Owing to Toyota’s naming schemes, the upcoming Innova Hybrid is likely to be christened with a HyCross suffix
If there was one vehicle that an old-school well-to-do family would want to have in their garage, it would be an Innova. We say well-to-do because Toyota soon positioned the OG Innova as a premium product despite originally launching at modest prices. When Innova Crysta was launched as its replacement, that premium factor touched new heights.
OG Innova didn’t have a suffix. Toyota added one with the second generation of Innova which was launched as Innova Crysta. Since 2015, Innova Crysta has climbed up the ladder of price. The diesel variants are a hot favourite. Sadly, diesel variants of Innova Crysta are temporarily discontinued for reasons best known to Toyota India.
New Toyota Innova Hybrid Video Teaser
There’s a new Innova in the works and it is spied multiple times testing in South-East Asian markets and also here in India. It will be making its global debut on 25th November. Ahead of that, the first image of the new Innova has leaked online. At the same time, Toyota India has shared the first official video teaser of the upcoming Innova Hybrid.
The teaser pays special attention to the word ‘Hy’. As we are familiar with Toyota’s naming schemes, Hy means that it will have at least one hybrid variant on offer. A similar strategy has been implemented on Urban Cruiser HyRyder which gets a Hy in its name and correlating to that, a hybrid powertrain.
Onboard HyRyder, it consists of a 1.5L 3-cylinder petrol engine capable of around 91 bhp and 122 Nm standalone. Coupled with an AC synchronous motor, which is capable of around 79 bhp and 141 Nm. Combined, the powertrain makes 114 bhp. It is coupled to an e-CVT gearbox only.
This hybrid powertrain would come off as puny when plonked in a ladder-frame vehicle with RWD and associated mechanical losses. Upcoming Innova Hybrid will be a monocoque vehicle with front-wheel drive architecture that will be economical and cost-effective as well. It will likely be powered by a 2.0 liter petrol motor mated with Hybrid electric powertrain.
As mentioned in the teaser above, the upcoming Toyota Innova Hybrid gets SUV styling. The test mules spotted in India look very similar to Toyota Avanza which is on sale in certain Asian markets. Especially with its C-pillar design, tail-light design and its overall rear profile as well.
2023 Toyota Innova Hybrid Bookings
Predictions are always double-edged with two possibilities. There is another possibility of Innova HyCross being just as large as Innova Crysta and offering a hybrid powertrain based on a 2.0L petrol engine. It will be technologically superior and also be a lot more feature-rich than Innova Crysta with a panoramic sunroof, ADAS systems and a lot more. Whatever it is, Toyota has kept it under wraps. Toyota Innova Hybrid Bookings will open officially on 25th Nov, 2022. Deliveries likely to start early in 2023.
