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MOMMY VAN: Toyota's new Innova is perfect for large families.
Chevrolet Orlando, Mazda5 and Peugeot’s 3008... it seems many automakers are clamouring for their share of South Africa’s MPV market. Toyota is set to take on its rivals with a new MPV offering of its own – the Innova.
It was launched globally in 2003 so is not new on the world market, but in SA Toyota’s "people-moving" offerings are the Verso and Avanza with the Innova placed between.
TOYOTA IMV DESIGN
Designed to mask its 4.58m length and 1.75m height, the seven/eight seater Innova is styled with Toyota’s "international multipurpose vehicle" design language; a prominent trapezoidal grille, wide headlights and an inverted bottom grille with integrated fog lights.
The Innova will be offered in either seven or eight-seat variants, the former being the higher-specced model, with pricing from R249 000 to R265 000.
Despite its new design, the Innova seems to borrow elements from both the Verso and Avanza, though the new grille design is a nice touch.
Power is derived from a 2.7-litre VVT-i four-cylinder petrol engine capable of 118kW at 5200rpm and 241Nm at 3800 rpm. The 2.7 engine is mated to a five-speed manual and fuel consumption is rated by Toyota at a claimed 11.2 litres/100 km.
HOW MANY SEATS? In either seven or eight-seat guise the Innova looks like a perfect holiday or soccer-mom vehicle.
Each version has front air bags and anti-lock brakes.
NEW INTERIOR
Stepping inside the Innova you will be greeted by a familiar Toyota ambience - two-tone instrumentation, silver detailing and turquoise lighting. Wood grain inserts are featured on the lower section of the central cluster, the door switch base and, on the more luxurious seven-seat model, the steering wheel.
The Innova will have two-tone cloth trim on the eight-seat version, while the higher specced seven-seat version will be offered with leather trim on the seats, steering wheel and shift lever.
The seven-seat model has individual seats in the middle row with slide and recline functions, while the eight-seat model has a bench. The middle seats can be folded flat and tumbled forward, while the third row of seats folds sideways in a similar fashion to those on the Fortuner.
Standard features include a multi-information display, power windows, steering wheel controls for the audio, Bluetooth and dual air conditioning.
The Innova is equipped with 205/65 R15 tyres on steel rims for the eight-seat version and alloy wheels on the more luxurious 7-seat version.
NICE TOUCH: The interior may be old hat for Toyota but the chrome and wood inserts brighten up an otherwise bland interior.
REVERSING CAMERA
The Innova will feature Toyota’s new display audio system, debuted on the Hilux and Fortuner, and will also feature on the new Verso.
A touch screen system, linked to six speakers, controls a front-loading CD player with MP3 functionality and can connect external audio devices through the USB, auxiliary or iPod device. The Bluetooth system will also connect to external mobile phones.
The display unit on the seven-seat model features an integrated reverse camera.
Find out more on the Innova as Hailey Philander gets behind the wheel of toyota’s latest MPV with her launch report.
PRICES:
Innova eight-seat - R249 700
Innova seven-seat - R265 500.
Each will be delivered with a five-year or 90 000km service plan and a thre-year or 100 000km warranty. Service intervals 15 000km.
Wheels24's Hailey Philander is at the launch today - read her road impressions tomorrow.
