A new face for Toyota’s best-selling Innova MPV

MEMBERS of the media take a close look at the Innova.

Toyota Motor Philippines launched the 2012 Innova with a massive event normally reserved for an all-new model. And why not, as the Innova has been at the top of the commercial vehicle charts since it was launched in 2005. Taking over the popular Revo nameplate, the Innova became the leading multi-purpose vehicle, thanks to its combination of robust and reliable chassis, and up-to-date engines and transmissions.

For the 2012 Innova, it follows the Hilux and Fortuner, its siblings in the Innovative Multipurpose Vehicle platform, in getting a new face and redesigned rear. The interior has also been upgraded.

The Innova gets a sleeker fascia: headlamps, grille, hood, bumper and foglamps, to give it a significantly more modern look. The doors feature some character creases for a more streamlined effect. The look isn’t out of place beside the company’s own Alphard luxury van and beside modern American minivans. Meanwhile, the rear gets a redesigned taillamp cluster, chrome garnish, available backup sensors (with off switch), and a reshaped tailgate. Side turn signals mounted in the mirrors make their Innova debut here.

THE NEW multi-color Optitron luminescent gauges.

What made the Innova welcome among Filipino users—particularly families—is its modern and fuss-free interior. The Innova features car-like seating, albeit with a raised ride height not too far below an SUV’s. Seats are trimmed in vinyl for the base J version, semi-fabric for the E, full moquette fabric for the G, and leather for the top-line V. This being an Innova, there is plenty of wood trim—on the doors, dashboard, and on the premium variants, on the steering wheel’s top arc, too. The steering wheel itself is lifted from the Corolla Altis, with remote switches for the audio and information display.

EIGHT seats with seatbelts for the J, G and E versions

Innova features eight seats, all with seatbelts. The second row slides forward to give improved access to the rear, and also split-folds and tumbles for easier ingress/egress. The V variant carries seven, thanks to individual captain’s chairs in the second row. You can play Captain Kirk to your heart’s content, minus the dramatic swiveling. Speaking of Kirk, he will feel right at home with the new multi-color Optitron luminescent gauges. Audio has been upgraded to a sleeker unit with Bluetooth connectivity for phone and music streaming.

AIRCON vents for both the second- and third-row passengers

Powering the Innova is a choice between the 2.0-liter VVTi gasoline engine, and the 2.5-liter diesel. The 2.0 liter produces 135 hp and 182 Nm, while the 2.5 diesel 101 hp and 260 Nm, 200 Nm for the manual transmission cars. As before, transmission choices are five-speed manual and four-speed automatic.

To allow it a higher cargo and passenger capacity, the Innova uses a body-on-frame chassis, with double wishbone front suspension and four-link setup at the rear, all with coil springs. 15-inch wheels are standard, with alloys standard on all but the base J, which gets steel wheels.