[vigsom]

Introduction

It is now commonplace to see extended warranty for cars as a must-have, but there is this long distance runner that by design throws the word warranty out of the window. That vehicle is India’s champion MUV, the Toyota Innova.

This is an account of my encounter with many Toyota Innovas, showcasing some finer points of two diesel Innovas - a 2006 Innova G4 and another 2012 Innova V that are still serving their owners with no sweat. Both the cars just defy the meaning of the word age, as we can all see through the next few posts.

The trigger for this write up

This thread created by bhpian anjan_c2007, in which the Innova was voted the clear winner, got me into action on posting on the Innova and showcasing the mettle of this vehicle yet again .

[vigsom]

My encounters with Toyota Innovas this far

Circa 2005 : My first encounter with a Toyota Innova was way back in 2005 when the vehicle came in as a market replacement to the blockbuster Toyota Qualis. I got to do a very brief test drive of a one month old car. A modern design then – it made me wonder why Toyota brought the Innova in when the Qualis was already doing so well. The test drive of the Innova was ahead of other MUVs then – smooth as silk steering, early upshifts in a diesel and dead easy to drive even through narrow lanes. The owner had just upgraded the headlamps to 90/100W halogens and boy, the car lit up the road like day !!

Circa 2008 : After a long day at work, it had suddenly started to pour and there was an urgent task to be completed in another area approx. 700m from where I was sitting. There was no way I could walk down since the rain was crazy. I borrowed a senior executive’s almost new Innova V, drove to the building, and fulfilled the task. The experience of driving and being cocooned in this vehicle, at 25kmph in pouring rain, was unforgettable.

Circa 2016 : A friend in Chennai was looking to move from his 2007 Camry, and we’d gone to test drive a 2007 Innova G4, done some 1,29,000km. This example was in average cosmetic shape but excellent mechanically. What this revealed was that a vehicle that hasn’t been cared for cosmetically can still be relied upon to take one from point A to point B with peace of mind intact. That made me realize why this vehicle was the darling of all fleet operators and mile crunchers.

We also test drove another 2008 Innova V. The G4 was a city car while the V was in a place called Minjur, on the northern outskirts of Chennai. We took an EMU train to get there since the road route was unfamiliar. The car turned out to be okay despite the 1,90,000km on the clock.

Neither of the above deals came through. The owner of the G4 was stubborn on his expected price while the 2008 V had a hypothecation which he said would be removed only after the full money was paid up.

Next, we got to drive a grey 2010 Innova V which had the dash illumination control and climate control as added features over the earlier gen Innova V. This again, had both sides touched up, with some cosmetic deficiencies on the inside, but mechanically sound. By then, my friend got more keen on an automatic and eventually went in for a Ford Endeavour AT.

2005-2012 : I’ve used Innova taxis to ferry me from Mumbai to work locations out of Mumbai several times, and in Chennai and out of Chennai too.

I also got to drive another friend’s 2005 Innova E-PS that has done over 2.50,000km and is still going strong.

I never got into details of any of the above until I encountered the following examples over the last 5 years:

1. 2006 Toyota Innova G4 green mica with the odo currently at 83,000km
2. 2012 Toyota Innova V silver with the odo currently at 95,000km

[vigsom]

Evolution of the Innova

The Innova was launched in India in 2005 and featured two engine options – the 2.0-litre petrol 136 PS 1TR-FE VVT-i (same engine as the Camry until 2005) and a 2.5-litre 102 PS 2KD-FTV D-4D common rail turbocharged diesel engine.

Petrol engine 1TR-FE


Diesel engine 2KD-FTV D-4D


2005-2008

The 2005 Innova came in the E, G and V trims, with only manual AC options. Also, the Innova was also available in the dark blue metallic shade only in 2005. I'd request readers to chip in with what the G2 and G3 variants meant.

Innova in Dark metallic blue (shade available only in 2005)


E

+ power steering option called E PS
- no power windows, no ABS, no Airbags, no gear console, no rear wash wipe, no defogger, no wheel caps

G

+ power steering, power windows, grey trim
- no defogger on G1, no ABS, no Airbags in any G variant
- no rear wash wipe on G variants except G4

The G4 came with defogger, rear wash wipe and a rear AC as standard, a neat console around the gear lever, and a 7 seater option

V

+ all of G4 plus ABS, dual airbags, alloy wheels, fog lamps, chrome ORVM covers, chrome door handles(inside and outside), chrome rear number plate garnish, doors ornament strips with chrome inserts, walnut finish faux wood door inserts, in-dash 6MP3 plus cassette Head Unit, chrome exhaust tip

