One of the best selling cars in its segment, the Toyota Innova's spacious interiors gives its long distance customers enough room to stretch their limbs in every direction.
Toyota Innova
So you have six people and a couple of bags to carry across distances in comfort in one car, what do you do? Toyota came up with the answer way back in 2005 with the sleek looking Innova. After a successful stint in the MUV segment with the popular but dated Qualis, Toyota decided to go the chic and sophisticated way with the Innova.
Step inside and you are greeted by acres of space. The interiors are light and airy with the beige interiors adding further to the modern appeal. At the rear, passengers are spoilt with separate AC vents and loads of legroom, irrespective of the variant you choose. Luggage space does get eaten up in the eight seater version though.
The 2.5-litre D-4D engine may not be the most refined of the lot, but certainly is very capable at lugging all the load you may throw at it. The 2-litre petrol engine option is an added advantage and increases the appeal of the vehicle for large families to travel within the city. Fuel irrespective, the vehicles pulls away seamlessly with just a light progressive input on the throttle. With a great engine, well appointed interiors and Toyota's legendary reliability, the Innova definitely moves people in style across cities and over state-lines. Clearly, this is our no-brainer choice for the best mainstream MPV in the country.
Quick Facts:
PETROL
Engine: 1,998cc, inline four, VVTi
Power: 136PS @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 182Nm @ 4,000rpm
DIESEL
Engine: 2,494cc, inline four, D-4D
Power: 102PS@ 5,600rpm
Torque: 200Nm @ 1,400rpm
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 2750mm
LxWxH: 4555 x 1770 x 1755mm
Weight: 1510-1585kg
Variants:
PETROL (BS IV, 8-Seater)
2.0 G1: '8.78 lakh
2.0 GX: '9.72 lakh
2.0 VX: '11.52 lakh
DIESEL (BS IV, 7-Seater)
2.5 G1: '9.43 lakh
2.5 GX: '10.32 lakh
2.5 VX: '11.83 lakh
Cheers:
1. Great mix of reliability, refinement and comfort make it an equally appealing car for
fleets and families.
2. Lots of space on the inside, irrespective of seating configuration.
Sneers:
1. Looks rather plain when compared to the competition
2. Diesel engine could do with more refinement
Honourable Mentions
Mahindra Xylo
Mahindra’s attack on the Innova territory comes with a decided Indian flavour, be it the aggressive, big and butch design or its price factor. Already a hit in small towns and rural India banking on Mahindra’s strong brand name in these areas, the Xylo offers a great alternative take on a segment that has been dominated by the Japanese MPV.
