The Toyota Innova Touring Sport may not sit well with everyone but in my book it is raffish and quite desirable. I had the Touring Sport in the Wildfire red colour which looked dapper. The colour subtly underscores the changes adding a touch of class to the MPV. The facade sports smoked chrome headlamps and a sportier looking bumper. Subtle hints of chrome have been added and the front bumper gets spoilers with chrome ornamentation. The side profile looks a lot smarter with the addition of 16 inch matt black 5-twin spoke alloys, black cladding around the wheel arches and a skirting with chrome inserts. In the rear, hints of chrome on the rear bumper spoiler and black garnishing on the boot lid add a bit of zing. Toyota has also branded the Touring Sport with a different badge to ensure a clear distinction.
As for the interiors, Toyota has offered a unique redwood pattern on the dash, red illumination for the combimeter, red stitching on the seats as well as the console box and black wood finish on the door panels and steering wheel. The interior design of the Innova Touring Sport is quite like the Innova Crysta. However, the subtle cosmetic changes do add hints of panache and style. The interiors have also been made extremely functional with a host of handy features on offer.
Most of the features which have been incorporated on the Innova Touring Sport improve the comfort and convenience of passengers. Features include an automatic climate control with cool start, 8-way power adjustable driver seat, a cooled glove box, cruise control, seatback tables and multiple connectivity options for the 8-inch infotainment setup. The versatility of the Innova Touring Sport is essentially in its ability to stand out in a crowd but it does not really offer any major distinctions on the features front. That being said the Touring Sport does come fully loaded with almost all the essential features required by us today. Even in terms of safety Toyota has added 7 airbags, ABS with EBD and BA, Vehicle Stability Control, Hill Start Assist Control, GOA Body, Back Monitor and Sonar.
Toyota is offering the new Innova Touring Sport with the 2.7litre petrol engine and two diesel engine options which come in the form of 2.4L and 2.8L power houses. The engines are the same as the ones found on the Innova Crysta. The petrol 2.7 litre engine will come mated to a 5-speed manual transmission and a 6-speed automatic sequential shift transmission. The 2.4L diesel on the other hand will only come mated to a 5-speed manual transmission while the 2.8L diesel mill will only get the 6-speed sequential shift option. I had the top end 2.8L automatic with me. This engine is good for 171.5bhp which comes in at 3400rpm and it can produce a peak torque of 360Nm from as low as 1200rpm going up all the way to 3400rpm. The best way I can describe the performance of this engine is as a continuous surge of power. The Innova Touring Sport is quite thrilling to drive. It combines a softly sprung suspension, a comfortable steering setup and great ergonomics along with a powerful performance to become one of the best MPVs money can buy.
In a country like India flavour means everything. Some may like it straight and simple while others won't mind experimenting a little. The Toyota Innova Touring Sport is essentially the latter, a traditional curry with just a little more flavour. It has been given just the right amount of seasoning to make it a spicy new dish. The top spec variant which I was sampling comes in with a price tag of Rs. 22,15,500 (ex-showroom Delhi) which translates into an addition of Rs. 75,000 over the top spec Innova Crysta model, a small cost to bear if you really want to stand out.