[KALINGA]

Life was as usual with 2 cars in my garage. Ertiga ZXi and a Tiago XZA (AT).

Ertiga was my primary car. Which I was using for daily office commute and for my outstation trips as well.

Due to increased traffic in Pune city, decided to get a low-cost automatic. That's why the Tiago came in (Dec-2017). It's an excellent city car with ample power for city use.

All was good till one fine day, my Ertiga steering failed on the move. The car was at a very low speed. I immediately sensed the trouble and managed to stop the car on the left side of the road. Switched it off --> removed the key --> waited for 2 mins --> started again. The steering came back to normal. I lost all my confidence in the car due to this issue. This issue could be fatal on high-speed highway drive. That was where I started thinking of a new car.

Also, did not know why, but I never connected with my Tiago - may be due to the low seating position, the uncomfortable ride at rear seat and a lot of niggles.

So planned to sell both the cars and get an automatic diesel. A competent AT box will keep me happy in the city as well as on the highway.

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Farewell to Ertiga & Tiago :-
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For easy transition, choose "Cars24" Baner, Pune. Both cars were in excellent condition. But still, Cars24 quoted a very low price.

Then tried in "OLX CashMyCar", they offered a very good price for my Ertiga and little better for my Tiago against "cars24". So Ertiga sold in "OLX CashMyCar". Excellent experience with them. Money transferred to my account within 30 mins.

Tiago was sold to an individual buyer (got a better offer) through the OLX web portal.

Parting picture :





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Search For The Replacement:-
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Before deciding on any brand or model, I noted down my requirements.

1) Reliable, No Niggles.
2) Reliable After Sales Service.
3) Automatic (No AMT).
4) Should be Diesel.
5) Comfortable on the highway. Bigger than Ertiga.
6) Bigger engine is better.
7) Strong AC.
8) Safety kit (As nowadays even base model car came with at least 2 Airbags and ABS, so I kept this point last).
9) Cruise Control (I missed this feature in my Ertiga during my long drives).
10) Budget 20 lac (On-Road).

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Alternatives considered:-
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My first preference was to get a used SUV/MUV. Only used SUV/MUV to be considered were the Toyota Fortuner & Crysta. In the used car market, a decent example of Fortuner or Crysta is above 15 lac rupees. So, I decided to go with a new one but in my budget.

I did not consider TATA or Mahindra, or you can say that I did not dare to spend my hard-earned money on TATA or Mahindra. After burnt my finger with the Tiago, I lost all my confidence in these brands. Did not consider Mahindra after reading the famous "Air-bag not deployed" thread. They manufacture great cars but forgot about the after-sales service & reliability.

Anyways, do not want to go to that side of the discussion.

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Final Decision :-
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In my strict budget, I cannot get a new Fortuner. So, Fortuner was out. Reliability & comfortable seating was the priority, so my selection was easy and simple.

TOYOTA INNOVA CRYSTA AT

In my budget, I could afford only the GX AT. This model ticked all of my requirements. Cruise Control & Touch Screen music system was already added in the refreshed model.

A couple of test drives and I zeroed in on the Crysta GX AT.

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Dealer Experience, On-road price & discounts :-
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After a lot of discussion with a different dealers in Pune, I finally short-listed "SHAW TOYOTA" to go with. Very professional staff, transparent deal, and quick response are the main reason I choose this dealership in Pune.

Here is the final quotation from the dealer.

Ex-Showroom: - 16,88,904
Registration: - 2,43,725
Insurance: - 89,024
Other Misc. Charges: -14,300
Extended Warranty: - 28,314
Tcs @ 1% : - 16,889
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On Road : 20,76,807

My Sales Consultant was "Akshya Hirve". He was very professional and transparent. Kept all the promises which he has committed to me - from cash discount to PDI and car delivery. He has exceptional expertise in customer handling. Also, excellent knowledge of the product that they are selling.

Now I can understand why Toyota is successful in the market and demands a premium product status. (The service station experience will add later in this ownership log)

Got a very good cash discount on the final price. Immediately booked the car.

I also had an excellent experience with SBI car loan. The loan was also applied through the dealership and there were no hidden charges.

Totally transparent process from the dealership. "Muzaffar Kapur" is the finance guy from "Shaw Toyota" who did all the process & formalities.
Again, very professional.

Loan approved within 2 days. Surprised again! The lowest interest rate in the market with a transparent deal.

Kudos to "State Bank of India".

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Car PDI :-
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In the meantime, I had requested "Akshya" for the VIN number. He promptly shared the number with me. Verified the number (referred T-BHP VIN thread). My car was manufactured in Jan-2019.

