We drove the 2012 Toyota Innova before its scheduled Auto Expo launch and were impressed by the list of upgraded gadgets. Let us hope Toyota keep us happy as regards the price of this revised MPV
Multi-purpose vehicles (MPV) have the simple task of ferrying people from one place to another comfortably and efficiently. They are meant to be durable, easy to maintain and fuel-efficient. This might not sound like a daunting task, but making a good MPV is a lot tougher than it seems. No wonder half-a-dozen car manufacturers in India have been trying to strike the right balance, but unfortunately very few have succeeded. As we all know well, the Toyota Innova is one such success story with over three lakh units sold since its launch some six years ago. Interestingly, this vehicle still has buyers making a beeline for the Toyota showrooms and commands a waiting period.
However, there were areas for improvement, the first thing that comes to the mind being its design. To enhance the product’s appeal and to keep the cash register ringing, Toyota decided to give the Innova another mid-life upgrade. As you must have guessed, this is strictly superficial, for the MPV still retains the two engine options: a four-cylinder D-4D common rail diesel engine producing 102 PS and 200 Nm and the other a VVT-i petrol motor that can churn out 132 PS and 181 Nm. Both these engines are mated to a five-speed manual transmission and are well engineered products. The Innova has become popular both among fleet-owners and families who enjoy long drives or do a lot of inter-city travelling.
Most of the changes in the 2012 version are very subtle, the idea being to make the MPV appear more sophisticated and contemporary. Among the obvious is the new front design, which has Camry-inspired horizontal, wraparound headlamps replacing the older tear-shaped ones. The chrome, trapezoidal front grille is wider and conforms to Toyota’s family design. The front bumper is chunkier than before and now houses circular fog lamps. The V-shaped character-lines on the bonnet are more prominent, which, together with the horizontal treatment, give the front a wider appearance.
The new Innova gets indicator-integrated outer rear-view mirrors, though the side profile remains unchanged apart from the skirting and alloy wheels in a new shape. The rear styling has also been slightly altered with better looking tail-lights. The revised version loses the ‘Innova’ badge and now has the name embossed on the larger, chrome boot-lid insert. The rear bumper has been retained without the parking sensor, but now with a camera under the chrome insert. Yes, the top-of-the-line Innova VX now boasts of a reverse camera with display to assist parking.
As I hopped into this revised Toyota to explore more, I was welcomed by a dual-tone dashboard and seats that make the car look plusher than before. It now has the Toyota Corolla’s horizontal instrument console with a six-inch touch-screen infotainment system complete with Bluetooth, auxiliary and USB ports. The display, when connected to a mobile device via Bluetooth, shows the network range and battery life of the device and can even play the music stored in that device.
The four-spoke steering wheel with controls mounted on it has also been borrowed from the aforementioned sedan. I must say that these gadgets may seem of little consequence on paper, but come in really handy on long drives. The use of artificial wood trims has been reduced and brush metal has been introduced.
Then there are other features such as dual auto air-conditioning, rear window defogger and two new body colour options: Silky Gold Mica Metallic and Blue Metallic.
With all these design enhancements Toyota have kept the mechanics untouched and the Innova retains its driver-friendly behaviour and remains a fatigue-free driving machine. The 2012 version will be officially launched during the 2012 Auto Expo in New Delhi and we suppose it will be a little more expensive than the current version. We hope Toyota do not get overly ambitious while pricing this revised Innova, because the competition along with new buyers will be waiting with bated breath.
Story: Sarmad Kadiri
Photography: Rommel Albuquerque
