Toyota Innova Hycross: Only base trim will be sold to taxi operators

The Japanese automaker Toyota’s Innova moniker has been a time-tested and beloved choice of cab fleet operators in the country for the longest time. And with the launch of the new and more premium Innova Hycross it was uncertain if the company would still offer this popular MPV in a more affordable variant. Now, clearing this doubt recently, it was reported that Toyota will indeed be selling the Innova Hycross in a base trim. According to Zigwheels, the carmaker will be offering the Innova Hycross in a base-spec G trim for fleet registration.

To justify the price reduction which eventually will be announced, the Innova Hycross’ upcoming base trim will have much fewer amenities. The Hycross’ base-spec G trim will only receive the necessities in terms of features. Some of the highlights from the feature list include a set of 16-inch steel wheels, dual-beam LED reflector headlights, part-LED taillamps, fabric upholstery, analogue dials with a multi-info display, manual air conditioning, and a four-speaker sound system. Furthermore, on the safety features side, it will include hill start assist, electronic stability control, and dual airbags.

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In terms of powertrain options for the taxi fleet operator’s favourite choice, the G trim Innova Hycross, it will come with only a choice of a 2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine. This engine is capable of producing a decent 174PS of power in addition to 205Nm of torque. The motor will come mated to a CVT gearbox. As for the range-topping variants, they will be available with a 186PS 2-litre strong-hybrid option, which comes coupled with an e-CVT.
Toyota’s newest addition the Innova Hycross was recently unveiled at the end of last month. Toyota announced that it has started accepting bookings for the all-new Innova Hycross for a sum of Rs 50,000 and the deliveries will begin in January 2023. As of yet, the company has not officially announced the pricing of the new MPV but we expect it to begin at a price of Rs 20 lakh.

The Innova Hycross is significantly different from the Innova Crysta in terms of design, taking on a more upright, SUV-like appearance, and having higher side profile curves. The Toyota Innova Hycross has a bold-looking grille with chrome surrounds and headlights made entirely of LEDs that are horizontally extended. This time, the front bumper has a more stronger appearance thanks to horizontally extended bars of daytime running LEDs. The new Innova Hycross also gets a set of more high-end-looking 18-inch chrome alloy wheels on the side profile, a shark fin antenna, a roof-mounted spoiler, and an LED insert in the taillamps in the back.

With this new Hycross model, Toyota has improved the interior ambience of the already spectacular Innova. The upper dashboard of the MPV features soft-touch upholstery in a dual-tone black and chestnut brown colour. A redesigned instrument console with a 7-inch TFT screen and a three-spoke tilt and telescopic adjustable multi-functional steering wheel greets the driver. Compared to the Innova Crysta, the centre console of the new Toyota Innova Hycross features a drastically different layout.

In terms of features, the top-of-the-line variants of the Innova Hycross boast a 10-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system, multi-zone automated temperature control controls, and a transmission lever. A number of high-end luxuries are included in the cabin, including motorised middle-row Ottoman seats, ventilated front seats, 8-way power adjustment with memory for the driver’s seat, and quilted chestnut leather seats. Additional features for the MPV include a rearview electrochromic mirror inside, a panoramic sunroof with mood lighting, roof-mounted air conditioning vents, a motorised tailgate, a 9-speaker JBL audio system, and paddle shifters.

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