gets a half wooden steering, automatic climate control, smart key with keyless entry, electrically retracting outside mirrors, push button start, 8 way power adjustable driver’s seat, automatic headlights, touch-screen audio system with navigation, traction control, cruise control, ambient lighting, 7 airbags and a 3D instrument cluster with multi-information display.
Toyota has equipped the Innova with two all-new GD series of diesel engines. Now there is a 2.4-litre manual which gets a smooth shifting 5-speed gearbox and a light clutch but turn on the car and the gear lever vibrate a lot. There is a 2.8-litre automatic which gets a 6-speed gearbox and offers the convenience of stress free driving. Now both these engines offer fantastic NVH, there is very little vibration inside the cabin but what is bothersome is the motors get very vocal when you push it hard. Power delivery is very linear and redline comes in at 4500 RPM. There are two modes on offer – Eco and Power.
Now in Eco mode you can feel that the revs don’t rise very quickly but in Power mode, with the additional power and torque compared to the old Innova, the new model makes very Swift progress. In Normal driving mode, one gets the best of both worlds with the mid-range being the strongest point of the GD engines. Toyota has worked hard on the suspension of the new Innova and it really shows, the new model has very good ride quality, it absorbs every bump in its stride and clearly the focus is on comfort. The hydraulic steering is on the heavier side and there is quite a lot of body roll around corners but the vehicle handles quite well for its size as it is now 200 kgs heavier than before. It remains stable at high speeds with the brakes offering good stopping power.
From being a people mover, the Innova has now gone premium. This vehicle offers a lot of comfort and a ton of features on offer. Most importantly the performance and dynamics have improved drastically. Yes this does cost a lot of money but if you look at the big picture, the new Innova Crysta is undoubtedly the best vehicle to buy. Thank you so much for reading, make sure you like, share, comment to this site.