Maruti's new 7-seater MPV will share its powertrains with the Innova Hycross.

Having introduced the Jimny 5-door, Maruti Suzuki is now gearing up to launch a new MPV in the Indian market on July 5, 2023. The new model is likely to be called the 'Engage' and will be based on the Innova Hycross.

The Maruti Suzuki Engage will be a rebadged version of the Toyota MPV. However, it will get a few cosmetic changes based on Maruti's family look. Leaked patent images have revealed a new trapezoidal grille, similar to that on the Grand Vitara and reworked LED headlamps.

The interior and dashboard layout of the Engage MPV is expected to be identical to the Innova Hycross. It could get a similar feature list as well.

Maruti's new 7-seater MPV will share its powertrains with the Innova Hycross. The 2.0-litre petrol hybrid makes 183 BHP and 206 Nm and is mated to an e-CVT. Lower variants of the MPV will come with a non-hybrid powertrain.

We've seen a variation of this grille design on the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara and Fronx.

Maruti Suzuki plans to introduce an MPV based on the Innova Hycross in India. Like most rebadged models in its line-up, the Innova-based MPV will get minor cosmetic changes to differentiate it from Toyota's version. One such change is the front grille.

Now, the front grille design of the upcoming Innova-based Maruti MPV has leaked online. As per the patent image, the MPV will adopt a familiar Nexa design. The trapezoidal grille has a double chrome bar with the Suzuki logo in the centre. Another chrome element surrounds the lower portion of the grille, while the mesh appears to have a glossy surface.

We've seen a variation of this grille design on the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara. A similar design has also been adopted for the Fronx crossover.

Reports also suggest that Maruti's upcoming 7-seater MPV could be called 'Engage'. These rumours are based on recent trademark filings and there hasn't been any official word from Maruti yet.

Maruti's new 7-seater MPV will share its powertrains with the Innova Hycross. The 2.0-litre petrol hybrid makes 183 BHP and 206 Nm and is mated to an e-CVT.

Thanks to Leo Red for sending these images in. Heartfelt gratitude for sharing them with other enthusiasts via this Team-BHP share page!

The max fuel efficiency the MPV managed on the highway was 21.8 km/l.

BHPian Cresterk recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Went on my first long trip since getting the Hycross. Drove to Trivandrum and back over the weekend.

Even with all 3 rows up, the Hycross still has usable boot space, unlike the competition.

Managed decent mileage on the way to Trivandrum and in the few days I spent roaming around town with 7 passengers. It had dropped to as low as 16 km/l but the entire tank averaged out to 17.8 km/l. The picture was taken just before refilling at Pathanamthitta.

There were massive rains on the way back along with heavy traffic which lead to me driving pretty slow. Climate control was set to 26C and temps had dropped so the AC compressor might have gotten auto-switched off more frequently. All this led to a stupendous 21.8 km/l on the drive back home despite the heavy traffic and bad roads.

The eco score wasn't all that good due to traffic. I think it was just the slow speed and low acceleration that helped. Couldn't even cross 80 km/h that often except on the last stretch. Mostly drove at 45-60 km/h. I think on a good, level highway you could probably eke out even more from this brilliant powertrain if you can resist the urge to blow past all the other cars.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The government has created a new category called 'Omnibus' for 8-seater vehicles.

The Parivahan website has stopped registrations of 8-seaters as private vehicles. Reports suggest that the website is not allowing registration of such vehicles under individual names since May 22, 2023.

It means 8-seater vehicles can no longer be registered under the motor car category. Instead, the government has created a new category called 'Omnibus' for such vehicles. However, as per the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), Omnibus falls under the 'Transport' category, which requires the vehicle to have a fitness certificate every year.

The latest changes in the NIC database have put some customers of the Toyota Innova Hycross, Innova Crysta and the likes in a fix, as they are not able to register their vehicles. Reports also suggest that Toyota has already taken up the matter with the government.

Would this mean that going forward 8-seater MPVs like the Innova would be reserved for fleet operators, remains to be seen.

Thanks to BHPian Smashd for sharing this information with other enthusiasts!

Got a fuel efficiency of 17.6 km/l over a 1,400 km drive.

BHPian samm recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Got delivery of my Hycross Attitude Black ZX(O).

Enough people have reviewed and given their experience of their new acquisitions, so just adding my points.

In one word - fabulous car. Solid build, strong, heavy doors, do feel the solidity overall. Very spacious, no competition here.

