One has to pay 3 lakh in cash over and above the official on-road price to the dealer for the sale. This is NOT a premium for forced add-on accessories.

BHPian Axe77 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

The opening post has brought out a pertinent point and I hope it doesn’t get lost in some of the tangential aspects being discussed. Out of curiosity, I searched for less than one year Hycross. A couple of listings that came up in today’s search are in the screenshot. I had called one of the listings which popped up in my search a couple of days ago.

Here is the sum up of the proposal as the person outlined it:

• The listing was by a non-dealer intermediary. The actual sale will be by an authorized Toyota dealer.
• The car is obviously showroom brand new. Not a used car / demo car etc. Genuine new car where you are the first owner like any other new car purchase from the actual authorised dealer.
• Once you confirm the terms and put in a booking amount, they will reveal the name of the dealer. It was confirmed that it is a Mumbai-based dealer (since my search was Mumbai-centric). I have no doubt one can similarly purchase this in other city-specific dealers as well if one can do so in Mumbai.
• The car is a stock ZX/ZX(O) without a lot of bundled accessories. The key is that one has to pay 3L in cash over and above the official on-road price to the dealer for the sale (not sure how the dealer and DSA will share this). This is NOT a premium for forced add-on accessories. It is a pure and simple black market premium.

Now, in what world is this correct? This is a plain and simple good old days of unethical top-up amounts.

• Toyota cannot possibly be unaware of this situation. Why in the world is it turning a blind eye to this?
• Dealers are generating cash earnings with no tax implications whatsoever. Why should this be tolerated / or allowed?
• Legitimate customers are being taken for a ride with either non-existent supply issues, or not being allowed to book under the pretext that “bookings for ZX (O) are not open” while the reality is that ZX(O)s are being sold via these black market channels.

This is no longer a supply issue and it’s impossible that Toyota is unaware of this. That means they are a silent facilitator by allowing it to subsist instead of cracking down on dealers.

Dealers will be dealers like many other businesses run in India and I have little to no hope from them on business ethics. But personally, I have zero respect for Toyota India’s attitude on this issue. Are we accepting Toyota has no control over dealers continuing the narrative that customers still can’t officially book a ZX/ZX(O)s at all? This is unacceptable and should warrant an internal crackdown between the brand and dealers.

PS: While I have of course not actively pursued this conversation I seriously doubt this is a scam. It seems like this is a well-oiled DSA / dealership-styled sale.

Here's what BHPian Cavityavenger had to say about the matter:

You're absolutely spot on with your inference of this issue. I'm still waiting on my ZXO delivery in spite of booking it on the first day Nov 26, 2022. I know for a fact that the dealers are charging a minimum of 5L or more premium in the Chandigarh/Punjab region. I have recorded conversations with the dealership folks where they guarantee delivery within a couple of weeks. There are multiple social media ads/OLX and other local 2nd hand dealers involved where they take a cut for these direct sales from the dealer.

I emailed Toyota a year back about the lack of transparency in the process since the dealer kept giving me random estimates for delivery and my number on the waitlist. Instead of pursuing the matter, TKM forwarded my email back to the dealer who again gave me the same BS.

In June 2023 I got a text message with a link to some QRSTRIX website (not sure if this is operated by the dealer or directly from Toyota), which showed my booking number/date and my position on the waitlist. In June 2023 I was on waitlist no. 24 and as of March 2024, my position is 5. So am I to believe that the dealer has sold only 19 ZXO vehicles in 10 months?

I wonder if there is a judicial recourse to this where the court can ask these dealers to produce inventory records of vehicles sold/cars registered and match that with the waitlist numbers they are sending to customers.

Here's what BHPian Joyb had to say about the matter:

Trust me Toyota is totally hands in glove with all these corrupt practices. We had booked a ZX at the time of launch in November 2022, till date there is no sign of the car. Repeated mails to the dealer and Toyota generate no response or standard deceiving replies.

