Toyota Innova Touring Sport Test Drive Review

Toyota Innova Touring Sport Review

Car Tested: Toyota Innova Touring Sport; Road Test No. 844

Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 19.65 – 25.06 lakhs

People who want a sporty-looking, comfortable MPV know where to look now

Toyota has been fetching mind-boggling sales for the Innova right since the time when it was first launched in India. In 2016, the Innova Crysta made its way to India and even this generation has become a sure shot success story. To make things even more interesting, the Japanese automaker launched a petrol version of the Crysta. Later, to make the product lineup more appealing, the company went on to launch the Innova Touring Sport which is nothing but a cosmetically enhanced version of the Innova Crysta, aimed at those buyers who think that an MPV shouldn’t look boring.

Exteriors – Compared to the regular Innova Crysta, the Innova Touring comes with minor changes to the exteriors but these differences make the car stand out in the sea of the Innovas that are plying on our roads. For starters, the Touring Sport is offered only in Red and White colours and while the White shade looks classy with all the enhancements, the Red one looks loud but not necessarily bad. In fact, I quite liked the looks of it. The tweaks to the cosmetics include matte black alloy wheels, smoked headlamps, bumper skirts and chrome lining on the bumpers and side skirts. There’s nothing major as such and at the rear, you get a Touring Sport badge instead of the Crysta naming.

Interiors – The story is similar on the inside, there are hardly any changes. The dashboard layout remains the same but what is different is the red wood trim running across the dash. Apart from that, you get all-black upholstery with red stitching on the seats and steering wheel. The other change is the instrument cluster which now gets a red backlit. The seats in the Innova are large and comfortable even for very long drives. The centre console looks neat and while some materials don’t feel too premium, there’s nothing major to complain about. The infotainment system gets a nice touchscreen and sound quality from the speakers is good. Space in the cabin is excellent and the number of storage spaces and cubby holes isn’t bad either.

Performance – The Innova Touring Sport is offered with the same 2.7-litre petrol engine, and 2.4-litre and 2.8-litre diesel engines without any changes. Talking about the petrol engine, it is paired to either a 5-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission. A peak power output of 166 PS is produced at 5200 RPM along with 245 Nm of twist at 4000 RPM. The powerplant is a very refined unit. Step on the accelerator and you’ll notice that there’s hardly any lag from the motor. Power delivery is linear right from the low-end to the 5900 RPM redline and the powertrain does tend to get noisy post the mid-range. The automatic gearbox is smooth but it takes its own sweet time to downshift. Fuel efficiency is another concern with the petrol-engined Innova and you can expect barely 5-7 km/l. You also get Eco and Power modes, along with a Tiptronic mode on the transmission.

All the engines have good driveability but we would prefer the oil-burners

The oil burners on the Innova fetch the most volumes. While the 2.4-litre unit produces 150 PS at 3700 RPM and 343 Nm at 1400-2800 RPM, the bigger motor produces 174 PS at 3400 RPM and 360 Nm at 1200-3400 RPM. The 2.4-litre mill can be had with a 5-speed manual gearbox while the other drivetrain gets only a 6-speed automatic. Both the powerplants offer good driveability and while there is some lag before the turbo kicks in, power delivery is smooth then and the mid-range on both the oil-burners is very good. Redline comes in at 4500 RPM and the engines are very refined. Vibrations inside the cabin are very less. Fuel efficiency is pretty decent for a car of this size, ranging from 10-14 km/l for the 2.4 engine and 9-13 km/l for the larger 2.8 unit.

Driving Dynamics – The suspension on the Innova Touring Sport is also the same as the Crysta. The ride is extremely comfortable and the vehicle remains composed even over bad roads without passengers experiencing any sort of discomfort. Bumps are negotiated very well and the flat ride at high speeds makes long journeys a pleasant affair. The steering feels heavy at low speeds and even though it weighs up nicely as the speeds increase, it lacks feel. Handling is very good by MPV standards and while there is some unavoidable body roll due to the size of the car, the Innova has still got a very good balance between ride and handling. The brakes do their job well with good stopping power.

Verdict – The Toyota Innova is a very likeable car and there is no denying this fact. Toyota is offering the Touring Sport trim at a premium of around Rs. 60,000-70,000/- over the respective regular variants and there are very few changes to the vehicle. It is as comfy as before, it drives and feels the same and even comes with the same set of features. However, if you’re already spending so much for an MPV and want something that feels a tad bit exclusive, you might just like the Innova Touring Sport. Out of all the drivetrains on offer, our pick would be the 2.8 AT option.

What’s Cool

* Looks good even with minor changes to the exteriors
* Interiors are upmarket and the black & red combination looks appealing
* A very comfortable car that’s also loaded with lots of features

What’s Not So Cool

* Cost premium of the Touring Sport over the Crysta is a bit too high

Alternatives: Tata Hexa

Further Reading –

Toyota Innova Crysta Video Review
Toyota Innova Crysta Diesel Review
Toyota Innova Crysta Petrol Review