[dean5545]

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

Not sure if this is an issue or not.

The brake pedal on our 2012 Innova VX 2.5 D is spongy or so I feel. In parked condition with engine running if I press the brake pedal 4 times or so, the pedal becomes hard and the brake light indicator on instrument console comes ON. Car has done 58500 kms.

Happens in my Innova too. However in running condition it has not effected the braking.
However the occurrence of the issue came down after getting brake bleeding done. Interestingly this issue doesn't seem to occur in my Fortuner.

[RJK]

Hi guys

Our 2014 Innova, (1.1Lakh kms) seems to be due for a suspension overhaul, it has kind of floaty feeling these days. Tyres were replaced about 30k kms ago and tread appears to be fine. I need help with below queries:

1) Is there an option of softer dampers/spring set-up; the one thing I dislike about Innova is the stiff ride quality and want to remedy it. My father's (primary user) pattern is only City driving in Bombay (80kms/day). If yes, what make/brand and where could I get it? Our vehicle is now it is warranty and I'm not bound or interested in getting it fixed at Toyota Incase of 3rd party spares.

2) Secondly, the touch screen audio has recently gone bust and shows only the Toyota logo! (Pic attached). Any idea what might be the problem? When asked at Madhuban Toyota, we were told they have to remove the unit and send to Bangalore for diagnosis at estimated cost of INR 4K, regardless of whether it gets fixed or not. That seems a little absurd to me. I haven't had the time really to take it to a local workshop for trouble shooting yet, so any help is appreciated.

Cheers

[RJK]

Any one, any response?

[aaggoswami]

Originally Posted by RJK

1) Is there an option of softer dampers/spring set-up; ... Toyota Incase of 3rd party spares.

2) Secondly,... appreciated.

My 2012 Innova has done 77K kms (it will complete 78K tomorrow) and suspension is holding up fine. However, in order to decide if I should be keeping the vehicle with me for long I did search a bit for aftermarket parts of Innova's suspension as Toyota parts are very expensive, front four control arms and two rear arms cost more than 50K. Unfortunately, there are almost next to no aftermarket option in case of Innova's suspension. The only option is to confirm if Hilux parts fit or not, in case they do then there could be a few options. Innova was not sold in EU so almost all aftermarket brands in EU are not having Innova parts listed. But they do have Hilux parts. I wont recommend softer set up, it will have impact on high speed behavior. I have observed that at 28-29 PSI the ride quality is much better and absorbent. It goes for a toss at 32 PSI and above.

I did face a concern when a CD wont come out of music system. It was eventually pulled by the service center but they did tell me that in case it doesn't, the system will have to be sent to Bangalore, something I wasn't happy about. In your case, sending the music system to Bangalore is the only available option.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by RJK

Secondly, the touch screen audio has recently gone bust and shows only the Toyota logo! (Pic attached). Any idea what might be the problem?

May sound silly, but, can you just disconnect the negative terminal of the battery and reconnect the same after 10-15 minutes?! See if that wakes up the HU.

[sandeepravi]

Hello all, I wanted some advice. We currently have a Toyota Innova 2009 model with about 95k km on it. I wanted to know if it is a wise idea to exchange for a new one or keep the current steed? Keeping in mind, COVID as well, I want to understand if it makes sense to change the Innova. It is running flawlessly by the way.

[nsbhagwat]

Originally Posted by sandeepravi

Hello all, I wanted some advice. We currently have a Toyota Innova 2009 model with about 95k km on it. I wanted to know if it is a wise idea to exchange for a new one or keep the current steed? Keeping in mind, COVID as well, I want to understand if it makes sense to change the Innova. It is running flawlessly by the way.

Why fix something which ain't broken.

If your vehicle is mechanically sound which you say it is and if it is meeting all your requirements, please don't sell it.
Your Toyota has a bullet proof engine which will run flawlessly even at 200,000 kms if maintained properly.

Regards

[Tachyonites]

Hello BHPians,
My humble steed completed its 10th year with us and to honor that, I am writing a long term overview for my 2010 Innova 2.5GX.



What I like -

1. Fairly feature loaded for a 2010 car.
2. Tremendous built quality, feels tough and solidly built.
3. Pretty driveable in the city although its weight won't allow.
4. The perfect highway cruiser, its very stable and planted at high speeds.
5. Captain seats are supremely comfortable and are a boon over really longs distances.
6. Low-end torque is plentiful.
7. Ride quality is fantastic for our roads.
8. From nowhere does it look like a 10 year old car - immaculately maintained + Toyotas build quality.
9. A useable last row. You can always fold them flat next to the sides of your car and get extra boot space.
10. It handles fairly decently. The steering is direct and precise.

