[superchamp]

Prologue

I was always interested in buying a big car not because of necessity but of desire. My Garage has had the following cars:
1. Ertiga VXi 2013
2. Jazz VX AT 2016 (Sold)

Ertiga was my first new car purchase and am very happy with it. I have covered around 98000 KM as we speak. Ertiga has served me well with its low cost maintenance and versatility. Almost all my long trips were done in Ertiga and I can vouch that there is no other car in this price point to beat it in sheer comfort and usage.

Jazz was purchased preowned in Oct 2019 in Bangalore as I wanted an AT to travel to work. Didn't expect the Covid scenario but still managed to enjoy long drives with Jazz. Jazz was a good car, absolutely comfortable, barring the rubber band effect of the CVT, was a good car.

I was planning an upgrade as after Covid wave as travel from Bangalore to Kerala is now exclusively in car. Jazz is good but not great for long trips. My trip distance was around 630 KM's one way every 2 months and hence wanted a bigger and more comfortable car.

I had already posted a thread on this dilemma few months back. Here is the link for the discussion
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/suvs-...nt-xuv500.html (Wait for Mahindra XUV700, or pick up the current XUV500?)

Pre-requisites

• BIG Car
• Comfortable for Long drives
• Safety - ABS,EBD, airbags etc..
• 7 Seater
• Preferably Diesel
• Automatic - no compromise
• Car age should be less than 5 years

Cars Considered

• XUV 500
• XUV 700
• Hexa
• Crysta

1. XUV 500: Was keen on this one and almost booked it as W11 AT had discounts because of XUV 700 release.

Pros

• Well rounded machine
• Proven performer
• Comfortable seats
• More than sufficient power to cruise all day long
• Has all the gizmos and gadgets

Cons

• Pathetic luggage space. hardly one suitcase will fit
• Not very comfortable at the last row
• Niggles reported in almost all forums
• Priced heavily even after discounts
• Discontinued AWD at that price point

Checked preowned ones but didn't suit me as the price was on the higher side and also most of them appeared abused. Price quoted by cars24, Spinny etc.. in Bangalore were too high and they had a policy of non negotiable prices.

2. XUV 700:XUV 700 release was around the corner and made sense to wait for it as it was rumoured to have all advanced features.

Pros

• Latest entry in the market
• Had all advanced features like ADAS etc..
• Refreshed design and looks
• Powerful Petrol and Diesel

Cons

• Pathetic luggage space. hardly one suitcase will fit
• Long waiting period and no confirmation on delivery date
• No discounts at all because of entry price point
• Didn't feel VFM especially the lower variants

It didn't make sense to go with a product that is not tested in real life conditions and the reported niggles were not positive as well.

3. Hexa: I really liked the Hexa and have driven it multiple times. Was super happy with this but unfortunately, was discontinued and pre owned ones were very difficult to find.

Pros

• Good imposing look
• Good AT response and driveability
• Comfortable seats
• Gobbles miles as if no one's business
• Has enough boot space and third row comfort

Cons

• TATA is known for pathetic after service
• Niggles reported in almost all forums
• Preowned ones are abused

Cars not considered

• Tata Safari - TATA brand and reliability issues
• Hyundai Alcazar - Not VFM and is overpriced. Puny 1.5 for diesel and that too for a 7 seater at that price point is crazy

I finally decided on a preowned Crysta and I purchased it quite surprisingly.

Here is a snapshot of the beast


Another one



Purchasing the Beast

As mentioned earlier, I was on lookout for a pre-owned SUV. I had checked with different dealers both offline and online. Crysta was never in the picture because I had associated it with high price vs utility. I had taken extensive test drives for XUV 500, Crysta etc., but could not finalise due to various reasons listed below:

Test drive experience

• Cars with low mileage didn't look like it. Most of the cars showed its age.
• The cars were priced on the higher side
• Low value offered in exchange for my Jazz

I incidentally checked out Toyota UTrust Bommanahalli which was just 1KM from my home. I have seen the office many times but never stepped in to it as I thought they were premium. How wrong was I. I was immediately made comfortable by my sales advisor(Midhun) and went in detail about the service and offerings.

UTrust had few Crysta available to see but most of them had mileage of 60000+. I took test drive on couple of them and was satisfied with the condition as they were refurbished and maintained by Toyota.

One fine day in October 2021, after office, I stopped by to check if any new stocks had come. We were discussing on the available stock when the BEAST caught my eye. They had just brought it from the customer and was waiting to be sent across for service and maintenance. I was completely blown over by the car and after a quick test drive, booked it immediately.