Great fuel economy in Eco mode, hybrid is outstanding. I did get 18.6 km/l from Bangalore to Calicut and overall came to about 17.6 over a 1400 km drive, with quite some distance covered in triple digits, where we hear continuous beeps. The smoothness of the power delivery is unbelievable, even with rapid switching between petrol, electric and combined.

In Eco mode, I did feel a lag, so just switch to normal or power mode, and it just takes off with a roar. One of the fastest for sure, and I did see a review where Hycross was almost 1 sec faster in 0-100 timings compared to pretty much anything around this segment.

Audio quality is also quite good (not professional grade home theatre level), we can adjust the equaliser for the best settings for the songs.

Interiors are not the best, and plastics are a bit of a letdown, but everything else compensates for this. It should easily last, just that the plastics get dirty too soon.

Suspension and handling were great, though some shocks get through to the cabin on bad roads or rumble strips. I installed the Car Stabilizer Pro suspension rings, and it simply smoothens out almost everything on its way. Rumble strips are hardly felt now, and the noise is also muffled.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The MPV has never given a fuel efficiency lower than 14 km/l at any stage.

BHPian manofinfinity recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Buying Process/Dealer Experience

When we set out in the market there was honestly only the XUV700 that we were considering apart from Innova, others were simply not that appealing. We almost bought a 2022 Innova Crysta GX automatic but due to some problem it never came into our hands and after that, Toyota stopped Crysta altogether.

We very much looking forward to the new Innova launch and when it launched it seemed the best and the most value for money MPV under 30 lacs when compared with XUV700 and others in the price range.

We booked hycross on the launch date itself in November, and then by January end we first got to see the Hycross in person. We liked everything about it and decided to go ahead and then waited patiently our SA assured us that by March we will get the car allotted. The SA knew us very well and knew that we were serious about getting the car he also warned us and was pushing us to get it as soon as possible, he was also warning us about price hikes, but our car never got allocated before March.

In March after the 85k price hike, we got our Innova Hycross Hybrid VX 8-seater allocated and on 15 March we took delivery it was indeed a very special moment taking delivery felt very special.

This was our very first experience with the Toyota dealership and have to say it was very pleasant they are very professional and understanding, have a no-nonsense attitude and are very down to earth. The only gripe we had was that our SA forced us to take insurance, extended warranty and all the accessories. After much arguing and drama, we finally gave in and took insurance and extended the warranty as they were not ready to move forward without them.

Coming to the compulsory accessories SA was forcing us to take all accessories with 50k but we liked and wanted only 3,4 items on the list, after much arguing and negotiation SA finally agreed on the accessories front, the accessories we got were:

• Fog lamps
• Front and rear underrun
• Chrome door handles
• Chrome window beading

Coming to the Actual Review after 2000 km...

Recently last week crossed the 2000 km mark and wanted to write a brief summary of all my observations and experiences till now.

I have been following this thread from the beginning and gained much more information and insights which also helped me in our purchase decision.

My close relatives have the Crysta (2018) and had an earlier Innova (2012) and I have travelled quite a lot in them and I appreciate that car very much even more now after getting the hycross, but getting the newest Innova and especially our first hybrid car this early was indeed very exciting and special.

I will divide my overall experience and observations into the following parts:

1. Design, Exterior, and overall build quality
2. Interiors
3. Comfort and ride quality
4. Performance and handling, mileage
5. Other observations

Design, Exterior, and overall build quality

• It looks fresh and modern, I love the way it looks, It feels more like an SUV, and has a very commanding presence.
• Overall design and styling feel more like an evolution from Crysta.
• Doors, boot, and Bombay felt heavy and had proper heft to them it's the same level as Crysta.
• Solid Build quality overall, built like a tank, gives you a very secure feeling once inside similar to Germans.
• Our family also has Crysta and when I compared both hycross felt bigger overall, but in terms of design and how the car will age I think Crysta will age better and Crysta overall looks more understated compared to Hycross
• Crysta has a more timeless design.
• Hycross feels like a mini Velfire in some way.

Interiors

• The design of the dashboard is good, simple without any fussy styling, and will age well.
• Big physical buttons for everything make everything easy, including climate control and other settings. It's a big positive.
• The overall interior quality level feels on par with Crysta but in some areas like plastics used on doors and in lower parts felt very cheap.
• One touch up and down for all windows it's a nice premium touch.
• MID quality and quality of graphics are excellent, it's very simple and easy to use. Dials are also excellent.
• Steering wheel leather quality is strictly average.
• I have read in the older posts someone mentioned that clip that holds the sun blinds came off, similar thing happened to me too, it felt 2 -3 times need to get it fixed.
• Toyota should have provided illuminated switches for all power windows, it's just a stupid cost-cutting, and it's very difficult to find power windows switches at night, I am thinking to change the switches to one with illumination if that's possible in the future.

