Toyota Innova is a multi purpose vehicle manufactured by Toyota Kirloskar Motors. Launched in the international markets in 2003, Toyota Innova was introduced in India in 2005 and has been the hottest selling MPV in the country ever since.
Toyota brought in Innova as a replacement to its ageing Toyota Qualis. The Innova is a more stylish and comfortable vehicle which promises a great performance too. There is a seating capacity for 7 to 8 people in its flexible design. The Innova is available in both petrol and diesel models.
The latest version of Innova looks all the more stylish, yet contemporary, with its chrome grille, angular headlights, protruding signal lamps, oval fog lamps and massive wheels. It is 4.6 metres long and decently wide at almost 1.8 metres. It has a respectable ground clearance of 176 mm.
The Innova comes with a powerful 2.5-litre common rail turbo-diesel engine which is capable of producing 100 bhp of power and 200 Nm of torque. The petrol engine is a 2 litre unit that produces 130 bhp of maximum power. The engines are mated to a five speed manual transmission gear box. The newly designed rear 4-link suspension enhances the riding comfort on rough and bumpy roads. The Innova gives a mileage of 14 kilometres per litre on an average.
The interiors of the car have been designed in such a way that even long distance travel is comfortable and easy. The well cushioned seats offer ample leg and head space. The two-tone dash with a matte finish on top, wooden inserts on the sides of the central console and good quality switches and knobs impart a luxurious look to the cabin.
The Innova is equipped with safety features like Load Sensing Proportion Valve, Anti-lock Braking System, dual front airbags, side door impact beams, 3-point seatbelts for every row, child protector locks, theft deterrent system, among others. The other features include an audio system with Bluetooth and DVD compatibility, steering mounted controls, reverse camera, power windows, dual zone air conditioning and power steering.
There are more than twenty variants of the car including EV, G, GX, VX and ZX, ranging in the price range of Rs. 9,51,381 to Rs. 15,06,711. It is available in White, Super White II, Silver Metallic, Beige Mica Metallic, Black Mica, Dark Red Mica Metallic, Light Green Mica Metallic and Champagne Mica Metallic colours. Currently, the Innova competes well with other MPVs such as Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, Tata Aria and Mahindra Xylo.
The downside of this vehicle can be attributed to its sheer size and huge cost of ownership. However, Toyota Innova is the perfect car if you have a large family or if you are a frequent road traveller.