What motivated the purchase

• UTrust had given me pan India Toyota warranty on Engine and gearbox for a year
• Transparent pricing and was not much higher from the other dealers around
• Full service history and background
• Trusting Toyota brand known for reliability
• Fully refurbished and serviced car on delivery
• Additional 3 service coupons for labour charge waive off in any Toyota service center in India

The Bronze Beast experience

• 2017 Z AT with the 2.8 ltr engine
• Had run around 22000 KMs only.
• The physical condition was immaculate barring minor scratches to the body
• Bronze colour was not my choice but looked superb

The first look

Usage experience

I have driven almost 7K Km's. Most of the trips were long highway runs mixed with Office trips. Highway runs were mostly to my home in Kerala and round trip would easily cover excess of 1300 Km's.
I usually drive through different routes listed below

1. Krishnagiri - Salem - Coimbatore - Thrissur - Muvattupuzha - Kottayam - Home
2. Krishnagiri - Salem - Dindigal - Theni - Kumali - Mallapalli - Home

Both routes are good but prefer the latter because of less traffic and less tolls. Only downside of this route is the ghat section which is uncomfortable for my better half.

With this driving experience, let me summarise my thoughts

• Interior space & comfort
  Has lots of space and is one of the best in terms of space inside. A family of 6 can sit comfortably inside and boot space is adequate to store luggage for a family trip. Has got pockets and storage space to store water bottles and other items.
• Driving Comfort
  When I say that you will not feel any tiredness even after diving for 600+ Km's, don't take it for granted. There is a huge difference wrt when driving in Ertiga, Jazz, even Hexa(almost same as Crysta)
• Air Conditioner
  AC chills even if you set the Auto mode to 25. Quickly cools the cabin irrespective of the temperature outside
• Sound Quality
  The sound quality is below normal. This is one area which irks me because for such good vehicle, this is not acceptable. I will upgrade the speakers at a later point and this is more of a luxury than necessity for now
• Engine performance
  Engine is very refined and has more than sufficient torque to pull and overtake in the high ways.
  I usually drive in the eco mode to save fuel and extract the max mileage. In the city traffic, the creep feature is useful and keeps the car moving without accelerator input.
  Overtaking in the ghats though is a different story and the eco mode isn't vey useful here. On turning on the power mode, the Beast transforms in to its the name and absolutely flies
• Gear Shift
  AT is a boon and the gearshifts are super smooth. You will not feel the gear transmissions unless you floor the accelerator
• NVH
  There is a little bit of Engine noise on higher speeds but is quite controlled and is smoothed out if the music is on.
• Ride Quality
  There is no doubt about this and this is the reason why its preferred by politicians, actors and business men who travel a lot. Most major undulations are absorbed cleanly and jerks are reduced. Has got minimum body roll but shows the ladder on frame character when pushed hard.
  

Few more pics











What I Like

• The Engine - A powerful 2.8 Ltr engine which is very refined. There is no harsh engine tone if driven calmly. Easily one of the best engines from Toyota
• AT Gearbox - A smooth gearbox and is a complete universe from the Jazz CVT. Absolutely silky and gear changes are not evident. Also has a manual mode that can be used in hilly regions.
• Safety - The only SUV/MUV with 7 Airbags with ABS, Hill Assist etc.. Not to mention the structural rigidity of the Toyota chassis
• Ride comfort - Very comfortable over long trips and will not feel tired even if driven for hundreds of KM's at a stretch. Absorbs all small potholes with zero impact and tackles major potholes, speed breakers with ease.
• Interior space - Loads of space inside for storage and passengers. The boot can hold big airline baggage as well us a medium sized baggage. Enough space for a family long trip.
• Features - All good to have but I believe less the electronics, the better the car and shorter the service centre stays
• Mileage - I will upload a detailed post on this as I have enough data now. On a average, I have got around 14 KMPL with a mix of city and highways
• Drive Modes - Not getting in to all features but the one I liked is the drive mode. Has ECO and POWER. There is a marked difference and turning on the POWER mode transforms a sedate car in to power horse. Trust me when i say this because it changes the car characteristics with a simple switch. A boon when overtaking and hilly regions.

What I Don't Like

• Bare bone features - in comparison with other brands, Crysta has got a lot less in features wiz. sunroof, ambient lighting etc..
• Infotainment System - One drawback is the system and for this price, android auto should have been built in.
• Speakers - Pathetic speakers and warrant an upgrade immediately. Looking for good suggestions from you all
• No Auto-fold mirrors - Not necessary because there is a manual switch

Few shots of the interiors. Also has shots of the extra accessories I have installed

Has anyone noticed the Sunshades on the window?