Comfort and Ride Quality

• The ride feels plush and compliant with a full load it soaks bumps and potholes very well.
• Cvt gearbox results in an extremely smooth ride from the start, with no jerks or anything which is a big positive and adds to the overall comfort.
• When the 2nd-row seat is pushed all the way back is just enormous and gives you a proper understanding of how much space flexibility and overall space inside the cabin.
• Hycross just creates a new benchmark for comfort and ride quality for its segment and maybe other segments above.
• AC performance was very good, blower fan speed control range is also good. Ac is a chiller and very effective, cools the cabin very quickly.
• The implementation of a step on the running board between the 2nd and 3rd-row seat makes it easier in getting in and out of the 3rd row as it creates a cavity and you know where exactly to place your feet, nice and thoughtful design implementation, running board itself is wide.
• Suspension is amazing on both low and high speeds it feels like the car is just gliding.
• it's my first time driving and experiencing CVT and CVT very much suits the purpose and personality of Innova.
• Window insulation is very effective, it cuts out engine noise and outside noise very well, engine and motor operation sound can be heard if you hear from outside, from outside it sounds like any other petrol engine if it turns on, but once inside the cabin, it feels very silent.
• In the 2nd-row seat width felt a bit less for 3 adults to sit comfortably but the amount of legroom is just mind-blowing.
• The 2nd-row seat is placed somewhere lower to the floor which affects under-thigh support compared to Crysta.
• Also, 3rd seats are good for adults but I hate the rails for 2nd-row seat adjustment on the floor, it does not lead to comfortable positioning of feet for 3rd-row passengers and it feels confusing where to place your feet.
• In Crysta, there was no such problem in the 3rd row as the rails were underneath the floor and the floor was flat.
• Also, the positioning of the rails of the 2nd-row seat and the way it is open to dust and debris does make me think of how reliable and problem free this mechanism will be, Toyota should have implemented this in a better way or just leave it as it was in Crysta as it was so perfect.
• 3rd-row seating was definitely better in Crysta.

Performance/Driving experience and handling, mileage

• It feels very car-like to drive, and confidence-inspiring, and very communicative, Steering feedback is also good and driving dynamics are sorted and predictable.
• High-speed stability is excellent, in terms of stability and overall handling it feels sort of more like the Germans maybe it's due to a stiffer suspension setup.
• Acceleration is more than adequate and very linear.
• Braking is also very confidence inspiring, one needs to get accustomed to hybrid braking as it is different from conventional cars and takes some time to get used to.
• Headlight illumination was good and adequate at night, but there should be an option to turn off the headlight completely.
• Steering is very light at low speeds and makes it very easy while parking, and weighs up very well as speed increases.
• One thing I realized as my first time driving a hybrid is you can't drive it like a regular automatic car you have to change your driving style to get maximum mileage.
• There is some push and power assisted from the electric motor always even at higher speeds and in ghats regularly depending on the position of the pedal and speed and it changes quite frequently if the battery has enough charge left.
• If driven carefully and with control over the acceleration the car can be run in ev mode alone for 2 to 3 km if speed is kept low, it works and I have tried it 2 -3 times
• I got between 15-20 km/l in mixed usage, never got less than 14 km/l
• One needs to lower the seat a bit to get a more comfortable and confident driving position
• I also did some travelling in the ghats section with a full load with steep hills and Hycross performed brilliantly, I was also very keen as to how it will perform and I must say it passed with flying colours
• It felt effortless to drive on ghats and I didn't need to accelerate more for more pickup just light acceleration was enough to keep it going upwards, pick up was more than enough At first, I felt the engine is straining a bit but it was just CVT way of delivering power in a very linear manner.
• The transition from battery power to engine and back is seamless, it's very hard to pick when it happens.
• The engine starts automatically if the battery is 3 bars or less or if the battery is depleting or if the engine needs to warm up.

