As much as it’s different on the outside, this third-generation Toyota Innova has undergone significant changes on its chassis and powertrain. Unlike Innova Crysta which is a rear-wheel drive body-on-frame MPV, the Hycross is built on Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA-C Platform) with front-wheel-drive monocoque construction. This transition has made an encouraging improvement in ride and handling department. Moreover, Diesel motor has been wisely replaced with 2.0L Petrol-Hybrid motor (M20A-FXS). There’s also a 2.0L Petrol engine option (M20A-FKS) opposed to the 2.7L gas-guzzling engine previously available in Crysta. Given the growing demand for automatics, the manual transmission is no longer available. Petrol engine comes with CVT gearbox whereas Hybrid is offered with Toyota’s more refined eCVT technology. The four-cylinder, 16 valve, DOHC Petrol engine delivers 173 BHP @ 6600 RPM and torque of 209 Nm @ 4500 RPM. Hybrid, on the other hand, generates a combined output of 184 BHP @ 6600 RPM and 188 Nm torque @ 4400 RPM. The electric motor torque is rated at 206 Nm. This fifth-generation self-charging Hybrid combines the M20A-FXS Petrol engine with Permanent Magnet Synchronous Electric Motor, equipped with 6.5-Ah nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery placed under the front seats. Apparently, NiMH is preferred over Li-ion batteries for its better tolerance to hot weather conditions. Toyota even claims that Hycross is capable of running 40% of the distance and 60% of the time in electric-only mode.
It doesn’t take long to find a comfortable driving position in Hycross. With a commanding front view and fully visible bonnet, the 360-degree camera further makes maneuvering a long car as simple as cakewalk. Even rearward view is decent for an MPV, thanks to large windows. Electric steering is nimble and convenient for navigating through traffic. It weighs well as the speed progresses but could have been a bit more connected for higher speed. Look-wise though, the one on Innova Crysta is more sophisticated. Horn is loud and clear, and it doesn’t have that shrilling pitch. We tested the Hybrid version which comes with three drive modes apart from a separate switch for EV mode: Eco, Normal, Power. From standstill, the push start button makes the car come alive in total silence. It is so because the electric motor alone propels the vehicle at lower speeds. Petrol engine kicks-in to support increased acceleration. When full acceleration is demanded, engine and electric motor work in unison to deliver optimal performance. The engine could also activate anytime if hybrid battery charge-level drops below a certain level. Upon deceleration, the regenerative braking function comes into effect. It converts the kinetic energy of the braking power (which is otherwise wasted) into electrical energy to recharge the Hybrid system batteries.
The difference between all three drive modes is quite noticeable. With transition to each mode from Eco to Power, the car becomes more sensitive to throttle inputs. Eco Mode is most suitable for city driving conditions in which the performance feels restrained. The vehicle mostly relies on electric motor rather than the gasoline engine to move forward. There’s also a vast potential to extract impressive fuel economy figures in this mode. Normal Mode, as the name suggests, is ideal for general driving conditions and provides best of both the worlds. The acceleration feels more opened-up to overtake and for driving on empty stretches. Performance mode, on the other hand, is where one can feel the underlying potential of Hycross. The acceleration becomes very sensitive and it provides instant power at the tap of pedal. Obviously, this mode also consumes the maximum fuel. The Hybrid variants come equipped with an eCVT transmission. In simple words, it’s a more refined and reliable version of the traditional Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). The rubber-band effect is reasonably well-contained with steady foot driving. There’s also a Sports Mode (upto S6) with Paddle Shifters that allows eCVT to hold the “step” for a little longer before upshifting. Putting the Innova in Performance Mode and shifting manually with Sports Mode will definitely make for one pleasant driving experience out on the expressways. However, from the perspective of an enthusiast, I still believe that an automatic gearbox other than CVT will make the Hycross more fun to drive.
The motor has sufficient grunt to keep moving in stop-go traffic without using accelerator. However, braking may feel unconvincing at first, which has more to do with the pedal response that needs some time to be understood. Performance of the brakes in itself is effective because of all-four discs along with ABS and EBD. As with any other large vehicle, the braking must be carefully pre-planned whenever possible especially at high-speed driving. The monocoque construction makes the Innova Hycross much more planted to drive when compared with the body-on-frame Innova Crysta. High-speed stability is excellent and the handling wouldn’t disappoint either. The ride quality is absorbent across various speeds and the potholes when driven over sanely are gracefully handled. NVH levels have also been worked upon meticulously. Being a Hybrid, noise and vibrations inside the cabin during idle are almost non-existent. Even at higher speeds, the outside noise is well-controlled, except for some wind-noise that finds its way on the inside at speeds over 80 Kmph.
The ARAI-claimed fuel economy for Petrol-only version is 16.13 Kmpl. For the Hybrid, it’s 23.24 Kmpl, which doesn’t seem unrealistic. The Hybrid motor is capable of churning out some amazing mileage figures. It delivered us between 17–18 Kmpl in city driving with AC on. I couldn’t resist but smile when our test car with full tank did a 500 kilometers road-trip and fuel gauge needle still pointed near the half-tank mark. There’s no crash test rating available so far. Overall, the Hycross seems well-built and the Japanese automaker has also included a suite of safety features including ADAS (Toyota Safety Sense System) that incorporates Dynamic Cruise Control, Lane Trace Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Monitor, Pre-Collision System, Auto High Beam etc. Other safety and security features include six-airbags (Driver, Passenger, Front Side, Curtain Shield), Stability Control, Hill Start Assist, ABS + EBD, SOS Switch (e-Call), Front & Reverse Sensors and Anti-Theft Immobilizer with Siren, Ultrasonic and Glass Break Sensor.
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