Toyota-Innova

The Qualis’ replacement is a multi-purpose vehicle that Toyota hopes will appeal to a vast range of customers, especially those whose priorities are comfort, space and reliability. So, is it the perfect answer to the needs of an assortment of customers, a sort of one-size-fits-all? :
Forget the pics, the Innova is much larger in the flesh. It is in fact 80mm longer than a Scorpio. It also looks nothing like its UV rivals despite sharing a gene pool. The Innova's from the same lineage as the unattractive but still-loved Qualis; Toyota has skipped an entire generation from the ugly duckling to bring its model range up to date. It’s still two-box rather than mono-volume, with safe but contemporary detailing. There’s a sweeping bonnet and raked windscreen, and the car’s commercial-vehicle proportions and slab sides are disguised under a sloping roof, an irregularly shaped D-pillar and mildly flared wheel arches. Also very interesting, the stylized rear with its oversized wraparound tail-lights. Still, it can’t escape the MPV or van-like look, and it will be interesting to see how it fares in the image-conscious Indian market.
It’s not a monologue design: the IMV platform on which the Innova (and three light trucks) is based uses a dedicated ‘C in C’ section.Toyota claims an impressive 1590kg Kerb weight, despite it being larger than its rivals — the Scorpio weighs 290kg more.

The Innova has coil springs on all four wheels, independent wishbones up front and a four-link rear setup, and a low centre of gravity, which point to good ride and handling.
The Innova's greatest strength, without a doubt, lies inside. Spacious, well appointed, comfortable and well equipped, it’s everything you want in a car of this class. The quality for one is up to Corolla standards. The plastics and fit and finish are spot-on, and the ergonomics and clarity are exemplary.
You also immediately notice the width — it’s as wide as an E-class inside! To add to this legroom, seat height and the seats themselves are top-class, better than even the Safari. Even the tallest drivers can get comfortable behind the wheel, and this seems to have little effect on rear seat comfort. The seats are supportive, well padded and bolstered, and the placement and design of cubby holes and bottle holders is great. The Innova also has the most useable and comfortable rear seats in the class, and the split seat reclines individually. Here, you sit low and legroom is tight, but it’s comfortable, even on long drives. With its twin compressors and blowers for every passenger, we expected the Innova to be chillier, but the large volume of the cabin meant it took time to cool.
Cargo capacity with all three rows in place is not generous but again, far better than all its rivals, and it’ll still stow a few duffels all seats in place. With rear seats folded up and away, you get a massive 1128 litres. The rear seats fold sideways and up, but can't be completely removed like in the Tavera and Scorpio, to offer some more luggage space.
The Innova comes with a choice of diesel and petrol engines. The diesel, likely to be the most popular choice, is a 2.5-litre common rail turbo-diesel with 102bhp and 20.39kgm of twist, which cope well with the Innova’s relatively low weight. Diesel clatter and vibrations are muted, and it's significantly quieter than the Tavera but the Scorpio with its new CRDe engine is a match for it.
Off the line, the Innova is very responsive and tugs you forward from as low as 1200rpm. There's very little turbo-lag and with peak torque from as low as 1400rpm, the Innova canters effortlessly.
The relatively short gear ratios are perfectly matched to the engine's power and torque characteristics, and complement the superb drivability. What the Innova lacks, however, is the top-end punch of the Scorpio. It’s comfortable, but not a vehicle to really push in. The long-throw gearbox is UV-derived but it’s light, direct and better than on many cars. Fuel economy is pretty good in the city, at 10.3kpl, but falters on the highway, with only 12.7kpl.
With the petrol, Toyota hopes to take on similarly priced luxury saloons, and in most respects, it's actually a good match for them. This 2.0-litre 136bhp, 18.6kgm four-cylinder motor comes with double overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder — pure saloon spec, the first use of variable valve timing in an Indian MUV. Performance is generally brisk, once you get the engine on the boil. However, most of this grunt is concentrated high up in the rev-band: peak power is at a fairly low 5600rpm, peak torque at a high 4000. This means the bottom-end isn't as punchy and urgent as it could be, but it surges forward once you get it above the 4000rpm mark. While cruising around town though, you do need to keep slipping from third into second to get some shove.
Refinement is superb; it’s silent at idle with little vibration filtering through the cabin and impressively quiet at cruising speeds as well. But, push it to the 6100rpm redline and the motor get noisier — this is largely due to the incessant whine from the mechanical fan at high revs. What truly surprised was the top-end performance. Floor the throttle and the Innova don’t let up and goes on to hit a maximum speed of 179kph. Cruising is the Innova's great strength: it's effortless, silent, stable and massively comfortable. With a strong mid-range and top end, overtaking is a piece of cake, and open stretches are a joy.
It returns 7.7kpl in the city and 11.3kpl on the highway, which is quite commendable. On the road, it drives as well as many saloons. Body roll is well contained, and it feels unflappable. The steering isn't as light as the Qualis’, but at speed, this translates into a well-weighted and accurate helm that gives superb feedback. The Innova's stoicism lets you cruise steadily without harrying the passengers. Keep the motor boiling, the corners flowing and it truly is pleasant to drive, like piloting a big friendly Boeing. And the decent grip and handling aren’t at the expense of ride quality. It's only on really rough roads that the Innova’s soft front suspension pitches a bit. Low-speed ride is as plush as a saloon, with very few irregularities getting through, and the chassis’ ability to swallow large craters at speed without drama is extraordinary. When loaded with seven passengers, the rear suspension did bottom out on a speed breaker or two. In the city it does feel large but is drivable once you’re used to the bulk. It shrinks somewhat around the driver and you’re soon overtaking as and when large gaps open up. However, it does tend to get frustrating when the two-meter-wide girth (with mirrors) forces you to wait behind traffic for a larger opening.
You also do, however, have to keep the length of the Innova in mind, especially when cutting back after overtaking and when taking tight corners. Rear visibility is poor and parking is a problem at the best of times, many spots impossible to squeeze into.
Toyota has positioned the Innova as an MPV that will be bought more for private use and not a replacement for the Qualis. A transport solution that is well built, easy to drive, rides and handles well, is powered by a powerful pair of engines and seats up to seven passengers (or eight, depending on the version) in comfort, the Innova has everything going for it, including the considerable weight exerted by the Toyota badge.
We expect it to be reliable, well supported by dealers and slow to depreciate in the second-hand market. If the van image isn't too big a hurdle for buyers, Toyota could be onto something big here.