Other Points and Observations

• Front and rear parking sensors and 360 degrees cameras help a lot in positioning and Maneuvering.
• The auto-hold function is such a boon and works perfectly.
• The silence of the car while starting and at low speeds never fails to amaze us.
• Keyless entry and locking work well, its implementation is similar to Camry, one of the better implementations compared to others.
• The audio system and speaker quality in vx are good.
• Plenty of charging options (3 type c) is a very thoughtful addition
• After getting a bit accustomed to the hybrid driving style I try to coast as much as possible to recharge the battery
• Also, one can feel the difference when the car is running on battery alone or with the engine combined through the feel and vibration of the accelerator pedal itself.
• Just a few days ago on the Mumbai Pune expressway and near Thane I saw more than 10 Vellfire, on the same day, I was shocked by its popularity,velfire is doing well in its segment it might be the selling luxury limousine van in its segment, and I have seen many actors also have Vellfire, seems like the already high Toyota brand value is going to increase even more than before with the introduction of Vellfire, and hybrid tech adoption is also not a problem. My dealer said that there is six months waiting period on Velfire

Conclusion

Very happy and satisfied with the overall experience with the hycross till now, can't wait to do long trips in this beast.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

With the weight of 7 people on board, I could definitely feel a difference.

BHPian Cresterk recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I got rather carried away typing out the Crysta encounter yesterday so I didn't get the time to talk about the second half of the day, when the car was fully loaded with 7 people on board including me, the driver.

Here it is with 2 people in the middle captain's seats and 3 people in the 3rd row. Both front seats are empty. I wanted to check out whether it would squat down like in that one picture that was posted here where it was fully loaded. I couldn't notice any difference in the rear stance but the car was standing still on gravel so I'm not sure if that plays a part.

Here is the car while it is empty for comparison. Note: I have flipped the image so it is easier to compare.

With the weight of 7 people on board, I could definitely feel a difference in regenerative braking. The car was now coasting much further and the actual brakes would kick in a lot more when slowing down. You can tell when the actual brake pads have kicked in by looking at the Eco Meter which will be pushed all the way to the end of the 'charging zone' and will not move further even when pushing the brakes down further.

Courtesy of Kerala's uneven terrain, I had to go up a rather steep climb and then stop before reaching the top because of an intersection. The Hycross didn't have any trouble going up and didn't have any trouble starting off after coming to a complete stop either. Hill hold assist kicked in automatically when I lifted off the brake pedal and the car stayed in place pressing the accelerator pushed it forward smoothly. No sudden jerks, everything was smooth and controlled and there was no unnecessary revving even with the extra weight which was pleasantly surprising.

I understand this was a rather short climb but I'm going to take it to Munnar next month and I will update here on how it does on a proper hill climb.

Another thing to talk about is the stance and wheels from the side. I must say, the wheels don't feel as undersized as I had initially thought when I first saw it in the Indonesian press reveal where it was wearing the Modellista body kit which extends the bumpers down further. It is a size smaller than competing crossovers such as the XUV700 or Tata Safari but it doesn't look bad either.

Would bigger tyres have been nicer? Yes. Are the current tyres so small that I want to upgrade them to something bigger? No.

So I have shelved my plans to upgrade the tyres to a thicker sidewall to increase the overall diameter. Besides, it will lead to the wheel speed sensors being uncalibrated and I don't want to screw up all the ADAS calculations or the handling which is pretty damn good for an MPV. It's not like I'm going to go offroad in this thing anyway.

I booked mine in November on the first day of the booking opening. I don't know if I would be considered 'early' since the Hycross went through a price hike and a Kerala road tax hike before I got mine in April. I didn't pay anything extra over the official price list. I didn't know anyone important, I just made my booking online through the official Toyota website. Maybe I got lucky with the salesman assigned to me. I told him straight up that I had booked at another dealership too and I will take delivery of whichever one arrived first.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The response from the Hycross is instant. There is no lag waiting for a turbo to spool up, the downshift and the roar from the engine are instant.

BHPian Cresterk recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I have been patiently waiting till the first service is done to do an initial ownership report but I just drove 100 km combined today, first alone and then with 7 people on board and I'm feeling pretty happy with the car so I just had to share with my fellow enthusiasts and owners.

Something you quickly realise and accept when driving the Hycross is that other Innovas will drive weirdly around you. Crysta owners especially will treat you like you are their wife's ex-boyfriend and they have something to prove by overtaking or speeding away from you.

I have been ignoring it so far because:

1. I wasn't very familiar with the car yet and I do not like taking unnecessary risks.
2. My family would be with me and my mom is the type to start panicking if she sees a car slightly move into our lane 2 km ahead.

