Yes, the Toyota Innova. So many of them have been sold to the point that random road photos will have at least one photo bomb the shot. One of the biggest reasons why it’s sold so well is the fact that it’s a diesel. We’ve written about how the next generation will no longer have a diesel option but will have a gasoline hybrid option available. This is why we’d like to look at the Hycross – from India this time – and go through its specs and features to see if it will fit in the PH.
Toyota Innova Hycross – what we are hoping we get
Late last year, the Innova Zenix Hybrid was launched in Indonesia. Now we’ve looked at other markets that have the same offering, and this time we have a pretty good spec and feature sheet from India. Now without further ado, let’s have a look at what it offers. We’ll be looking at the highest-spec variant, by the way.
Photo: Toyota
The exterior has been redesigned for the new generation Innova, but it still does retain some very familiar cues. This time, it does get a stronger honeycomb grill and a more muscular bumper. Toyota equipped it with what they call the “Tri-Eye” LED headlight units, and as a first, dual-function DRLs that also serve as turning lamps up front.
At the rear, LED taillights have also been fitted onto the Innova, and its sharp shoulder lines, curved tailgate, and the addition of a spoiler give it a bigger look from the back. Rounding up the exterior are 18″ alloys for the top-spec variant and a 17″ set for the lower specs.
Photo: Toyota
Hopping into the front seats, you’ll find a more modern interior and dash. The Innova Hycross gets ventilated seats in front, a lot of soft-touch panels all around and on the dash, a combination digi-analog cluster with a 7-inch TFT display, an 8-way Powered Driver Seat
with Memory Function, a multi-zone climate control, as well as a 10-inch infotainment system with a 9-speaker JBL setup.
Photo: Toyota
It’s still a 7-seater so space is abundant inside. The occupants in the rear get a panoramic sunroof, roof-mounted air conditioning vents, sunshades for the middle-row windows, powered ottoman middle-row seats, and fold-flat 3rd-row seats.
Quilted dark later colored in chestnut is the upholstery of choice for this Innova.
Photo: Toyota
Powering the Hycross is the latest 2.0-liter Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) Petrol Engine combined with a hybrid electric motor based on the most advanced 5th-generation self-charging hybrid electric technology. It comes complete with paddle shifters connected to the Direct Shift CVT and also comes with a Drive Mode switch and an E-Drive transmission. Given the new hybrid technology, Toyota claims that the Innova Hycross can run up to 21.1 km/L.
Photo: Toyota
As far as safety features go, there are a lot of them. The list is extensive, but we’d like to highlight that it comes with 6 SRS airbags, a remote immobilizer, a Find My Car function, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Trace Assist, a 360-degree camera view by way of the infotainment screen, and Front and Rear Parking Sensors.
The rest of the Toyota Safety Sense suite also comes into play featuring Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Auto High Beam, Blind Spot Monitor, Pre-Collision System (Warning), and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.
Photo: Toyota
As we can see, the Toyota Innova Hycross has a lot of good stuff going for it. The next question, as we’ve already asked previously, is if and when the same-spec model will make it to PH shores. Toyota Motor Philippines is still mum, but we’d like to think this is an opportunity that they won’t let pass them by.
The Innova has raked in sales year after year, and positioning a model such as this properly can get them more sales in the many years to come.
We’re waiting, Toyota PH.
