Crysta Gazing
The Indian passenger car market is witnessing a churn like never before - emergence of new segments and phasing out of older models have almost become a daily feature. Japanese auto major Toyota, too, is driving down the innovation highway to reinvent the Innova with Crysta - the best-ever Innova with fresh styling, crispier shell and sharper body lines that would combine affordable luxury with some real power.
Coming as the first major overhaul since its 2005 India debut, the Innova Crysta has borrowed from the company's new global architecture, which bears testimony to five years of meticulous hard work by Toyota engineers, based on feedback from select 600,000 Indian customers.
The ardent changes in design - from shedding the bulky headlights for slimmer projector headlamps with integrated LED lighting and keyless ignition, to retuned suspensions for better control and shock-free drive on potholed Indian roads - were not only made to cater to the aspirational Indian middle class, but also to move beyond the tag of being a hitch vehicle. Automatic control has been added to the rear AC and the top-end Z-variants gets ambient lighting and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with navigation. Keeping in mind the aspirations of younger customers, the Crysta has been pepped up with top-notch upholstery, gizmos and connectivity.
The new GD series turbo diesel engine has not only enhanced the power and mileage output, but the six-speed, 2.8-litre diesel motor with 174 PS raw power @3,400 rpm makes it the most powerful MPV sold in India. A long-pending demand for a high-end automatic variant has also been met by Toyota with Crysta. The pedal is much peppier, thanks to the higher 360 Nm torque.
The seating configuration remains standard with separated captain and bench, coming in fresh Hazel Brown and Black leather option for the higher trims. The introduction of one-touch tumble and space-up rear seats makes it easy to slide and move rear passengers across easily.
Battling to ditch the reputation of churning out boring cars - reinforced by the debacle of its India-specific Etios - Toyota has introduced a segment first with ECO and POWER modes. Claiming to provide the best of both worlds, the Eco mode promises a healthy blend of power and fuel with 15.10 km mileage. The POWER mode, true to its acronym, denotes top-notch acceleration and performance that surprisingly even enhances the aircon delivery inside the car by a measure. It also makes the drive effortless and reduces stress while moving the huge vehicle on congested Indian roads.
For motoring aficionados, a petrol variant is ruled out for the time being. However, improvements have been carried out on the regular manual to deliver 15 per cent higher mileage and power, despite a smaller 2.4 litre engine - a 100 cc deficit over the outgoing 2, 494 cc powermill. The new MD of the Indo-Japanese venture, Akito Tachibana, is keenly observing the persistent shift towards petrol vehicles in India and, going by the dwindling preference for diesel, did not rule out the possibility of a petrol variant. "There is no consideration yet over the uncertainty (Supreme Court ban on 2,000 cc vehicles). However, we have the options to get something from our global line-up, which could be worked out," he told Business Today on the sidelines of the Crysta review.
Vying for a bigger slice of private number plates, the safety apparatus has been spruced up with seven SRS airbags, including a critical driver knee and curtain shields. The patented body, Global Outstanding Assessment (GOA) shell, has been carved out of high tensile steel for improved occupant and pedestrian protection, which interestingly, makes the cabin much quieter. Adding to the performance is a vehicle stability feature - hill-hold assist with anti-lock brakes - that yet again makes it the best-in-class MPV.
The improvements should act as a paradigm shift for the Innova to emerge as a mainstream explorer vehicle - something that its peers, such as Nissan Evalia, Chevrolet Enjoy or Renault Lodgy, tried without much success.
Crysta stands out from half a dozen of its existing peers and may as well prove to be the real winner in comparison with the still-to-be-launched Tata Hexa and Honda BR-V. Often tagged as Toyota's most successful creation that aptly filled the void of its stupendous predecessor, the Qualis, the second-generation Innova promises to only raise the bar.
But, there's a hitch. The Supreme Court ban on the sale of diesel vehicles with engines above 2,000 cc in Delhi-NCR - by far the biggest market in India - may be a dampener for the Crysta with its 2,400 cc diesel engine, effectively eliminating nearly 10 per cent of potential buyers. The absence of hybrid and micro-hybrid options could also throw a spanner in the works, but that's not really a priority for the segment Crysta caters to.
ENGINES: 2.4 litre Manual (150PS); 2.8 litre Automatic (174PS)
FUEL: Diesel
TORQUE: 343 Nm & 360 Nm
PRICE: Rs 14 lakh onwards (ex-showroom Delhi)
MILEAGE: 15.10 kmpl; Automatic: 14.29 kmpl
FUEL CAPACITY: 55 litre