Now here is the interesting bit, one of my friends wanted to buy ZX 20 days back, got in touch with a DSA, paid a premium of around 2 lacs and voila, 15 days he got his HyCross ZX. Received direct calls from Toyota for various formalities, wherein in between the discussions the lady admitted that while bookings for ZX/ZX(O) are closed, they take booking of VX and show it as an upgrade.

What a mockery. I have told the family to cancel the booking as I have lost trust in the company.

Here's what BHPian Vibhav-Van had to say about the matter:

Typical black marketing scenario which reminds us of our license raj era.

The unfortunate part? A brand like Toyota, with a huge fan following in our country is resorting to this. Never expected this from the likes of them, because everyone raves about their customer-centric approach. Not sure if this holds true in this case.

Another perspective - If customers are indeed willing to pay that kind of a premium, should they officially jack up the prices by 3-4 lakh and ensure black-and-white profit from it? I know we will criticise them for being greedy, which they already are. But at least that's legal.

Guess it all boils down to what we as buyers prioritize. Go out of our way to encourage such practices for a car we love (Tbhp car of the year), because the purchase happens only once, but you live with it for years - and that experience matters most. But even in that scenario, are you sure this brand will not resort to such malpractice in the after-sales experience?

Or value ethics and goodness, and pick an alternative (if there is one).

I do not have first-hand experience with Toyota except when we went to TD a Hyryder last year, and that was nothing great. With respect to ownership, I've experienced Fiat, Ford and Skoda so far. Fiat was the absolute worst - looking to rip you off at every moment. Ford was such a darling - that's true goodness from the heart. I value that, personally.

Here's what BHPian IamNikhil had to say about the matter:

You are absolutely spot-on! It is highly unlikely that the Toyota India management is blissfully unaware of these shady practices; rather, in all probability, the senior honchos are willfully turning a blind eye to these under-handed dealings, whereby the dealers are happy.

Also, there is a possibility that the cut from profits is shared across all levels. Who doesn't like a little side income, that too tax-free? The appalling fact here is that they are doing so in broad daylight. Heart goes out to customers who are eagerly and patiently waiting for their deliveries, ready to spend their hard-earned money; while some with access to unaccounted resources and greasing-of-palms are taking them for a ride, literally and figuratively!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The new GX (O) Petrol variant is available in 7-seater or 8-seater configurations.

Toyota has launched a new petrol variant of the Innova Hycross. The new GX (O) variant is available in 7-seater or 8-seater configurations priced at Rs 21.13 lakh and Rs 20.99 lakh (ex-showroom), respectively.

The Innova Hycross GX (O) variant is equipped with 16-inch alloy wheels, LED fog lamps, a roof spoiler with an LED stop lamp and electrically adjustable ORVMs with auto fold and integrated turn indicators.

The GX (O) variant gets a chestnut-themed interior with soft-touch leather trim on the dashboard and door panels and a rear sunshade. The MPV is equipped with a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and automatic climate control.

The safety features include front and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree camera, an electronic parking brake with Auto-hold, all-wheel disc brakes, 6 airbags and ISOFIX child seat anchors.

The Innova Hycross GX (O) is powered by Toyota’s 2.0-litre petrol engine that produces 172 BHP and 205 Nm. The engine is paired with a 10-step CVT.

The Innova Hycross ZX and ZX (O) variants are specific to the hybrid version of the MPV.

Toyota has reopened its order books for the Innova Hycross 'ZX' and 'ZX(O)' variants. The carmaker had temporarily halted bookings for these variants due to high demand.

The Innova Hycross ZX and ZX(O) variants are priced at Rs 30.34 lakh and Rs 30.98 lakh (ex-showroom), respectively. Customers can place their orders by paying a token amount of Rs 50,000.