Adequate boot space and can take 1 Big Suitcase+1 Medium Suitcase. Airline baggage size


Notice the tray tables. I haven't used it at all


Jopasu Duster for cleaning


Extension power socket to connect the dashcam


Transcend dashcam and Amkette mobile holder


7D footmats. Very useful for keeping the interior safe



Final Shot

Attachment 2303266

Mileage Screen Shot



Thank you everyone. Do let me know your thoughts and suggestions

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Reviews section. Thanks for sharing!

Going to our homepage today

You got the best engine & gearbox combination on the Innova, a combination not even available today because it was cannibalising the Fortuner.

[krishnakarthik1]

I always thought my old Hexa was not replaceable but in fact is is my Innova that is truly an irreplaceable car. I middle row captain seats are nothing like you would find in any other car.

We drove 10 hours from Hyderabad to Bangalore, checked into a hotel near the airport, then went to MTR Lalbagh and came back without feeling a thing and with a 3 year old Rakshasa on board.

[vigsom]

Congratulations, superchamp, on an extremely sensible choice in today's market. You'll enjoy many many miles with this car.

Originally Posted by superchamp

UTrust had few Crysta available to see but most of them had mileage of 60000+

You'd have been fine even with a 60k run Innova Crysta. This odo reading is actually "baby" for any Toyota.

- 2017 Z AT with the 2.8 ltr engine
- Had run around 22000 KMs only.

It is extremely rare to find an example like this, and will serve you without fuss for many many years.

I have got around 14 KMPL with a mix of city and highways

This fuel efficiency reading is no surprise. I've owned a few Toyotas and have been involved in the upkeep of many. What I've seen across all the examples is that Toyotas never disappoint on fuel efficiency.

Crysta has got a lot less in features wiz. sunroof, ambient lighting etc.

I personally don't believe a sunroof is a useful feature in India. Yes, for perennially cold regions, it is welcome. My personal experience is that under thigh support is poor in the second row seat.

Infotainment System - One drawback is the system; android auto should have been built in.
Pathetic speakers and warrant an upgrade immediately.

This has always been a weak point in any Toyota. However, the Innova Crysta's Infortainment system actually sounds better than the older Toyotas. I'd suggest a staged upgrade as follows:

Stage 1 - just replace the stock speakers on the front and rear with good components. You'll see a wide range of options; even the most basic set of components will sound way better than the stock set up

Stage2 - add an underseat subwoofer. This will provide the necessary thump. The only issue here is that the stock Head Unit (HU) will most likely not come with RCA pre-outs and you might have to draw a signal from one of the speakers. I am not too sure if this will be a good idea, and here it would be a good to change the HU as well

Stage3 - add a 4 channel amplifier to power the front and rear speakers

In my view, stage1 would alone be enough for now, and will help you feel the change.

Joining the pre-owned Innova Crysta club is a 2017 Crysta G AT that I helped a relative acquire in Chennai just last week. I wasn't around but helped him on this from far away. This example has done just 28,000km.

[Guru_Shikhar]

@superchamp, many congratulations for getting such a well maintained and less run beast. Very very rare to find these days.

IMO Toyota should have continued with 2.8L+ automatic gear box option for Crysta since people would have left with multiple choices of SUV or MPV. Not everyone wants to buy a fortuner.

I have driven the 2.4 Z manual Crysta for few thousand kms and am damn happy and impressed with the performance and comfort it offers.

This car is going to make you happier.

Enjoy to the fullest.

Cheers.

[mpthy]

Congratulations superchamp. You've got yourself a fantastic ride.

The biggest negative of going with a pre-owned Toyota is the high cost. Can you share how much you paid for it?

[Mechb63]

Having the G variant of the 2.8 AT Innova Crysta in the family, I understand how disappointing the lack of Android Auto/Apple Carplay is. The only feature I truly miss in this Crysta.

Is it possible to get the new screen from the facelift model added neatly into our pre-facelift cars?

[GreasyCarb55]

Originally Posted by superchamp

UTrust had few Crysta available to see but most of them had mileage of 60000+. I took test drive on couple of them and was satisfied with the condition as they were refurbished and maintained by Toyota.

Thank you everyone. Do let me know your thoughts and suggestions

Congratulations on the purchase superchamp.

