[GTO]

Mod Note : The 2013 Innova's Official Review is located at this link. Please continue the discussion over on the review thread. Thanks!



It's going to be 7 years since the Innova was launched, and it's still the king-of-the-hill when we talk of MPVs. Just ask the neighbourhood cabbie whose Innova is going strong on 250,000 kms. This Toyota is an absolute workhorse that still has waiting periods of 6 months in some cities.

7 years is usually the time for an all-new generation, but the next-gen Innova is 2 - 3 years away. Hence, next month's Auto Expo will see the launch of a face-lift. The addition of an intercooler in 2010 was the last major mechanical upgrade. The 2012 Innova is identical to the current version under the skin, and will be offered with the same diesel & petrol engine options. A CNG kit (for the petrol) is also available. Toyota should have used this facelift opportunity and bumped up the power to atleast 120 BHP, along with 40 - 50 more Nm of torque. A taller 5th gear would have been welcome too, as the current ratio is too short for long distance expressway cruising.

The Innova gets the same new colours (Metallic Blue & Silky gold) as the 2012 Fortuner (Link to review). The vehicle was only available for shooting as there is no change in the way that she drives:

Softer face looks more car-like now. No major sheet metal changes. Redesigned bumper & fog lamps blend in better with the rest of the vehicle:




Rear end is nearly identical, save for subtle changes to the lights, bumper and I-N-N-O-V-A embossed chrome garnish:


New headlamp & Fog lamp design:


Electrically-adjustable wing mirrors. Integrated turn indicators too:


10-spoke alloy wheels:


New side skirts:




The faux wood has a more subtle effect; stand-out silver appears to be India-specific:


Steering wheel is nearly the same as the Corolla Altis'. Also equipped with controls for the audio system, MID and the bluetooth-connected phone. Notice the slightly different meter arrangement behind:


Touch screen double-DIN head unit with a DVD player, USB + AUX inputs and Bluetooth connectivity. The head unit will also display your phone's battery status and signal strength. In addition, you can stream music from your phone. VX variant gets 6 speakers:


Reverse Camera display:


USB & AUX ports are located right next to the 12V power socket:

[jalsa777]

It is indeed a workhorse and the Market loves it. I hoped for a power increase and a 6th gear.
At 120 kmph, there is this untolerable engine BOOM which filters through to the cabin. This car just needs a 6th cog.

[Rehaan]

As an Innova owner, i'm kind of disappointed to see :

1) No bump-up in the engine's power. This is a 2.5L, and if you compare it to the 3.0L in the Fortuner, theres a non-proportional difference in power. The Fortuner gets 70% more horsepower for just 20% more displacement. Not fair!
2) No taller 5th gear. This thing gets LOUD and strained once you get close to 120 km/h on the expressway.
3) No improvement to the NVH insulation. You really need to raise your voice to be heard at higher speeds thanks to the combination of wind, tyre and engine noise. Mostly engine noise. This should have been easy to fix!
4) The seats could have been given a slightly more premium feel too. Perhaps a bit more cushioning for that plush feel?

cya
R

PS - That silver music system sticks out like a cheap sore thumb. Glad to see steering controls though.

[w0lf]

Is it just me or do most of the changes in the facelifted Innova seem exactly similar to the facelifted Fortuner? Case in point would be the front headlamp, bumper, and most of the in-cabin refreshes.

[Santoshbhat]

THe design somehow makes the car look boxy and dated. Its almost as if the existing Innova is the successor and this one the predecessor!

[mayankjha1806]

Its good that few feature additions have been added and it makes it even a better people mover. Not a big fan of similar looks across models, so the changes in the exterior looks do not matter much.

Is it just me, the ICE looks completely out of place as far as color and gelling well with the rest of the dashboard is concerned.

[raj.barcode]

really didn't like the vehicle earlier and now it looks even worse,
how i wish they had given it more horses and so it may have had more grunt

[arvi86]

In my opinion, this is a facelift just for the sake of calling it one. Having said that, the new design of the headlights, fog lights, grille and the front bumper blends in rather nicely to the boxy MPV shape and also brings in the Toyota 'family' look to the Innova. As many have stated, I was expecting atleast a slight bump in power and torque output, now that the XUV500 has arrived with a bang.

Having driven one, I can confidently say that Toyota has got all the basics perfectly sorted out with the Innova with comfortable seating positions, great ride, supremely confident handling, high quality interiors with good fit and finish and, above all, rock-solid reliability. With such strong credentials, the Innova is all set to continue its reign at the top for few more years. Maruti-Suzuki Ertiga, where are you?

[theMAG]

The entire car now resembles a Korean car of the 1990s - mismatched and out-of-place. If Toyota India were operating with the same philosophies of Toyota globally, they should NOT have introduced this "facelift" but stuck to the mature original till they were able to offer a meaningful upgrade.

[himavanth_m]

In addition to what all of you mentioned like increase in engine power and so on, I also think that Innova needs bigger size tires if it has to cope up with the additional power.

I dont think Toyota spent much money on the facelift. What ever changes they made on the fortuner interiors and exterior, the copied it on the Innova. I guess Toyota wanted to fit the same interiors of innova into the fortuner so that they do not increase the cost of production decreasing their profits.

[revved_up]

Originally Posted by mayankjha1806

Is it just me, the ICE looks completely out of place as far as color and gelling well with the rest of the dashboard is concerned.

Originally Posted by Rehaan

That silver music system sticks out like a cheap sore thumb. Glad to see steering controls though.

Agree completely, and they did the same thing to Fortuner!!

It looks more like an after market HU.

Another thing that I see missing here after adding the reverse camera is parking sensors(in fortuner too), cost cutting Toyota??

IMHO, parking sensors are very essential along with the camera.

[dkaile]

I dont like the silver finish on either of the upgrades (Innova and the Fortuner), though the ICE looks better integrated in the Innova than the face-lifted Fortuner.

[raj_5004]

1) Same changes as to the Fortuner
2) Good to see DVD, Aux & USB
3) No power increase, still a slow 102 bhp motor
4) Yes, even I wanted to see a 6th gear or atleast a massive improvement in NVH...
5) Electronically foldable ORVMs?
6) Middle armrest in rear bench?
7) Leather seats?

Please make a rear spoiler standard atleast on the top end.

I am almost sure there would be a price hike by atleast 50k. So please toyota please, atleast give us 120 bhp... be a little considerate atleast.

[benzinblut]

I read the 2012 Fortuner review and then landed on this thread. I found the new styling to be almost identical. It could be the camera angles for both thre reviews, but I sound them to be too similar. Have made a comparison of pictures that I found very similar.

The picture on top is from Fortuner 2012 and the one below is from Innova 2012.

Source of pictures: TBHP threads from GTO.

Grill. Is this the new toyota style? Looked very similar to me in the first glance. Now lets move on.


Interior


Steering and instrument cluster


Head Units. Also, the clock above the HU looks to be the same


Damn! Even the ORVMs look like twins

[k2max6]

ACC,HU & Steering are exactly same.ORVM's look twins even on the current Innova & Fortuner as well.Although the fixing brackets are different & the ones in fortuner are electrically folding.