The Innova Hycross ZX and ZX (O) variants are specific to the hybrid version of the MPV. It uses a 2.0-litre petrol engine paired with Toyota's 5th generation hybrid system to produce 184 BHP and a motor torque of 206 Nm. The engine is paired with an e-Drive transmission.

The Innova Hycross is also available with a 2.0-litre petrol engine that makes 172 BHP and 197 Nm. It is paired with a CVT and is available in G-SLF and GX trims.

Mileage is too good to believe, for a vehicle of this size.

BHPian Rishi8398 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I recently took delivery of a VX(O), booked sometime in August. So far, I am happy with the vehicle.

Some quick observations which I guess most of you have highlighted already:

Innova Hycross Likes

• The ride is pretty smooth. Took me some time to make out whether the engine was indeed on
• Space is great. I am having trouble in dealing with my twins (3 years) as they loiter across the length & breadth of the car. Took them out of the boot the other day.
• Haven't faced any issues in navigating through Bangalore traffic so far.
• Mileage is too good to believe for a vehicle of this size.

Innova Hycross Dislikes

• I am 6 feet tall. So hard plastics bother my knees while driving.
• The music system & headlights lack intensity
• Also, I am looking for a few accessories. Any recommendations on where I can get them in Bangalore?

Here are the accessories I am looking for:

1. Mats
2. Wheel arch cladding
3. Tail light chrome
4. Window garnish (beading)

Also, if I order online, any pointers on who can help in installing them?

One more thing - any tips on how to manage the dark colour without spending on PPF? My car is a company-leased vehicle, so I don't want to spend much.

Attaching a picture that I took during delivery:

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Been a Toyota fan for 2 decades and even own a decade-old Fortuner which has been bulletproof to date.

BHPian CEF_Beasts recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

The latest issue on the Hycross, the media car’s fuel gauge stopped working and showed the tank as full even though it had reached the E mark and they ran out of fuel.

The hybrid battery and down-slope from Lonavla came to the media person’s help.

Honestly, the issues with HyCross to date are giving a very bad vibe about the longevity of this car.

I’ll mention the various issues (QC, Mechanical & Electrical) that I have seen or heard till now:

1. Cases on brand new cars where the Hybrid system malfunctioned.
2. ORVM Camera malfunctioned and stopped working - Replaced under warranty.
3. Fuel Gauge stopped working on a 13k km run Press Car.
4. The fuel gauge and DTE show conflicting values when the car is parked on a slight incline. Fuel Gauge rushes to the F mark when the car is parked on an incline.
5. Rattles and Creaks from different places of the car, are heard by many.
6. Frequent wireless AA / AC disconnections.
7. A few cases where the Touchscreen system stopped responding completely.
8. The brake pad broke inside the caliper, an extremely rare case but yes it happened.
9. Bug inside the taillight
10. The most pathetic reflector-based LED headlights, worse than a candle, on a 30-40 Lakh car.
11. Excessive engine noise and NVH on a brand new car, the issue was pin-pointed on a failed Hydraulic Engine Mount - Replaced FOC.
12. Rats and Dogs love the car and create havoc, chewing through wires.
13. Poor and pathetic quality of plastics used throughout the cabin.

Being a massive Toyota Fan for the last 2 decades for their QDR principles and building bulletproof vehicles, this car has single-handedly destroyed my trust in the brand Toyota.

I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that people are not raising a hue and cry about it even now! For a Toyota car and a ground-up one built on their platform (TNGA-C), these are some serious issues.

I’ve booked a Hycross and trust me day-by-day I’m losing my faith in this car. Every day a new issue is popping up on the forum / social media. My current decade-old Fortuner has been bulletproof so far, apart from the already-known fuel gauge issue.

Either Toyota can’t handle the latest technology going into their new-gen cars or the people building this particular car on the assembly line are incompetent, especially the ones where the extra shift has come into the picture to increase production. It’s quite clear that this being a SE-Asia-specific car they made mumbo-jumbo of parts available from their global parts bin and built this cheap copy of the Highlander/Kluger for developing markets in a hurry.