Brochure explaining features in the Innova(variants named here are different)




Innova with the E badge (this variant would come with standard unpainted bumpers but most owners would get them painted)


Innova E interior - note the plain jade steering wheel and the manual window winder


Innova G1 interior (no rear AC) (Image courtesy bhpian @Prabhusati)


Innova G1 exterior (no defogger, no rear wash wipe, tail lamps are of the next avatar)


Innova G4 - interior


Innova G4 - Genuine Toyota wheel cover


Innova V - Head Unit, manual AC controls, faux wood inserts


Plain jade instrument cluster


Innova V side view


Innova V interior (pic courtesy bhpian @Sukiwa)


Innova V exterior (pics courtesy bhpian @Sukiwa)

[vigsom]

Evolution of the Innova (Contd.)

2009-2011 Facelift

Major changes to this facelift were

1. ACC, dashboard illumination control, steering mounted audio controls in the V variant
2. New alloy wheel design in the V variant
3. Light brown faux wood door trims
4. BS-IV option (effective April-2010) – the BS-IV vehicles would sport an Intercooler badge on the front fenders
5. Re-designed grille and bumpers

Interior


Dash on the V variant



Instrument cluster on the V variant


ACC panel


Alloy wheel


Driver door panel - note the light brown faux wood inserts


The BS-IV engine with intercooler (note the air intake path vs the BS-III engine)


The BS-III engine


Intercooler badge on front fenders


Innova V BS-IV (pics courtesy bhpian @car_guy1998)

[vigsom]

Evolution of the Innova (Contd.)

2012 Facelift

1. Touchscreen DVD HU with bluetooth, new alloy wheel design, dark walnut faux wood door trims, body colour ORVM covers with integrated turn signal indicators on ORVM in the V variant
2. Re-designed grille, headlamps and taillamps
3. Steering wheel on G and V same as the 2008-11 Toyota Altis

Head Unit and silver surround for ACC controls


AC control knobs on the 2012 GX variant


Dash


Dash illumination adjustment


Driver door panel


Leather wrapped steering wheel (like in the 2008-11 Altis G)


Interior


Alloy wheel



2013 Facelift (facelift continued from 2013-2015 until the Crysta was launched)

1. Introduction of the Z variant featuring decals, rear spoiler, two tone leather seats and loads of chrome
2. Redesigned controversial looking grille
3. Smoked faux wood door trims

2013 Innova with dark faux wood panel inserts


Innova Z rear view (image courtesy bhpian @Parrys)


Two tone leather seats on the Z variant


Evolution of the Innova in one pic (image courtesy bhpian @Parrys)

[vigsom]

Long term impressions on the Innova

The Great

• Easily navigable through dense traffic
• Great city car requiring infrequent gear shifts
• Next to Nil turbo lag
• Precise (but long) throws of the gears
• Cosy front seats
• Chiller of an Aircon - great cabin cooling even with rear AC off
• Simple, yet functional dash
• Parking in tight indoor slots was a breeze – unbelievable
• Denso stock horns sound sweet, yet warn road users that a Toyota is coming. Later Innovas viz.2010 came with Roots horns with the same sound

The Not-So-Good

• Engine starts getting noisy after 80kmph, and irritatingly noisy after 100kmph
• Beige seats and panels get dirty and look awful; require frequent monitoring/ cleaning like the old Corolla

Age related issues

• Door inserts start fading away
• Minor oil vapour leak at crankcase ventilation tube after a few years
• The key shell tends to break over time

Seventy kmph at ~1900rpm and 100kmph at ~2700rpm


Door inserts fading away




Oil vapours leaking from Crankcase ventilation tube after a few years

[vigsom]

Two Innovas that have not withered

Over the last five years, I’ve been closely following a 2006 Innova G4 done 83,000km and another 2012 Innova V done 95,000km, and have found both these to be as young as new.

What’s common between these two stallions?

• in their original stables, well kept
• on stock suspension
• interiors are almost stock; defy their age
• air-conditioning is stock
• on stock Toyota Super Long Life coolant
• seen only routine service like engine oil changes, replacement of front brake pads
• oil vapours leaking out of the crankcase ventilation tube to show oil marks on the air intake/crankcase ventilation hose

I'll let the pictures do the talking.

2006 Innova G4

Front View




Rear View


Engine Bay - clean for the most part


Coolant Reservoir - holding stock coolant


Coolant replacement advisory - coolant good until 1,60,000km


Dash


Door panel


Headlamp leveller switch


Instrument cluster


Interior views












First Aid kit still in place


Wheel spanner and jack intact

[vigsom]

Two Innovas that have not withered (Contd.)

