Taking a look at one of Asia’s favorite 7-seater family MPVs, the Toyota Innova, getting a third-gen refresh.
A few weeks ago marked the global launch of the third-generation Toyota Innova in its birth country, Indonesia. And if you’ve never heard of this vehicle before, that might be because it’s been made exclusively for the Southeast Asian market for nearly the last two decades. But that might change for this latest breed, as the president director of Toyota Indonesia felt optimistic about exporting it to 50 countries across Asia, America, Africa, and the Middle East.
Thus, with its potential to become a world car, here’s an introduction to what you could expect from the new Japanese MPV when it arrives in your country.
Total Makeover
By the time I do this first-impression review, the Innova has launched in Indonesia and India, where it’s officially called Kijang Innova Zenix and Innova Hycross, respectively. In Indonesia, the name Kijang contains 45 years’ worth of history, being the nickname of the first Toyota MPV explicitly designed to meet the country’s demands. So although the Toyota Kijang is now at its seventh-gen for the archipelagic state, the rest of us refer to it as the third-gen Innova.
Compared to its predecessor, the new Innova is completely fresh inside out. Ditching the old ladder frame, the minivan now sits on the new Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) monocoque platform, also used by the Prius, CH-R, Corolla Cross, and other new compact Toyotas. It’s an overall stiffer chassis built for increased strength, providing better handling and higher refinement. Moreover, it has lower hood cowls for improved visibility and a lower center of gravity for more stable cornering.
TNGA also allows a total redesign of the exterior. Not only does it grow longer and wider, but the baby Highlander also adopts many design cues from modern Toyota SUVs and crossovers. It has a huge front grill, thin air intake, aggressive bumper lines, beefy fenders, and slimmer lights. Besides, the matte-black accent surrounding the wheel arch and lower-bumper trim creates an all-terrain vibe.
Speaking of appearance, one formula it retains from the previous Innovas is the jacked-up suspension, giving the minivan’s visual a slight SUV taste. This configuration is preferred by many Southeast Asian customers who like a practical 7/8 seater and have enough ground clearance to deal with rough, unmaintained roads. Besides, you can’t go wrong with the ever-so-popular crossover look, no?
Roomy Cabin with a Second-Row Indulgence
Moving on to a unibody frame construction gave the Innova a chance to receive a completely revamped interior. It looks modern and up-to-date, especially with the digital driver’s display and large center infotainment screen, complete with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. I also particularly like the use of buttons for most controls on the steering wheel and dashboard instead of numb-feeling touch screens.
The high seating position mimics an SUV, but a posh one, since the perforated leather seats on the top trim are nice and cool to the skin with supportive contour. Then, there’s the generous use of soft-touch materials on the dashboard, door trims, handrest, and steering wheel. Not to forget, there are 14 cup holders and a large storage compartment by the door pocket, glove box, and center console (where you’ll find a wireless charging pad on the range-topping Q trim).
In addition, the new TNGA-C platform forces the third-gen Innova to be front-wheel driven, bringing many benefits to the interior space. The second row becomes the best place to be, especially when you opt for the leathered captain chairs with electrically-operated ottomans. You’ll also have plenty of headroom even with the panoramic sunroof, and the knee room is equally abundant thanks to the extra 20 mm of wheelbase over the previous generation.
Some enjoyable second-row features include the electrically-operated AC, USB-C charging outlets, foldable floating tray between the captain seats, comfy hand rest, and dual 10-inch rear seat entertainment screens.
Worth noting the third-row seats would accommodate two adults or three children just fine. They also feature cup holders, an AC blower vent, and a 12-volt socket on both sides. But while the window visibility is good here at the back, views to the front are easily blocked by the tall headrests upfront.
Nonetheless, being an FWD minivan, the cargo space is prosperous. Even with the third-row seats up, you can still put a couple of large suitcases, golf carts, or foldable bicycles inside. Fold those back seats flat, and you’ll enlarge the cargo floor while sustaining the second-row legroom. Moreover, the trunk opening is pretty low from the ground for minimum lifting effort, and there’s a power-lift gate with a voice command function to please the tech geeks.
Featuring the Latest Hybrid Powertrain
Under the hood, all Innovas come with Toyota’s latest 2.0-liter inline-4 Dynamic Force gasoline engine in traditional and hybrid forms. The non-hybrid variant boasts 172 hp and 151 lb-ft (205 Nm) of torque, which seems a bit underpowered for such a large minivan/crossover. It also features a CVT gearbox, which is standard for Toyota’s four-cylinder engines.
However, Toyota also offers a more powerful hybrid that produces 184 hp, with a torque output of 139 lb-ft (187 Nm) for the petrol engine and 152 lb-ft (206 Nm) for the electric motor. The hybrid has an e-CVT gearbox with a planetary gearset that works better, but there is still a droning sound during hard acceleration.
The 2023 Innova is the first model in its lineage to receive a hybrid, replacing the good ol’ torquey diesel powertrain. Although that will be missed, at least the hybrid successor gets Toyota’s latest hybrid system – the same one found in the upcoming 2023 Prius. Thus, we’re expecting great performance numbers from the green minivan, with 0-60 mph time in under 10 seconds (not that it’s relevant, but it still matters to some) and up to 50 MPG rating.
Trims and Pricing
In Indonesia, Toyota offers the Innova in three main trims — G, V, and Q. But while the G and V have both gasoline and hybrid options, the range-topping Q is only available as a hybrid, complete with the latest-gen Toyota Safety Sense 3.0. Here’s the breakdown of the pricing and what you get from each trim:
Gasoline
Toyota Innova G – IDR419 million ($27,110 US)
- 16-inch alloy wheels
- Dual SRS Airbag
- Vehicle Stability Control, Hill-Start Assist
- Rear parking camera
- Brown/black interior w/ fabric seats
Toyota Innova V – IDR467 million ($30,215 US)
- All in G
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- 10-inch dual rear seat entertainment
Hybrid
Toyota Innova G – IDR458 million ($29,635 US)
- 16-inch alloy wheels
- Dual SRS Airbag
- Vehicle Stability Control, Hill-Start Assist
- Rear parking camera
- 7-inch digital driver’s display
- Brown/black interior w/ fabric seats
Toyota Innova V – IDR522 million ($33,775 US)
- All in G
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- Full black interior w/ fabric seats
- 10-inch dual rear seat entertainment
- Panoramic retractable roof
- Option to add Modellista bodykit
Toyota Innova Q – IDR601.15 million ($38,895 US)
- All in V
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Foglights and LED DRLs
- 6 SRS Airbag
- Blind spot monitor
- Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 (incl. Active Cruise Control, Pre-Collision System, Lane Departure Alert, Lane Tracing Assist, Automatic High Beam)
- Rear parking camera w/ panoramic view
- Power backdoor with voice command
- Full black interior w/ leather seats
- Second-row captain seat with ottoman
- Wireless charging pad
Final Words
Over the years, we’ve seen many carmakers trying to produce SUVs with MPV characteristics, and most of them ended up with a poor third-row space and barely any cargo floor left with all the seats up. But the Toyota Innova solved this problem by being a minivan-based SUV instead of the other way around. Not a surprise then if it’s been a darling to many families in Asia since its first-gen appearance in 2004.
So, what do you think about this latest gen Toyota MPV from the other side of the world? Are you excited to try it once it arrives in your country?
Gallery: 2023 Toyota Innova