One should indeed wait at least a year or two till a new car has settled down in the market and all issues have been ironed out. This was something that held for Mahindras and Tatas, but Toyota entering the same league is not something I would imagine.

There is a big reason I still suggest the current-gen Fortuner to anyone and everyone in the 50 Lakh budget, even though it is over-priced for what it offers! Bulletproof-ness and Reliability are priceless and are far more important than features / a god-damn sunroof, which everyone so desperately wants.

Next-Gen Fortuner buyers B-E-W-A-R-E, the new-gen 2025/26 Fortuner is going to be jam-packed with features.

Even the new 3.4L Twin-Turbo Petrol in the First of Tundras was not spared, with its Turbo failing on multiple vehicles. The only respite being parts were/are being made available with the necessary changes incorporated quickly.

There are only TWO reasons I’m still holding onto my booking:

1. The space and comfort on offer, (can’t find any other MPV/SUV with as much space as the HyCross in the current market scenario), and
2. The Hybrid powertrain which will make my garage future-proof.

My dealership’s high-handedness in the post-booking stage is a story for another time, mind you this is the same dealership from which I have purchased two cars in the past 2 decades, this being the third one.

All in all, I’m losing faith in Toyota India. Well, I’m just a dot in their long order book, who they wouldn’t mind losing. At this point, I’m just happy that my dealership has quoted me a 12-18 month estimated delivery time so that at least some issues can be eliminated. But Toyota being Toyota, extremely slow at what they do, I’m sure they won’t do it till the facelift is out. In my books, this car is a massive blow to the reputation that the household brand name ‘INNOVA’ had built and is known for in India.

PS: Fellow HyCross owners please add the other issues which I may have missed in the above list.

PPS: The day writing emails to Toyota India started getting re-directed by them to dealerships was the day when this mess started.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Prices for the new GX (O) variant will be announced soon.

Toyota will soon launch a new top-spec petrol non-hybrid variant of the Innova Hycross. The new GX (O) trim will be positioned above the existing GX variant.

The Innova Hycross GX (O) will be offered in 7 and 8-seater configurations. Being the top-of-the-line trim, it will come equipped with all the bells and whistles, including a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, automatic climate control, a 360-degree camera, rear sunshade, front parking sensors, LED fog lamps and more.

The Innova Hycross GX (O) non-hybrid will be powered by the 2.0-litre petrol engine paired with a CVT. This unit puts out 173 BHP and 209 Nm.

Prices for the new GX (O) variant will be announced soon.

Both the Mahindra & Toyota SUVs are good cars, but cater to very different requirements.

BHPian hummer recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Dear XUV7OO owners,

I am confused between the Hycross GX (7 seater) and 2023 Mahindra AX5 Diesel AT (5 seater):

Here is a quick comparison of the important features:

XUV700 Interiors:

Innova Hycross Interiors:

Both are similarly priced around Rs 25.5L on-road at Bangalore (2023 XUV7OO models may have some discounts)

My biggest issue is missing the defogger in such a huge Hycross and bland interiors, while I am ok with diesel XUV7OO.

What do you recommend?

Here's what BHPian rAijin_ had to say on the matter:

XUV 700 and Innova Hycross are both very good cars. But they are very different vehicles catering to very different requirements.

Opt for Innova Hycross if:

• You want a more practical 7 seater. XUV's last row is not that comfortable for longer rides compared to Innova.
• Mild hybrid with better mileage (compared to petrol XUV) but very low on power. If power is a priority, do not opt for Innova.
• You'll be sitting in the rear seat the majority of the time with a chauffeur/driver driving the car.
• Better reliability and better after-sales service. Toyota is one of the most reliable brands.
• If comfort and peace of mind is your priority. Features and modern interior you can compromise with.
• You want the biggest ( in length ) of both.