2012 Innova V

Stock panels


Dash






Switches - the lettering is still intact


Steering wheel when new


Steering wheel leather still intact after ten years


Interiors

[vigsom]

Closing Comments

It is no surprise that the Innova continues to be a rockstar despite the engine’s mediocre performance. Proof of the pudding is stated in the Innova Crysta review and,

here


and here

1. BHpian Philip.Mathew’s Dad’s 2005 Innova -2,40,000km
2. BHpianDean5545's family's 2010 Innova – 2,56,000kms

and etched in many owners' hearts all over India.

Like the older Fortuner, this vehicle goes to show how a well kept Toyota can withstand the test of time. The Innova Crysta might be a technological step up over the Innova but can just not match the smiles that any Innova has given its owners. Long Live the Champion!!

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[vishy76]

Lovely thread on what is now very popular as the "national highway car" of India. Partly because it's very famous among cabbies and also because of how reliable this car is.

I think it's very obvious that the Innova is what paved the way for the Crysta's success. It increased Toyota's brand value exponentially in the mass market, when many other competing MPVs (such as the Aria for instance) were actually degrading brand image due to poor reliability. This was also the reason why no one batted an eyelid when the Innova, a 10+ year old product was being sold at 15-16L OTR in some states.

This is a very controversial statement, but I don't think the Crysta can hold a candle to the old Innova's reliability track record. There is already a case of an engine replacement documented on this forum, apart from a few other quality niggles. The Crysta is still a very reliable car by today's standards, but I think the old Innova is in another league altogether. I would want to rephrase what Jeremy Clarkson once said on Top Gear about the Lexus LFA to describe this car:

"Maybe the Toyota Innova is so good, that even the people who made it, can't make it again"

[VWAllstar]

Lovely write up Vigsom. Just like the 1st generation Innova - simple, short and yet functional. There is a 2008 Innova in my society which is used by the lawyer as a chauffer driven vehicle. He has maintained the car so well that even today it looks like it is straight out of the showroom. There is no MUV currently which can give you a carpet like ride and comfort given by the previous gen Innovas. Would like to see a chart of the ex showroom price of Innova from 2005 till now. There were news/rumours of well maintained pre owned Innovas been sold more than their cost price. This was attributed to the fact that there was tremendous demand and short supply of the King of MUVs.

[car_guy1998]

Well written review on the Innova, sir!

And, I'm glad to see our Innova (now sold) in this thread.

Even after more than a decade of its launch, people still love the Innova due to its comfort and reliabilty.

Speaking about the Innova, we had owned a 2005 Innova V and a 2011 Innova VX and I can say that, it was strong as a nut and ran like a champion. The 2005 Innova was bought in 2012 when the odo was at 2.57L Kms and used it till 2014 before handing it over to my paternal aunt, who had used it till 2019 before the car met with an accident, which resulted in total loss. Btw, Innova had run more than 4L Kms without any engine rebuild and was in Silver colour. Now, the same uncle had bought preowned 2015 Innova VX when the odo was at 54k Kms during the purchase and now, ran close to 1.2L Kms on the odo as of today without any issues.

While 2011 Innova was bought from a known person as he had upgraded to Fortuner in 2016 when the odo was at 75k Kms during its purchase and drove it for 1.2L Kms in almost 6 years of ownership before selling it off a few weeks ago as we wanted an upgrade and go for an AT vehicle this time.

I must say, whenever we travel in an Innova, be it short distance or long distance, we never get tired even after travelling for hours and my parents adore its rear seat space and comfort.

[GreasyCarb55]

Ah the Innova, one of the best cars ever to be sold in India.

We have a 2011 Innova 2.5 V Diesel, I would say we should have waited a little longer as the 2012 facelift was right around the corner but nevertheless, I will always love our Innova.

11 years/170,000km later and still running strong, only issue was an accident in 2016 that damaged the front bumper after which we got the car converted from Type 2 to Type 4. Other than that the car has never given us mechanical problems under normal use. This is the only good photo I could find as I'm not much of a photographer.

[mpthy]

Great writeup, Vigsom. I really enjoy your posts.

The Innova is a fantastic car. We own a 2006 G4 that has done 215k on the ODO. It's in good shape with only some maintenance work due.

My only regret with this car is that we should have bought the 'V' variant at that time, for the safety features and the internally adjustable ORVMs. The G4 does not even have a stalk to adjust the mirrors :(