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Published on: Dec. 12, 2022, 2:34 p.m.
Innova-tive journey continues
  • The Innova brand has been ruling the roads for more than 17 years

By S.M. Boothem

In the passenger vehicles (PVs), currently, two segments are popular in India – the sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) for their space, comfort and convenience.  These multi-purpose vehicles are also ideal for both weekends and long journeys with the family. Toyota’s first model, Qualis was launched in 2000 and was a big success in the Indian markets. Taking the success story forward, Toyota introduced another MPV, the Innova, in 2005 for Indian customers. 

It was a game-changer for Toyota. The Innova brand has been ruling the roads for more than 17 years and has continued to dominate in the MPV segment. Over the years, the iconic Innova has gone through a number of cosmetic changes. In 2016, the new Crysta came with more power, luxury, safety, space and comfort.  The brand has only been going from strength to strength since then, while continuing to maintain its number one position in the segment.  The company announced in August this year that the brand achieved another milestone of selling 10 lakh units. The Innova brand is successful not only in India but also in global markets. 

As one of the global leaders in hybrid technology, the time has come for another makeover for Innova, and this time the Japanese car maker unveiled a new variant called Innova HyCross, a Self-Charging Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicle (SHEV). With the new style, design and interiors, and technology features for the new generation of customers, the company expects a change in the outlook towards Innova’s brand image which will bring in more conscientious customers. 

“Innova has become an iconic vehicle in India’s mobility journey and is a household name. The Self-charging Strong Hybrid Electric vehicle, with the spaciousness of an MPV and proportions and poise of an SUV, is loaded with features to meet the aspirations of Indian customers. This feature-packed vehicle is intended for those who seek safety and comfort while travelling and would love to be a part of the new Innova HyCross family,” said Hideki Mizuma, Chief Engineer, Innova, Toyota. 

Muscular and tough design

The Innova brand has enjoyed continued success all these years as the car maker has a finger on the pulse of the Indian customers’ tastes and has designed the vehicle as per these requirements. Drawing inspiration from Toyota’s rich global SUV heritage, the new Innova HyCross features a muscular and tough design with ample space that provides flexible and comfortable seating for all.

The new Innova is capable of running 40 per cent of the distance and 60 per cent of the time in electric (EV) or zero-emission mode. The customers’ trust in the brand has motivated Toyota to bring in the latest global technologies to India. They are upbeat that the new Innova HyCross will carry forward the brand legacy.

  • With the launch of the new Innova HyCross, we are redefining the paradigm and redrawing the boundaries of technological and product excellence

Talking about the new Innova, Vikram Kirloskar, vice chairman, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) said: “It has been an amazing year as we celebrate 25 glorious years of Toyota in India. At TKM, sustainability continues to be at the core of our business and with an unprecedented increase in carbon emissions globally, we firmly believe that its HY time to shift gears for a greener future. In this direction, we have adopted clean and green solutions across all our operations and value chain, so that the green products that we offer to our customers are also manufactured in green factories. Additionally, we are relentlessly working towards creating a local manufacturing ecosystem for green technologies not only for India but also for the world. With the launch of the new Innova HyCross, we are redefining the paradigm and redrawing the boundaries of technological and product excellence,” added Kirloskar.

The new Innova HyCross comes with a variety of colour choices for the taste of customers. It also offers the renowned Toyota experience through a warranty of 3 years/100,000 km and an option of extended warranty of up to 5 years/220,000 km, 3 years free roadside assistance, attractive financial schemes and 8 years/160,000 km warranty on the hybrid battery. Customers can book in advance either online or at the Toyota dealership with an initial amount of Rs50,000. Deliveries start from January 2023.

“One of our biggest success stories here has been the iconic Innova, that keeps finding continued appreciation and love, across the country. Being the undisputed leader of the MPV segment, the Innova has found its home in more than a million households in India reflecting our core DNA of Quality, Durability & Reliability, made possible through highly skilled global competitive manpower,” explains Masakazu Yoshimura, MD and CEO, TKM.  

If the new Innova HyCross is priced competitively, then there is no doubt that the brand Innova will continue to set the sales charts on fire for TKM.

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