Toyota Innova Crysta review, test drive

That said, a big improvement over the earlier car is performance. The new 2.4 diesel makes around 50bhp more than the current car at 147bhp, and the Innova, as a result, has a greater spring in its step. This is easily detectable every time I put my foot down, be it in traffic or out on the open road. There is a bit of lag from the variable nozzle turbo, and the bottom end is nowhere as direct or as strong as the current car, but the six-speed automatic gearbox and engine work so well together, the lag is well masked. This allows it to make up gaps in traffic quite easily, the muscular midrange of the engine coming in quite strongly and carrying the Innova away on a wave of torque. Even part throttle responses are much stronger and this lends an air of effortlessness to the Innova – something sorely lacking in the current car. And it even feels reasonably quick when you drive it flat out, the engine pulling all the way to 4500rpm.

What makes the whole experience much nicer is the quick-shifting and responsive automatic gearbox, which I find works well both in manual and automatic modes. And the three driving modes it has work well too. ‘Eco’ has enough power to be useable in city traffic without causing loads of frustration, ‘Normal’ is good enough for most situations and ‘Power’    delivers so much midrange punch, it actually is quite fun to drive.

Refinement isn’t great, though. Yes, it is pretty silent at cruising speeds and then the engine is pretty smooth too. But there is some clatter at idle, it gets vocal under load and feels strained and gruff past 3500rpm.

A NEW DAWN

The new Innova is a huge step forward for Toyota. This is because this is not just a new Innova, but an all-new type of Innova. More comfortable and luxurious on the inside, it is larger, better equipped and more attractive. And what it does effectively is blur the lines between practical transport and personal mobility. Even performance, an old weakness, is pretty strong. Yes, the steering is a bit heavy and engine refinement should have been better, but there’s just no denying this is a whole lot more car here. Question is, will car buyers be willing to pay the 15 or 20 percent more that Toyota is likely to charge for around 20 or 30 percent more car?

And should travelers who hire the Innova be willing to pay that 15 or 20 percent more for the greater comfort and luxury on offer? The answer, in brief, is yes – it’s that big a step forward. Sure, the Innova is initially likely to be struck by sticker shock and this could mean a slow start, but eventually sales will ramp up as customers appreciate the elevated positioning and the altered goals. And then, the taxi operators with their slavish adherence to a brand will pitch in. That’s Toyota’s plan at least; let’s wait and watch.