Today while I was cruising on the highway, I saw a black 2.4Z Crysta with modified tail lights and heavily tinted glasses in front of me. I had a feeling that this was going to be one of 'those guys'. He hadn't noticed me yet so we were just driving along with the flow of traffic, with me behind him at a fair enough gap. Didn't want him to think that I have got something to prove by driving too close, you know? Traffic was moving at a decent enough pace so I think we were both content to just relax and go with the flow.

Then all of a sudden he moves to the left track and accelerates till he gets right to the truck in front and brakes. There is no gap to squeeze through to the right. I don't make any effort to close the gap he vacated and he quickly moves back into the right track and honks at the poor Swift in front.

Ah looks like he finally noticed me.

There is only so long you can stay ignorant of a large black, suspiciously SUVish-looking MPV with low-set DRLs in your mirror without recognizing it as the new generation of your car. As soon as we pass the truck, he moves back into the left lane and accelerates hard, zooming away just to come across yet another slow-moving car and have to brake again. He swerves back into the right lane but is now stuck behind another car that is only moving marginally faster than the left lane. You could almost hear his impatience as he tailgates the car until the left lane opens up, and away he goes! Only to have to slow down as we are now approaching an intersection and there is a bus that's already halfway across the road.

He has to stop. The cars in front of me in the right lane go through but with the bus inching forward, I stop as well. I'm not going to play chicken with the lunatic behind the wheel of a private bus in Kerala!

All the cars waiting at either side of the intersection use this opportunity to cross the road. I am right beside the Crysta now. The whole road has now stopped and is waiting for the intersection to clear. As soon as the last car makes it past his lane, off he goes! I get a late start but I'm off too after my lane is clear. The highway has now completely cleared up in front since we were stopped for a while. I am keeping an eye on the Eco Meter that Toyota provides instead of a tachometer on its hybrids. I have been trying to keep it below the power zone so far. The Crysta is accelerating hard, showing no signs of letting up as our speeds cross 50, 60 and 70, I'm in comfort mode and I'm glancing down at the Eco Meter to see that the needle has crept past the top of the ecozone and is now slightly in the beginning of the power zone. I finally say, ah screw it, and I push my foot down more. The response from the Hycross is instant. There is no lag waiting for a turbo to spool up, the downshift and the roar from the engine are instant (ahem, well as much as a 2L engine can roar) and the Hycross just shoots ahead, past the Crysta. I see the Eco meter getting close to the top and I lift off and it goes back to EV mode as it starts to regenerate. We are approaching traffic up front anyway so I go back to driving sedately. The Crysta came up in the other lane but he stayed slightly behind me all the way to the signal despite having space to go ahead

I turned right at the signal and he went straight with a little toot of the horn. I drove away with a stupidly large smile on my face.

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

Yup. This car has enough power when needed. Nice write-up of the drag race with Crysta.

My VX has covered 5900 km in 2.5 months. Had two trips from Chennai to KL and once to Hyd. My brother-in-law wanted to see how fast it could go and for a very brief moment (say 2 or 3 sec), on an empty stretch of four-lane highway, he got the speedo to one-eighty. The engine roared and roared. I prefer to drive around 100 on highways and to overtake any slow-moving traffic and this car has more than enough power. Overtaking on KL single-lane state highway was effortless.

Very happy with the car's performance. It's my daily ride to the office and gives a mileage of 19 km/l. On highways due to my driving style mileage is around 17.5 km/l. A full tank (50 litres) gives a range of 850 km. So coming from Chennai to my hometown (KL) is 640 km and it has enough petrol to go back to TN on the return leg to refuel. The fuel cost difference is almost 4 to 5 rupees with respect to KL.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I even checked out the Urban Cruiser & Hyryder SUVs before going ahead with the Hycross.

BHPian SKDrives recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Team-BHP to a greater extent helped me in understanding some cars I considered buying like Toyota Urban Cruiser, VW Taigun, Skoda Kushaq, Toyota Hyryder hybrid and Innova Hycross. Like anyone else, am also excited about my new car, and am here to share my car-buying experience with you all. It's a long post, am trying to make it as interesting as possible, try to read it full.

Few lines about me

From Salem Tamil Nadu, a software professional working from Bangalore, family into farming and business. All these days till 2020 we were using pre-owned cars. Our first car was Toyota Qualis RS - which we bought in 2011; it had 2,80,000 kms when we bought it. We drove it to 3,90,000 kms and sold it off in 2015.