What I dislike -

1. This car screams at higher RPMs. It definitely needs a 6th gear.
2. Sound insolation does not live up to the expectations. A lot of road and engine noise take away a little bit of that great backseat experience.
3. From the dead front and back, its looks great. But as you walk towards the side, there is no hiding the fact that this car is an MUV.
4. The base variants were barebones, cabbies took a like to it.
5. Somehow overpriced (still the case with modern Crysta).
6. The gearshifts or a bit notchy and needs a firm hand to be slotted in the gates.
7. The steering, although direct, is very heavy at low speeds.

Final Price -

It costed us a little over 12 lakhs.
Freebies - No man Toyota ain't givin any
Discounts - This word has no meaning in the Toyota showroom.

Options considered -

1. Hyundai Verna -

Likes -
1. Looked fantastic from every angle.
2. Feature loaded.
3. Powerful petrol engine.

Dislikes -
1. Horror stories of the Verna's brakes.
2. Rear seat was worse than compact sedans.
3. Already owned two sedans - (Maruti Suzuki SX4 and Hyundai Accent). There was no point of buying another one.

2. Tata Safari -

Likes -
1. MASSIVE SIZE.
2. That feeling of the commanding view of the road.
3. Tata's services were good in 2010.

Dislikes -
1. Felt like a weak car, had seen a couple of car outside the showroom for servicing, trust me those cars had taken some hit in a year of usage.
2. Just not a car that can be used post 80,000 Kms. A Tata salesman adviced us against the decision to go with a Safari, he recommended Innova.
3. Size wasn't that city-friendly.

Had booked a black color safari top model with 4x4 from the showroom but eventually cancelled the booking at bought an Innova.

Showroom Experience -

In one word - Fantastic. Everything was fluent and the guys at Toyota were really humble and patient. We didn't even test drive this car before buying it, it was only once that I had driven the Innova before. Had selected the Champagne Gold color in the GX variant. The V was a bit overpriced for what it offered considering the fact that the features in V were very easy and cheap to source from the aftermarket. G was the most VFM but I willingly spent half a lakh more to get the GX. Bench seats were out of my consideration list hence bought the one with Captain seats. We picked up the car on 12th May 2010 and took it to a temple where a small puja was done.

Variant - Toyota Innova 2.5 GX captain seats in a Champagne gold shade.

This review has been written when my Innova has done a little over 2,40,000 kms.

Usage Pattern -

2,40,000 in ten years. According to my calculation it runs a little less than 70 kms a day. Its been my daily driver and the SX4 was mainly kept for weekend drives or when I was in a mood to drive in an enthusiastic manner. The Accent on the other hand was sold in 2013 due to its minimal usage and gearbox issues. Daily commute was from my house to office and back. More or less this car was our main car and was used everyday.

Exterior -



Its not as flashy as you think it might be, but there is just something about the look of the Innova that draws you towards it. (existing Innova owners would be able to relate to it. The front is dominated by massive headlamps with a comparatively smaller body-colored grille. Foglamps were not available in this variant but its not that it would make a difference. There is no 'SUV element' up front and it just looks like an elegant and classy car. This champagne colored car really used to turn heads when we bought it, (Innovas were still gaining a reputation at that time). Coming towards the side you will find the wheels to be a bit small (225/65 R15). But they help a lot by enhancing the ride comfort of the car. And the way this car just damps out all the bumps is commendable. The glass area is plentiful and what I personally like is that kink on the D-pillar that give the third row window a unique shape. The rear is simple and plain yet sophisticated. Rear reflectors are housed really low. The top part of the taillamp consists of LEDs and the bottom is regular halogens. The intensity of the Headlamps and the taillamps are something that should concern you. The only problem I have faced in the 10 years of owning this golden beauty is with the headlamps. They have been replaced 3 times till now. The GX offers a rear-spoiler that really does wonders to make the stance of the car more appealing .
One thing to note is that the outer metal sheets are very thin and dent even while leaning on them. Can get them fixed with some aftermarket treatments.