Opt for XUV 700 if:

• You want a 5-seater with a big boot. Or occasional 7-seater for short rides.
• You love to drive and want a more powerful engine with 450 Nm torque! Since you mentioned diesel XUV, you would get better mileage as well. Petrol XUV would give less mileage compared to Innova.
• You will be driving the majority of the time.
• You love those body-cut handles.
• Features and modern interiors are a preference. You are fine with a few points here and there affecting your Peace of mind. Although XUV 700 is also quite reliable. A few niggles often pop out here and there. After-sales service of Mahindra is also a hit or miss.

Here's what BHPian sudanmohit had to say on the matter:

I can't say much about hycross but I can surely say something about an XUV MT diesel.

Highway mileage can reach almost 20kmpl depending upon the driver. 10-12 is for the city.

While considering diesel, keep in mind the DEF part. Depends more on your driving area (city vs highways) and average distance per month

One more important aspect is after-sales service.

Hycross scores ahead here in most cities.

Is the sunroof that important

And one more thing, did you check Kia Carens

Whatever you choose, it'll be the right decision

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The Mercedes C-Class is now 10 years old and already shares garage space with an Ertiga CNG.

BHPian Sanidhya mukund recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I have finally taken delivery of a Toyota Innova Hycross ZX(O) in Sparkling Black Pearl Crystal Shine. Here, I will share an account of how I ended up making this choice.

Even though I had stated my requirements in the opening post, for the sake of convenience, I will state them again. I was looking for a big SUV/MUV to complement my W204 Mercedes C-class and Ertiga CNG. The idea was to buy a car that is suitable for long journeys. The Merc is not conducive for long journeys because I don’t like taking it to places with bad roads. The rear seat is cramped and the availability of premium fuel becomes a big question mark the moment you venture beyond the city. On the other hand, the Ertiga does not inspire confidence on the highways due to the poor build, lack of safety features and the general compromises in the overall package. What I wanted was a car that could address all these shortcomings effectively. Also, since I stay in Delhi-NCR, the car had to be Petrol or Hybrid. Was also not looking at EVs because charging infrastructure is an issue in rural India.

My current garage: The C-class that is now 10 years old and the Ertiga CNG on the day it was delivered

Initially, the idea was to replace my C-class with a nice premium car.

My search began at a Mercedes Benz dealership which is a 5-minute walk from my residence. The new GLC had just been launched, although it would cost well over what I was looking to spend. The GLA looked good, but the 55 lakh price tag did not seem appropriate for a car with no rear armrest, a 1.3 litre Renault engine and a cramped rear seat.

They had a couple of attractively priced GLBs from 2022 stock as well, but I did not quite like the idea of buying a car that had been sitting at the dealership for 1-1.5 years.

Up next, I visited the Audi dealership in Gurgaon. I quite liked the Q3 and Q5, especially because the discounts were quite attractive and they were willing to offer a satisfactory price for my C-class. However, the rear seat of the Q3 was quite cramped and the Q5, while well-priced, did not feel special enough to make me spend that kind of money.

Did not bother visiting the BMW dealership because the X3 was expensive and was now available only in diesel, while the X1 only had a 3-cylinder engine. Didn’t want my most expensive car yet to be the one with the fewest cylinders in my garage.

As far as Lexus and Volvo were concerned, the SUV offerings were beyond what I was comfortable spending.

I then decided that rather than replacing the Merc with something from the luxury brands, it would make more sense to get an additional car. The Merc is immaculately maintained, less driven, and still quite dear to me. A proper upgrade would be very expensive and the attainable models from luxury marques would feel like a bit of a comedown in many aspects.