In 2015, we bought a 2008 Type 2 Innova GX which had already clocked 1,90,000 kms, and it has done 2,60,000 kms now as I write this. In the same year, we also bought a 2008 pre-owned Hyundai Santro exclusively for me to learn and get used to driving. It just did 125000 kms and except for the engine, everything else is a mess.

Toyota...Toyota...Toyota

Owning a Toyota and Hyundai at the same period of time is one enlightening experience every car owner should go through. Collectively with Qualis and Innova, we've done 1,80,000 kms. We've done some fantastic family road trips, numerous 2000 kms round trips, and so many Bangalore - Salem round trips.

The cars stayed with us on all our happy, not-so-happy, flat and sad occasions. Honestly, I would confess, owning Toyotas all these happy miles is absolutely niggle free and not even once they've failed us. On the other side, Santro started giving trouble and it already started showing age-related complications.

When we decided to buy a new car, everyone in the family voted for buying a Toyota for obvious reasons.

Car hunt

When we finally decided to buy a Toyota, we were on a budget which was under 15 Lakhs. The idea was to refurbish Innova GX and replace Santro with a new five-seater.

The only choice we had was Toyota Urban Cruiser (Suzuki Brezza), the car had no characteristics of a Toyota, disappointed with the product lineups of Toyota, the only purebred Toyota in front of me was Crysta but the budget pulled me away from it.

Not so convinced with UC, we test-drove Kushaq 1.0 Ambition and Taigun mid-variant MT. Though the ergonomics and seating comfort were miles ahead compared to UC, the 3 Pot 1.0 TSI was jittery. Till you shift to 3rd gear, we cannot expect a settled ride with these engines. For me naturally aspirated 4 Pot Suzuki Engine was more offering smooth and settled ride compared to that of VW's.

Passing cloud

Having no options left, we finally booked Toyota UC back in 2020 and finally worked out a year-end deal with all the discounts we were getting UC top model MT for 117000 INR on-road. Anaamalais Toyota Salem was the only dealer available and we went with them.

The car was due for delivery in Feb 2021, during PDI we found out that the car allotted to us was making a clicking sound when the engine was idle after racing. Thank god I'd paid only 60K in advance; without much hassle, I had to hold my booking for the next lot of vehicles to come. Meanwhile, the news about the Brezza facelift surfaced and expecting a parallel Toyota model, we've decided to wait for the UC facelift.

Like a cloud, it came rained for a while, and like a cloud it passed - The Urban Cruiser.

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

While we were waiting for the facelift of UC, news surfaced that Toyota was working on a new model, codenamed D22. And from then on, I regularly followed updates on the then D22 in Team-BHP. The updates looked usual and normal to me till it was speculated that Hyryder will come paired with Toyota's Hybrid system.

Then, followed Car Care Nut channel and learnt in detail about Toyota hybrid system. The more I watched their videos, the more I started believing that the Toyota Hybrid system is an engineering marvel and added to the expectation, we were patiently waiting.

After a long wait, when Hyryder was finally launched in August 2022. The first disappointment was the inclusion of a sunroof in Hybrid G. I always thought and still think, the sunroof is just an overrated luxury feature for India.

The second disappointment struck when the prices were revealed. Hybrid G was almost 22L on-road and with a sunroof, I was not convinced with the price I'd be paying for.

What's wrong with Hyryder?

S Variant was 18.63L on-road, however, it lacked some basic features like a rear windshield wiper and alloy wheels. Though it felt reasonable for the price somehow was not convinced with S. Toyota created some serious mess with the variants of Hyryder.

Finally with compromises like installing 3M CR70 film on the sunroof, booked Hybrid G and started waiting for test drives to begin. Then came the day when we test-drove Hyryder Hybrid V (the only test-drive vehicle available), the initial impression was: for the price I'm paying, I'm not getting even half the space we use to get in our 2008 Innova.

The second row was compromised with space, though the ride was plush and sophisticated lack of space for well-built adults was subpar in Hyryder. Add to it, because of the cheap sunroof blind used (probably the cheapest fishing net available), the head was radiating inside the cabin. We could clearly feel the cabin was like an oven and the AC system working overtime to keep the cabin cool.

I expressed my dislikes to the sales assistant, and having no other option still decided to go ahead with Hyryder G. The wait for Hyryrder G with compromises began.

The Arrival of Hycross

While I was waiting for Hyryder, Crysta was stopped. News started surfacing and Autocar India wrote an article about the launch of Innova Hycross in the 2022 Diwali season.

