Toyota launched the Innova back in 2005 and since then it has been a successful car. In 2016, the second-gen Innova was launched and it is called the Innova Crysta and this vehicle is also continuing the success story. Moreover, the manufacturer later introduced the car with a petrol engine. In mid-2017, to attract more buyers, the carmaker decided to bring in the Innova Touring Sport.
Exteriors – The Innova Touring Sport comes with minor cosmetic changes when compared to the regular Innova Crysta. The Touring Sport is available only in two colours – Wildfire Red and White Pearl Crystal Shine. The cosmetic tweaks include matte black alloy wheels, smoked headlamps, bumper skirts and chrome lining on the bumpers and side skirts. On the tailgate, it gets a Touring Sport badge instead of Crysta.
Interiors – There are not many changes in the cabin of the car. The dashboard layout remains the same but now gets a red wood trim running across it. The seats and steering wheel are wrapped in black leather along with red stitching. There’s a red backlight for the instrument cluster. The centre console looks neat and houses a touchscreen display with the infotainment system. The cabin is very spacious and it has a good number of cubby holes to keep stuff.
Performance – There are three engine options available in the Touring Sport – a 2.7-litre petrol with a 5-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission, a 2.4-litre diesel with a 5-speed manual or a 2.8-litre diesel mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. The diesel automatic variant churns out 174 PS of power and 360 Nm of twisting force.
The smaller diesel motor produces 150 PS of power and 343 Nm of torque. Whereas the power output of the petrol unit is 166 PS and 245 Nm of torque. Our test car came with the 2.8-litre oil-burner. This engine has more than enough power and comes with Eco and Power modes too. Eco mode suits just fine for regular driving and honestly I used Power mode only when I wanted to stretch the car's legs on the highways. Fuel efficiency from this engine is about 11 km/l in mixed driving conditions.
Driving Dynamics – The suspension has been set up according to our Indian road conditions. The ride quality is very comfortable although a bit on the stiffer side and the vehicle doesn’t feel unstable even on bad roads. The steering lacks feedback and feels heavy at low speeds. The car has a good balance between ride and handling but there is a slight amount of body roll. The brakes on this car provide good stopping power.
Verdict – The Toyota Innova Touring Sport provides the same level of comfort along with same driving experience as the regular Innova Crysta. The company is charging around Rs. 65,000/- more for the cosmetic changes and these changes make the MPV to stand out from the rest of the Innovas. If you want something a bit exclusive then the Touring Sport is the vehicle for you, but make sure you opt for diesel automatic version.