The first cars to win my heart were the VW Tiguan and the Skoda Kodiaq. The dealership experience was good, the cars were built solidly, they were loaded with features and were priced quite well. I called the Kodiaq home for a test drive and was blown away by the performance. The attention to detail was just like a German luxury car. Very impressive. However, I was apprehensive about the long-term availability of parts and reliability. There are very few cars on Indian roads, the models are being replaced with new ones globally, the manufacturers aren’t exactly known for the industry's best service and the cars aren’t the most reliable. Posts on Team-BHP also suggested that these cars are very sensitive to fuel grade and quality, meaning that they aren’t the best options for rural travel.

The Test drive Kodiaq that came to my house.

The next car to be test driven by me was the Hyundai Tucson. Loved the interior, sound system, fit and finish, design and technology. It felt like a proper Audi Q5 rival in all aspects barring the engine. Since I am not a fast or enthusiastic driver, I was okay with the slightly slow performance. Shortlisted.

I checked out the MG Hector at the Gurgaon dealership and was not impressed with the weird design, the huge screen and the reviews about the sloppy handling. The negativity around MG and FDI from China also played a role.

Was disappointed with the Scorpio N in terms of the poor space management in the boot, the cramped third row, no AC vents in the back and a lack of 3-point seatbelts for all passengers. The XUV700 was also not considered for the missing 3-point seatbelt for the middle rear passenger.

The Scorpio Z6 taxi that I hired while visiting my home town

The Fortuner 2.7 petrol was a pretty hard-wearing and durable car with indestructible mechanicals. However, the lack of features, unsettling ride and the fact that it is now quite long in the tooth worked against it.

In the end, it was down to Hyundai Tucson and Innova Hycross. The Tucson felt more premium, had better interiors, was easily available off the shelf and the dealership experience was also better at Hyundai. However, in the end, the Hycross won because of the ottoman seats, rear sunshades, better road presence and most importantly, the hybrid power train. I also felt that in the long run, the Hycross will be easier to maintain because being a more popular model, parts are likely to be available easily for years to come. Further, the resale value could be better for the popular Hycross. My car was chosen, somehow managed to get a Hycross ZX (o) delivered within a few months of booking.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I have now found a way to put the spare keys in low power mode when not in use.

BHPian fernweh recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

This forum was extremely useful when I started searching for a new car and finally purchased Innova Hycross.

My Hycross VX variant is almost 9 months old, and things have been all good so far. I recently came across a 'key not detected' error on the console when going for an outstation trip. Fortunately, I remembered that by touching the back of the electronic key to the start button, the car could be started and went ahead. However, whenever any door was opened, even with the car stopped and the engine running, the error would reappear. And steering control buttons cease to work.

Did a quick search and came across a video on YouTube showing this error when the key battery is dead. That didn't appear to be the case here, as the car could be locked or unlocked using the key buttons and led blinked as well on pressing. The smart key entry didn't work. Still, thinking it might be a low battery, got a new one online. Please note the battery used here is not CR 2032 but it uses CR2450, not readily available at the shops and had to order online. Before the new battery arrived tested it with the other spare key and it all worked fine with it.

Called the SA and took the car to the service centre. They tried similar things, swapping batteries between the 2 keys and it was clear that it was not a battery issue and one electronic key was not working. Sat with the person for debugging after he connected the laptop to the debug port and did a diagnosis on the Smart key Entry system. There are 5 receivers (called oscillators) in his language which detect the presence of an electronic key in the car, one in the centre, near the cup holder, one each on the inside roof towards the driver and passenger seat and 2 behind on the rear seat side. When pinged from a laptop, if the key is brought near these oscillators, it beeps to confirm communication. The faulty key didn't create a beep. The service person asked that they escalate this to TKM and requested some time to resolve it. Left the car there, and by evening the update was they needed to order a new key and it may take 10 days. It was covered under warranty, so I need not pay anything else it cost around 17k is what SA told me, not sure how true. They said they would inform once the key is ready and it would need to be configured with the vehicle.

Fortunately, the new key arrived within 3-4 days and after configuring, it works fine. Not sure what went wrong with the electronic key, it worked fine just a day before.. anyways I am happy it got resolved.