The Innova whether it be a brand new 2022 model or a beat up one from 2006 have always been mechanically perfect cars so when looking for a used one I wouldn't worry about mileage if it's under 80,000km.

We have a 2011 Innova 2.5 V Diesel and my uncle has a 2018 Crysta 2.4 Z Diesel, both of them are amazing car but I prefer mine for obvious reasons . Our Innova has covered almost 1,80,000km and my uncle's Crysta has covered around 75,000km and have never faced issues so you should be pretty clear in terms of reliability.

The only disappointing thing is the infotainment system and the whole Audio situation but as far as I know once you get that sorted the Innova Crysta will be a brilliant car.

Another BHPian by the name of brraj also has a pre-worshiped bronze Innova Crysta 2.8 Z and has been able to extract 216hp and 514nm from the 2.8 Turbo Diesel courtesy of a Stage 1 remap from Wolf Moto, a new air filter and a Decat, so mod potential is plenty with the 2.8.

Link to brraj's Remapped Innova Crysta 2.8 Thread (My Remapped Toyota Innova Crysta 2.8L | 216 BHP & 514 Nm)

[superchamp]

Originally Posted by Guru_Shikhar

@superchamp, many congratulations for getting such a well maintained and less run beast. Very very rare to find these days



Cheers.

That was my experience as well after a lot of searching

Originally Posted by GTO

You got the best engine & gearbox combination on the Innova, a combination not even available today because it was cannibalising the Fortuner.

I agree even though the new engine has more power, it didnt feel as refined as the 2.8

Originally Posted by vigsom

Stage 1 - just replace the stock speakers on the front and rear with good components. You'll see a wide range of options; even the most basic set of components will sound way better than the stock set up

Thanks. Thats the plan though not immediately

Originally Posted by mpthy

Congratulations superchamp. You've got yourself a fantastic ride.

The biggest negative of going with a pre-owned Toyota is the high cost. Can you share how much you paid for it?

It wasn't costly compared to the other cars and also depends on the utility and usage

[rhsakarp]

Congratulations superchamp!
Great, can you please share the company who owns the U trust outlet? Thanks.
I had checked a couple of Crysta cars with U trust, found many parts to be changed, that were not logged in the system! Like the windscreen in one case, the fuel filter in another case etc.. So stayed away.

[RAHS]

Hey Sooraj,

Glad to see your post here. Nicely compiled thread

Congratulations again on the Crysta! Great deal, keep munching miles and have fun

Cheers,
RAHS

[Govind]

Congratulations for the new machine.

Normally we don't see Innova with such low mileage in used market and you are lucky especially with the basic protection accessories fitted.

As you already indicated, the infotainment system is pathetic if we compare that with what is there across the globe. Toyota might have got some really good deal for that unit with outdated software (and with only one USB connection at the middle for older versions), still having some features not enabled as well. They don't even bother to upgrade the software, though technically it should be possible and there might be some legal and financial agreements to be made to provide Android Auto support, which they can do easily. Somehow I feel that that the management is having 'Kuch bhi chalega' attitude for Indian market.

Enjoy the ride.

/Govind

[smasher]

Congratulations for the awesome machine.

I also acquired one recently (2017, 2.8z, 60K on odo). Enjoying every moment with it. I am certain, you also would.

I too tried U trust Bommanahalli many times. But the cars I found were close to 1 lakh KM on odo and was at a premium. Crystas in the range of 20K km are really hard to find these days. You were really lucky is my feel. Interested to know how much you spend for this beauty.

This is a purchase that you will never regret!

[superchamp]

Originally Posted by Govind

Congratulations for the new machine.

Normally we don't see Innova with such low mileage in used market and you are lucky especially with the basic protection accessories fitted.

That's right. I happened to be around when the Crysta was brought to the showroom. It had only the rear bumper protector and the rest was purchased separately

Originally Posted by Govind

As you already indicated, the infotainment system is pathetic if we compare that with what is there across the globe. Toyota might have got some really good deal for that unit with outdated software (and with only one USB connection at the middle for older versions), still having some features not enabled as well. They don't even bother to upgrade the software, though technically it should be possible and there might be some legal and financial agreements to be made to provide Android Auto support, which they can do easily. Somehow I feel that that the management is having 'Kuch bhi chalega' attitude for Indian market.

Enjoy the ride.

/Govind

For Audio, I need to look at the options available. I am planning to switch the speakers only for now. Any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks

[RaviKBobba]

Mileage Screen Shot

Attachment 2303277

Congratulations & pretty decent figures for the Beast. May I know which app did you use for the fuel usage tracking ?