Interior -

Starting with the three spoke steering wheel, it is one nice unit to hold but it sadly doesn't offer audio and telephony controls. The overall layout of the dashboard is practical and everything is placed ergonomically. The top of the dash is grey in color and the bottom is beige (just as I like). No soft touch materials used but quality of the plastics is still very good. The front seats are very comfortable and you can spend long hours here with ease. Lumbar support is missing but the seats are supportive and you won't go searching for lumbar support. Something I don't like are the gearshifts, the throws are really long and it requires a very firm hand to be slotted in the right gate. The middle row is absolutely terrific, I didn't even find one fault in them. They are of the perfect size and no matter what size or shape you are, you would just love these seats. Good enough legroom and headroom. The third row is very useable. Offers decent room for shorter adults and kids. The glass area paired with beige interiors just do wonders to lift the ambience of the car and make it feels very airy. Would have been better with a panoramic sunroof . The boot space is good enough with all rows up but you can fold up the seats to get a massive boot. With the third row up, it can easily fit two bicycles. Leather seats were given by Toyota in this variant. The AC is worth mentioning, especially in this Delhi heat. Sit in the backseat and put the AC on its max level and you would find cool air pouring on you in a minute. Overall the interiors feel solidly put together. The only thing that has taken a beating is the Height-adjustment lever for the driver seat. It broke recently but was fixed by the people at Toyota.

Servicing -

As always with Toyota, after sales services are just spot on. I have never been disappointed by Toyota's serving. It was just once when Toyota sent us a can containing coolant liquid and asked us to pour it ourselves. It made me a bit furious, and after a few calls here and there the guys at Toyota serving picked up our car from our house and serviced it properly at half rate. Every third car on the road is an Innova hence the availability of spares is very easy. The suspension had taken a bit of beating last year but the tremendous job by the servicing people made the car even more agile than before.

Driving Experience -

Fire the engine and it comes to life with a little bit of vibration which can be felt on the gearlever and the clutch pedal. But the sound of its massive 2496 cc rail diesel engine being fired is loved by many people, including my son and I. As you start driving, you will see that the low end torque is very good and the 1st and 2nd gear are fantastic for city driving. The engine is very responsive under 3750 RPM but feels lifeless after 4k. The steering is direct yet heavy at low parking speeds. The sound insulation should have been worked on by Toyota. The road noise and engine noise filters into the cabin. The visibility overall is good with enough glass area and small corner glass + not so thick A-pillar. The driving position is great but reach adjustment for the steering wheel is missed by a few relatives. The dials are classy and are backlit in white. The instrument cluster is basic and offers a speedometer, tachometer, two trip meters, odometer, fuel and temperature gauges. The wiper and indicator stalks have a solid feel to them. The buttons are solid to use and have a built to last feel. A proper dead pedal should have been provided although this is a manual. The GX did not get a head unit, had to buy Sony speakers and a Sony 2-din head unit. The sound quality of these new speakers is tremendous and I am a huge fan of music too. The mileage can drop to single digits in the city if not driven properly. Highway average goes up till 14.5 km/l.

Accidents -

Luckily its never been through some bad ones. Just once when I had stopped my car on a red-light and this stupid guy rammed his Dzire into the back of my car. Minimal damage had been taken by my the Innova, only a little dent at the rear left of the tailgate. The Dzire on the other hand was looking like a bonnet-less car. The whole bonnet and bumper were broken. (Difference between the build quality of Toyotas and Marutis).There was no point arguing with that guy so I let him go. After taking a few pictures of the dents, I continued driving and to my surprise, that Dzire guy had been held by the police as he was drunk yet he was driving. I sent my car for servicing as soon as I reached home and got the boot fixed the same day.

Smaller yet significant things -

1. There was an option of black interiors that in my opinion looked classy, but that sense of space and airiness.
2. I saw three colors of the Innova the moment I entered the showroom - chocolate brown, champagne gold and pure white. Both my mind and my heart were convinced for the golden color.
3. Not many exterior badges with just - 'Toyota', 'Innova', '2.5 g' written at the back.
4. No accessories installed on the outside, chrome is restricted only to the badges (I love it this way).
5. Leather seat covers and floor mats had been provided by Toyota in this GX variant.
6. Only the Sony head unit and speakers were installed.
7. BS4 sticker dominates the back.
8. No wheel cladding. Drive over a not-so-perfect road and you will definitely hear pebbles banging against the bare metal above the wheels.
9. Fuel tank @55 liters is big enough.
10. The throw of the headlamps is not that good as I would have expected.
11. ORVM's don't feature turn indicators.
12. Interior buttons lack backlighting.

Conclusion -

Wanted to use this car for a few more years, but sadly the policies of NCR don't allow me to. This car is due for replacement very soon (whenever this pandemic becomes a bit more normal).
I hope that you like reading about my gold beast.
Thanks a lot, Tachyonites.