Had spent quite some time with the user manual and there is a mechanism by which the spare key can be put in low power mode to save the battery else it may last not more than a year. Most of us may use only one key, so I think this could be useful. Also, I found that the battery used is not easily available in stores.. could be found online, better to have one spare.

I requested the SA to configure the key buttons where the long press would close any open windows remotely as the manual mentioned this needs to be done by the service guys and is not in mid settings. They obliged. I would like to know from other users if anyone came across a similar issue.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I don't bother monitoring the fuel efficiency of my cars, but the MID says I get 15km/l.

BHPian sleepyk recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Got delivery of my Blackish Ageha ZX(O) Hycross last week.

Have clocked around 400 kms, so still in the early days, getting accustomed to the new car.

At this point, most of what can be said about this car has already been said by prior posters. So I'll keep my post confined to some of the smaller things that get drowned in the rose-tinted romanticism of that feeling of getting a car with a huge waiting period.

1. The level of fit and finish across the car is markedly improved. Engine insulation could be improved though, as engine noise does creep through on hard revs.
2. The head unit is good. Android Auto and CarPlay are present and wired Android Auto works well, however, no screen brightness controls, lack of wireless Android Auto and lack of any inbuilt navigation are pretty significant misses. I have not tried CarPlay yet. Just want to say that you will need a USB A to USB C or USB A to Lightning cable to use AndroidAuto/Carplay. A shift to USB C would have been appreciated.
3. Reversing camera and 360 cameras are present. However, the resolution is atrocious. The camera on my 2017 Innova probably has the same resolution, and it looked outdated when I bought that car. Not expected from any car in 2024, let alone one that costs 35L on-road.
4. Many of the buttons on the side panels, like the lock/unlock button and most of the window switches are not backlit.
5. Another favourite niggle of mine from the 2017 Innova has been carried forward. A hard plastic panel on the left side that is very easy for the driver's knee to keep hitting. Will be affixing some high-density foam here as usual.
6. Coming from a 2017 Innova with a 2.8 Diesel AT, the 2.0 hybrid in the Hycross feels markedly anaemic. One gets the feeling that this is a car built for cruising around 90-110kmph. Hard overtakes on the expressway are very much possible but they will need some change to my driving style I guess.
7. I don't bother monitoring the fuel efficiency of my cars, but the MID says I will get an average of about 15km/l for those interested in these numbers.
8. There is an EV mode button next to the gear selector. In my opinion, it is a token inclusion on this drivetrain. EV mode can only work at speeds under 40 km/hr, and it disables itself if you press the accelerator too hard. Let me just say that it was very, very, very easy to press the accelerator too hard. Guess we'll use this button more in future PHEVs. But it might as well be taped over for now.
9. The headlights are a huge weak point of this car. I habitually drive on low beams with the fog lamps on, but I noticed that on low beams the lights failed to illuminate the reflectors of many goods carriers on the highway. Switching to a high beam did not provide a marked improvement either. Headlight throw in both low and high beams is also poor, with a distinct dark patch of road seen in both modes. I am planning to take photos of the road and parking lot illumination of the stock 2017 Innova headlights vs the stock 2024 Hycross headlights. Will post the same here so that others can also compare and suggest what can be done.
10. Not aware if the window glasses are laser cut, but they do let in quite a bit of heat. The sunroof is tinted and it seems fine. Will be getting Garware film applied to the window glasses.
11. Toyota sells the car without mats from the factory, which was a surprise for me. My 2023 Honda City by contrast came with 2 sets of mats courtesy of the dealer.
12. Bought the rubber mats from Toyota for the moment and ordered the OEM 3D mats (which were not in stock when I took delivery) as well.
13. Toyota also sells a dashcam with both front and rear recording facilities. I have asked the dealer to order one of those and will get it fitted as and when it is delivered.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.