The media drive of the all new Toyota Innova Crysta got me a bit nostalgic at first. This is a car that many of us saw since when we were school kids and also grew watching. It did evolve over the years keeping styling and equipment levels up to date, but how often do you see a car brand run for 11 years straight? The last time a car sold for more than a decade, it was nothing less than a Lamborghini. Coming back to the present, the Innova Crysta has been launched in India and promises to be a game changer for the Japanese car giant.
First look at the Innova Crysta won’t have you believed that this car has grown in all directions. It is only when you see the older car along with the new one that you notice the difference. What you also notice is that the front now looks a lot more car-like than before with immense amounts of detailing. The company has designed it to look more like an SUV than an MPV. There are new projector headlights with DRLs, a huge front grille and two chrome lines that run into the headlights to give it a seamless look. The sides have lost the bulk and the new 17-inch alloys look great for an MPV. The rear gets unique looking sickle shaped taillights which merge with the tailgate to make the rear hatch area look like a boat.
On the insides, the Innova Crysta comes truly loaded. This interior could easily belong to a D-segment sedan and has no rights to have its place in an MPV. Fit and finish on the smallest of parts is impeccable and you get a sense of safety when you are inside this beautiful cabin. The rear captain seats feel even more special. There is a U-shaped lining on the roof which houses the blue ambient lighting, the intensity of which can be adjusted to suit your mood. There are splashes of wood and metal all over the cabin which makes this interior look very premium. There is a 7-inch touchscreen display on the centre console that lets you control your sat nav, phone via Bluetooth and also doubles up as the reverse camera display. The instrument cluster again is a work of art and houses a 4.2-inch MFD which provides you with a wide range of functions including GPS notifications. Comfort in the first two rows is brilliant, while the third row offers more than enough room for passengers.
The Toyota Innova Crysta is offered with two engines “ a 2.8-litre diesel mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox and a 2.4-litre diesel mated to a 5-speed manual. The 2.8-litre engine develops 174 BHP and feels strong from the word go. There is loads of torque (360 Nm of it!) which is what you exactly want from a car of this size and weight. The 6-speed auto box is very smooth with shifting and is quick to downshift and hold a gear when you are in a hurry. The 2.4-litre engine makes 148 BHP and given credit to the manual gearbox feels much more fun to drive. The 5-speed manual though has very long throws and feels notchy. Both engines get the car to serious triple digit speed quite effortlessly but it is the smaller motor that feels more relaxed while cruising out on the highway.
Toyota has also tuned the Innova Crysta’s suspension to perfection. The car feels extremely stable at high speeds and soaks up road imperfections beautifully. The suspension is a tad firmer than before but in no way does it affect cabin comfort. Handling is predictable and brakes offer good stopping power. The steering won’t inspire confidence though as this unit feels heavy at city speeds and a tad loose at high speeds, giving it an inconsistent feel. The Toyota Innova Crysta comes loaded with safety features like 7 airbags, ABS with EBD and BA, stability control and hill start assist.
Toyota has done a fantastic job and taken the game to a whole new level with the new Innova Crysta. This is undeniably the ultimate car you can buy from the market if your choice of preference is the rear seat.
