5 Things We Expect Toyota Innova Hycross To Do Better Than Innova Crysta

The Toyota Innova Hycross is set to make its India debut on November 25. The upcoming strong hybrid MPV will be sold alongside the existing Innova Crysta and is a completely different animal from its predecessor. It also brings a host of firsts to the Innova nameplate, especially with its architecture underneath the skin. The Innova Hycross will also be a more premium MPV than the Innova Crysta and here are five things we expect it to do better than its predecessor:

More Car-like Handling 

Let’s admit the fact that the existing Innova Crysta, with its body-on-frame architecture, has competent handling manners. In fact, in our Zig cornering test, when we pitched it against the Mahindra XUV700 and Tata Safari, both of which are based on monocoque architecture, the Innova Crysta is the one that came on top. 

With the Hycross, Toyota will be utilising a monocoque architecture, which is a first for the Innova nameplate. And with the new platform, we expect the MPV to be even easier and more car-like to drive than the Innova Crysta. 

A More Refined Powertrain 

Another first for the Innova Hycross is its new 2-litre, strong-hybrid powertrain option that’s expected to develop around 190 horses. A strong-hybrid engine will most of the time run in EV mode, especially in town, provided when there’s enough juice in the battery pack. And when it does so, the Hycross will definitely be more silent than the existing Crysta, which gets a 2.4-litre diesel (temporarily discontinued) and 2.7-litre petrol engine options. Plus, a strong-hybrid powertrain can prove to be very frugal as the engine runs only occasionally. 

Sure, the hybrid powertrain will definitely come at a cost, but Toyota will offer a base 2-litre petrol engine as well. Sadly, there won’t be a diesel engine option with the Hycross. 

Much Safer Than The Crysta 

The presence of ADAS features in the Hycross will be another debutant for the Innova nameplate. Its suite is expected to consist of adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, lane departure warning, auto high beam assist, and forward-collision avoidance assist. These will add an extra layer of safety over other passive safety features, expected to consist of multiple airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control, and ISOFIX child seat mounts. 

More Upmarket Features 

A leaked patent image has already hinted that the Innova Hycross will get a panoramic sunroof, another first for the Innova nameplate. Apart from that, we expect it to get some upmarket features (from the Hyryder) such as ventilated front seats, a head-up display, larger touchscreen infotainment system, dual-zone climate control, and a 360-degree camera. All of these features are currently not available in the Innova Crysta. 

Expected Price And Rivals 

With all these additions and tech, the Innova Hycross will definitely be pricier than the Crysta. At an expected starting price of around Rs 20 lakh, it will be a more premium alternative to the Kia Carens and Mahindra Marazzo. Deliveries for the MPV are slated to commence from January 2023 onwards. 

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