[WhiteSierra]

Originally Posted by Tachyonites

Hello BHPians,
My humble steed completed its 10th year with us and to honor that, I am writing a long term overview for my 2010 Innova 2.5GX.

Great review. Nice to see OEM wheel caps on your Innova even after 2,40,000 kms and 10 long years. We have the exact same variant (2.5 GX 7 seater) but in Silver colour. Our 2008 Innova recently completed 12 years and 1,70,000 kms, still going strong. It is still on original paint. I'll post reviews of my Crysta, Innova and Qualis (15 years & 4,23,000 kms) soon. I wanted to post it couple of weekends ago, but due to the flash floods in Hyderabad there was lot of cleanup at home and could hardly find any time to compile any reviews. This thread makes me pen down my review of our humble Toyotas. Here are a couple of pictures of our Innova.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/modif...ml#post4880192 (Auxiliary Lamps)

[Tachyonites]

Originally Posted by WhiteSierra

Great review. Nice to see OEM wheel caps on your Innova even after 2,40,000 kms and 10 long years. We have the exact same variant (2.5 GX 7 seater) but in Silver colour. Our 2008 Innova recently completed 12 years and 1,70,000 kms, still going strong. It is still on original paint. I'll post reviews of my Crysta, Innova and Qualis (15 years & 4,23,000 kms) soon.

Thank you so much WhiteSierra.
Wow, looks like you are a Toyota loyalist like me too.
I will be looking forward to the reviews of your three mighty Toyota beasts (Crysta, Innova and Qualis).
Thanks a lot for sharing your views.

[ZenMaster]

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

A solid car from Toyota like the Innova and a good Sony music system is a classic combination that few can replicate,that can last all these years and still feel like it can do 10 or 15 years more easily. Its easily one of the best purchases a person can make in their lifetime and not regret even a bit.

Speaks volume about Japanese build quality.
But its a fact that the famed Japanese built quality also has taken a dive in the recent years at least in India.

These cars are rolling advertisements for Toyota's Brand.

Toyota should not forget its USP and why people trust Toyota so much and not resort to badge engineering to generate volume. They can bring in the new Yaris Hatchback and the likes of CHR(even though I think its ugly) and RAV-4 and run circles around the Koreans if they put in the effort.

But No, they just couldn't care less. We, the consumers are also to be blamed partly for our purchase decisions. But that didn't stop the Koreans from putting in genuine effort, changing their brand from an Afterthought to market leading in many categories.

[Bsimhan]

Nice review @tachyonites. Did you happen replace the right headlight unit? I ask because the right dome and light appears to be more polished and brighter than the left. Thanks.

[Tachyonites]

Originally Posted by Bsimhan

Nice review @tachyonites. Did you happen replace the right headlight unit? I ask because the right dome and light appears to be more polished and brighter than the left. Thanks.

Thanks a lot Bsimhan.
Yes, the right unit had been replaced as seen clearly in the picture.
This car has a history of its left headlamp fogging up due to condensation that takes place in very cold weather (this picture was taken on a rainy day in January).
I am not quite happy with this fogging issue but it has reduced since our last headlamp change.

Originally Posted by ZenMaster

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

A solid car from Toyota like the Innova and a good Sony music system is a classic combination that few can replicate,that can last all these years and still feel like it can do 10 or 15 years more easily.

Thanks a lot ZenMaster.

I feel the same too, this car can easily be used for more than a decade. Unfortunately the diesel policies of NCR don't allow us to.
Similarly in a matter of time, my SX4 (petrol) would also have to leave us, but definitely not without a Team-BHP ownership review .
The Sony music system is a huge upgrade from what I got with this car.

[Merc_Freak]

Congrats on completing 10 years with your Innova. My family also owned a 2012 Innova in Blue shade and we clocked over 170,000 kms on it before selling it last year. The Innova is a car with bullet proof reliability and can easily clock over 200,000 kms without a fuss if maintained properly. Cheers

[Bhalla]

Congratulations. You have maintained your Innova so well. Agree with all the likes and unlikes you mentioned in your post.
I believe it’s a stupid rule to ban 10 years old diesel cars and 15 years old petrol cars by NGT. If vehicle is in good condition, then it must be road legal irrespective of the age. There should be something like Motor Vehicle Inspection (MVI) which we have in Canada. You have to get your vehicle inspected by government authorities after every 2 years to keep it road legal.