I called the sales assistant and informed him to put Hyryder's booking on hold, he was shocked and tried to convince me. But I decided to wait for Hycross. By the time when Hycross was launched, I was fully familiar with Toyota's hybrid systems and how it drives.

So no question about the engine or the powertrain. The only stopper this time would be the price. Was recovering from the pain Hyryder's price caused this time was not expecting anything less than 33 Lakhs for the mid variant.

Fastened my seat belts and was ready to brace the impact.

Finally, the day came in, and Hycross was revealed in India on November 25 2022 (though I was following their Indonesian launch with subtitles). After going through their specifications brochure, it was evident that Toyota did an excellent job in fixing the variants. Out of all, Hycross VX Hybrid was the no non-sense variant to me and it ticked all (yes, ALL) my expectations from a car. Next is price.

The very next day, without expecting too much, we cancelled the Hyryder booking and booked Hycross VX Hybrid 7S Silver Metallic and wait for the price reveal in 2023 January has begun. To shock everyone, in December 2022 Toyota revealed the price of Hybrid models. It was costing me 29.8L on-road in Salem which was much less than what I expected. Good job Toyota.

Hycross first impressions and test drive

Finally, I witnessed the first Hycross in person only at the end of January. I had to travel from CV Raman Nagar to Bannerghatta Road Nandi Toyota to see the VX hybrid in person.

To be Frank, I liked everything about Hycross, the way it looked, the way it was designed, the way the interiors were laid etc. It looked like one complete vehicle for me, especially with so much space for all three seats on offer. However, from time to time, I kept hearing complaints about the plastic quality of Hycross interiors, but was not bothered, as am coming from a 2008 Innova it's filled with plastics and plastics only.

I was trying to get a test drive, but because of so many reasons, I couldn't get the test drive of Hycross till I drove our own. Finally, the sales assistant said our car is allotted and expected to arrive by March 16th. By this time Toyota already revised the price, and now the VX hybrid was costing 30.4 L on-road in Salem.

We initiated the process, and everything went in our way finally we go the delivery of the Hycross Hybrid VX 7S on 24th March 2023.

How's Hycross?

Our car clocked 2500 kms so far, which includes 2 Bangalore - Salem Highway trips (220 kms one way), one Salem to Trichy Road trip (125 kms one way), one Salem to Karaikkal (Thirunallaru) road trip (250 kms one way).

Most of our members covered the review aspects of Hycross, which helped me in my decision making and am sure it will help you all as well. So I will stick to what I like and what I dislike after these 2500 kms.

What I like about Hycross?

1. Absolutely silent cabin, we are all sedate drivers in our family. When cruising at 85 Kms, we were feeling almost like we are sitting in the living room and having a conversation.
2. Space - Thirunallaru trip we did was with 4 adults and a kid, the space on offer for all of us was unmatched by any 7-seater MPVs or SUVs in the market.
3. AC - It cools the cabin in no time, the absence of a sunroof is really helpful.
4. Looks - seriously. This could easily be the good-looking Innova ever release in India. It's looking better than Crysta from an angle.
5. 360-degree çamera assist - It's a useful feature for parking in congested areas. in VX hybrid the camera automatically comes live when manoeuvring tight spaces, it's really cool.
6. Ride Quality - Coming from Type 2 Innova, the suspension setup was neither too soft, nor too stiff like in Crysta or Innova. It's well-balanced, the engineers found the perfect balance. Our tips so far are not tiring at all. Brilliant Toyota.
7. Boot Space - Even with the third row adjusted and fully reclined, we were able to load enough luggage for all of us. I don't think any of the cars in the Indian market offers this. Again brilliant use of space.
8. Mileage - When we started our Thirunallaru trip the ODO read, 1808 kms and we did a full tank. When we reached the fuel station back from Thirunallaru, the ODO read 2334 kms. That was a total of 526 kms. When we refilled, it took 26 Liters for a full tank in the same station, the same pump. That extracted the mileage of 20.2 km/l. This included 140 KMs (round) from Chidambaram to Thirunallaru with almost no road. This was awesome.
9. Toyota Service - Premium service experience at Anaamalais Toyota Salem which we experienced so far with our Innova, is continuing with Hycross as well. Good job guys.
10. Auto Headlights - convenient and works like a charm. Good job here as well.
11. Cost per km - If driven light-footed, WE can get 5.1 to 5.5 Rupees per KM which is brilliant for a car of its size.
12. Resale value of Toyota - Like anything, Cars also get older. But so far from our experience, Toyota ages slowly and it gives you the best return when they get older. Hoping for the same with Hycross.

