Bigger, bolder and more chic
The Toyota Innova Crysta continues to be a workhorse but the Japanese have made this multi-purpose vehicle a lot more stylish, comfortable and luxurious, writes Joshua David Luther
Toyota’s new Innova Crysta is bigger and bolder than its predecessor. It’s got a bit of oomph too with its stylish looks and chic interiors. But is the Innova charm still intact? Let’s find out. The Innova Crysta is 150 mm longer, 65 mm broader and 38 mm taller than the older version of the Innova. And, it also gets bigger engines and is now being offered with a 2.8-litre diesel engine and a 2.7-litre petrol motor. When I took turns driving the diesel and the petrol variants, I realised that the diesel model seemed much better at speed and acceleration. The petrol engine, though a tad lazy, makes the vehicle feel quite refined and smooth.
In terms of numbers, the 2,755cc, four-cylinder, 16V, GD diesel engine puts out 171.5bhp at 3,400rpm, while the 2,694cc, four-cylinder, 16, VVT-i petrol motor can muster a total of 163.7bhp at 5,200rpm. The diesel engine also has a much better torque figure when compared with the petrol motor. It churns out 360Nm, which is at your disposal from 1,200rpm to 3,400rpm. The petrol motor pushes out 245Nm at 4,000rpm, which sits quite high in the rev band.
The diesel mill is better suited for the Innova. The reason being, it has more torque that is available very low in the rpm band (at just 1,200rpm) and goes all the way up to 3,400rpm — the same rpm level at which the engine also puts out its peak power of 171.5 horses. The 2.8-litre diesel also attains a higher power figure much quicker in the rpm band than the petrol engine. But then, the 2.7-litre petrol engine is much more refined, smooth and free of irritating jerks. Both the vehicles that I tested had their engines mated to six-speed automatic transmissions. The Innova Crysta is also available with a five-speed manual transmission.
The automatic sequential transmission feels a lot more at home when mated with the petrol motor. It is smooth and the shifts are quite seamless. That is not the case when it is mated to the diesel mill, wherein the upshifts are a bit more obvious.
The Innova Crysta also has options of switching to a ‘power mode’ or an ‘eco mode’. While the power mode caters to a sporty drive and gives the driver full advantage of the engine's potential, the eco mode is useful in city traffic where fuel efficiency takes a big hit. Speaking of efficiency, the Innova Crysta’s 2.7-litre petrol automatic returns close to 15 kmpl, while the diesel is only slightly better than that.
This new Innova Crysta is no different when it comes to long drives and the immense comfort it offers. The multipurpose vehicle glides over bad or broken roads with ease, although one needs to be careful over big potholes as occupants can get tossed about a bit. Toyota has also managed to engineer perfection into the braking setup with this vehicle. he vehicle feels a lot more premium than before. The cabin oozes luxury and the senses are treated to a rich mix of leather, wood and exquisite materials. In terms of features, one gets an optimum blend of options — ranging from automatic climate control, automatic headlamps, power adjustable driver seats, ambient lighting and a touch screen infotainment setup with Bluetooth, AUX and USB capability to steering mounted controls, push button start stop, leather upholstery, cooling box, welcome lamps, projector headlamps with daytime running lamps and electrically adjustable retractable outer rear view mirrors.
The Innova Crysta also offers one-touch tumble second row seats, easy slide front passenger seat, foldable seatback tables with cup holders for the second row and plenty of smartly placed cubby holes and storage spaces.
When it comes to safety, the vehicle has anti-lock braking system with electronic brakeforce distribution on offer along with seven airbags, vehicle stability management, hill start assist control and a pitch and bounce control. The Innova Crysta now also has smooth flowing lines, which give it an SUV-like appeal, while offering the best of comfort a multipurpose vehicle can. The seats are comfortable with plenty of support and bolstering.
All this put together makes it a far more evolved version of its earlier self.
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