Toyota Innova Crysta

Exterior

The Innova Crysta looks longer and wider from the outside. Although the Crysta has a typical MPV silhouette, it definitely looks sharper and nicer than before. The massive grille up-front boasts of two thick chrome bars above and black slats below. Flanked by the grille is a pair of LED and projector headlamps that look like the edges of a samurai sword. The bonnet has raised definitions on both sides, and the side profile remains tidy, with a definition for the rear wheel arches that house 17-inch alloy wheels. At the rear, the upside-down L-shaped tail lamps look very stylish.

Variants

The Toyota Innova Crysta variants are as follows: G, GX, VX, ZX, and ZX (AT). Features include tilt and telescopic steering, rear defogger, ambient lighting, leather-wrapped steering, automatic climate control, 7-inch touchscreen infotainment display with DVD player and navigation, keyless entry and go, Bluetooth telephony and voice recognition, cruise control, hill-start assist, automatic headlamps and 8-way power adjustable driver seat. On the safety front, it is equipped with 7 airbags, vehicle stability control, speed-sensing door locks, reversing camera and ABS.

Interior

Space has always been the Innova's forte, and the Crysta is no exception. The seats up-front are wide and supportive; the second row of seats are comfortable too but are not electrically adjustable. However, the seats do slide forward and backward and recline as well. There are also fold-out tables behind the front seats, and the second row can also fold down for access to the rear-most row. This particular row is best used by adults with a small frame or children. For a third occupant, there's even a seat belt that springs from the roof. Luggage space isn't a hassle either, with the third row of seats up. You also get a lot of cubbyholes around and two gloveboxes in the dashboard. The dashboard looks premium with that strip of silver across it. Also, the leather and wood-trim steering looks posh and has a lot of controls on it. On the roof, you will find white LED ambient lighting. There are also air-con vents for the second and third rows. An overall look at the lounge-like interior justifies the substantial bump in Toyota Innova Crysta on-road price over the model it replaces.

Engine Specifications & Performance

The Toyota Innova Crysta new model is powered by two diesel engine options and a petrol engine: a 2.4-litre diesel engine that produces 148bhp and 343Nm of torque, a 2.8-litre diesel engine that makes 172bhp and 360Nm of torque and a 2.7-litre petrol engine that makes 164bhp and 245Nm of torque. While the former is paired to a 5-speed manual gearbox, the latter is mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox. And the petrol engine gets the choice of both transmissions. On starting the 2.4-litre diesel engine, it does sound a bit coarse; even at higher revs. But it would be safe to say that it has improved over the old model. Power is strong and linear, making it an ideal highway cruiser, but the clutch feels a bit heavy for use in traffic. It also gets three driving modes: Eco, Normal and Power. While Eco is best suited to mileage driving, Normal mode delivers a good combination of power and frugality, while Power mode betters throttle responses. The 2.8-litre diesel motor is a powerful one, with a nought to 100kph coming up in 11.5 seconds. Even the automatic transmission is smooth, and you can change gears manually with the gear stick. Thanks to the suspension setup having been tuned on the softer side, ride quality is great, with just about every bump being absorbed with aplomb. Straight line stability is good, as the Crysta stays composed at high speeds, while the steering is best for someone more inclined to a relaxed nature of driving.

Mileage

The Toyota Innova's ARAI-certified fuel efficiency figures are rated at 11.36kmpl for the 2.4-litre diesel model, and 13.68kmpl for the 2.8-litre diesel model.