What could be better in Hycross?

1. Window control switches are not backlit. on a 32 Lakh rupees vehicle, this is a blunder I would say.
2. I was liking the chrome windows bedding accessory, however, the bedding doesn't cover the rear quarter glass and it's only for windows. I had to cancel that.
3. Fit and finish of some of the accessories were not perfect. The pain of buying a newly launched vehicle. We had to replace some of the accessories because of these complaints. And Toyota did it with a smile on its face. Again kudos to Toyota.
4. OEM Car cover - In one word it's the worst and subpar in quality. And Toyota was charging a whooping 5500 for it. Those who are living close to the proximity of Salem, try Nilgiris 4 Roads Car cover. Their best-of-the-line variant is only 4500 INR, and they take measurements of the vehicle and offer tailor-made covers. It's perfect for our car.
5. 7D Mat - The 7d Mat offered by the dealer doesn't offer any cushioning for the feet. It's like driving on top of hard rock. Need to use shoes or add additional cushion.
6. No Apple car play - Wired Android auto is there and it's working well, but at least i couldn't find Apple car play. If not there, it's a huge miss.
7. Toyota I Connect - Sometimes is confusing and creates panic by sending notifications like the car is not locked. Need some improvements.
8. Bluetooth - Seriously guys. This needs an upgrade. Auto connect is not working at all. I have to delete the paired device and re-pair it again to get it working. Seriously guys?

Other than these minor niggles, it's all good so far.

Verdict

I'm happy with my buy, and it's all Toyota: right from platform, engine and drive train.

Sometimes, we have to wait longer than usual to get what we feel is the best. As a fanboy and loyal customer of Toyota, I had to wait for three years to get Hycross which feels so far so good. So try to delay your car buying process. Digest all the information that's thrown at us and enjoy the process. After all, it's our money and it's our happiness.

Thank you for reading fellow BHPians. Happy motoring and wish me luck.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Due to this, my vehicle is lying at the Toyota service centre without any repair work for the last 4 days.

BHPian samitjain recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Claim Issues with TATA-AIG / Beware of taking Tata-AIG insurance

My new Innova Hycross was damaged a few days back and I took the car to their approved workshop Galaxy Toyota-Delhi Okhla for repair. To my surprise, the workshop refused to repair the car as the insurance company Tata-Aig had suddenly come out with new rates for repair which are unacceptable to the workshop.

Now my car is lying without any repair work for the last 4 days and Galaxy Toyota has refused to do any work. I am caught in no man's land.

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

This is not your fault. Call the agent and demand that they either pay up quoted amount, fix your car or refund the insurance premium completely or you will take it to the insurance ombudsman. This will make them pressure the dealership. Alternatively, take the car back from the workshop and take it to another dealer.

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

I recently bought a Camry with insurance from TATA AIG and was planning to buy for Hycross from Tata as well. Guess it's time to look to another company. If the Galaxy-Tata scenario remains stalled. Try contacting Espirit/Uttam/MGF workshops and see if they have the same views on TATA. If not then take the car to them or if they do too, then pressure on the agent and the surveyor. This should settle it in any case.

Here's what BHPian Mechb63 had to say about the matter:

This seems to be more of a Toyota issue than a Tata AIG issue. I have experienced the same in Mumbai.

Dealer A would refuse to work on your car if you were to insure your car from elsewhere. If you have a Toyota policy then everything is indeed smooth like butter, I was also warned about so when I decided not to renew my insurance with Toyota.

Luckily Dealer B is happy to take care of the repairs, in a cashless manner with the same policy. The only downside is this dealer B has their workshop on the other side of town, which is only a minor hiccup.

The only solution, in this case, is to contact your agent and ask them to direct you to any authorized workshop within your city where they can sort it out. No point in arguing with the dealer about where your car is currently kept.

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

Write an email to TATA AIG and Toyota both, stating the issue. If the amount is not too (0000) much, pay it from your pocket and get your car back on the road (do inform them of this as well).

Then claim that amount from TATA AIG, if they refuse, talk to the customer care manager, if still not happy; go to Grievance Redressal Officer (GRO), if you are not satisfied with the resolution, approach Nodal Officer for your servicing location. If you are not happy with his resolution, approach the Insurance Ombudsman.

Believe me, this works, I assure you that your issue will be resolved at the GRO level itself.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.