Completed the PDI quickly before the RTO process. Gave a thumbs-up and they started the RTO process.

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Car Delivery :-
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As the day committed by "Akshya", I got my car with the registration number on 07-02-2019

"Shaw Toyota" is an excellent Toyota dealer. The staff is committed and very professional. Except for the parking issue in front of the dealership on SB Road, everything else was an awesome experience.

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Extended warranty :-
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Crysta comes with 3 years / 1,00,000 KM warranty.
I took a 5 year / 1,40,000 KM extended warranty. Paid Rs.28,314 for the extended warranty.

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Good About the New Car :-
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-> Aggressive front side. Like mini Fortuner.
-> Powerful engine. I hardly press ACC pedal in city traffic.
-> Safety feature (3 Airbags, ABS, EBD, BA)
-> Cruise Control is there in the GX AT model. Will keep me happy on my long drives.
-> Good light. Double barrel headlight.
-> Excellent seats. Much more comfortable than the Ertiga.
-> Excellent AT box.

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Not So Good about the new car
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-> Pricey.
-> Noisy 2.8 liter Engine (When cold).
-> Interior is very basic for a 20-lakh car.
-> No fog lamp in the GX model.
-> No Engine cover in GX.
-> Driver Seat has restricted backward movement.
-> Cruise Control stack position is not good.


All the car companies are the same in car detailing stuff. This is my personal experience till TOYOTA. Never owned any premium car so will not talk about Audi or BMW.

When delivering the new car, they generally do a water wash, wipe the surface and apply some cheap Tyre shiner on the Tyre only. Except these they do nothing. Yes, if you choose wax or any other coating from the showroom then they might do some better job.

So as expected, I got my Crysta with Tyre shiner applied to the tyre. Thank god my Crysta did not wait long in the stockyard. So, the body surface was not much rough when I got my car.

I was expecting this - so as a car detailing freak, I collected all my detailing supplies before the car delivery.




After the car was delivered, I did not waste much time and detailed the interior & exterior of my car. I did it with my limited knowledge & resources. I do not have any tools. All done manually.

These processes were very tiring and time-consuming. But the outcome was very satisfying.

[KALINGA]

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Crysta AT Engine Specification: -
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Crysta AT comes with a 2.8 Liter engine.
Ratings are 128 kW (172 PS) @ 3400 rpm & 360 Nm (36.7 kgm) @ 1200-3400 rpm with a VGT Turbo. Which is enough for this MUV.
The gearbox is a 6 Speed Torque Converter. Toyota Calls it "6 SUPER ECT WITH SEQUENTIAL SHIFT", 6 speed super-intelligent electronically controlled automatic transmission.

Toyota is using the same engine with the new Fortuner, but in a different state of tune.

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Safety Features in Crysta GX AT: -
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-> 3 Air-bags even in the GX model.
-> ABS, EBD standard across the range.
-> GOA Body.
-> Parking sensors standard. (Added rearview camera in my GX)
-> 3-point seat belts & ISOFIX available in GX.

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Interior: -
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Crysta comes with an all-black interior. In the GX variant, the interior is very basic with only a touchscreen music system.
Other goodies are absent in the GX variant.
I have upgraded the dashboard plastic to wooden garnish from Toyota's genuine accessories as in the upper variant.

The interior plastic quality is excellent and feels durable.
No panels gaps found anywhere in the interior. Chrome-plated door handles add some more premium look to the GX model.

The AC switch/stalks/buttons everything feels like made to last long. GX comes with a front center armrest with storage.

My car came with all-black fabric seats.
They are good till now, after 1 year. Planning to change them to art leather seat cover.

The seats are very comfortable in all the rows. The 2nd and 3rd row seats also have the reclining function.
The 2nd row can move forward & backward to create more legroom for the 3rd row. But the 3rd row does not have move forward & backward function.
Two hooks are present on the backside of the front seats and both seats have pockets.
We have already completed a couple of long drives. No issue with the seats.

Crysta is bigger than the last-gen Innova. So, lots of space inside. Middle row leg space is excellent.

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Exterior: -
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Crysta is larger than the previous generation Innova. The last generation Innova looked like a proper MUV, but the Crysta looks more like an SUV.
Even the front seating position mainly from the driver side of the Crysta feels like an SUV.
The upward bonnet position of Crysta looks more like an SUV. From the driver's side seat, the bonnet is clearly visible like an SUV.
Adding to that the large front grille and almost 2 feet length headlight, you feel like driving an SUV.

No projector/LED headlights in the GX variant. They are only available in the VX and ZX variant.
Even the front fog lamps are also not available in the GX variant.
At the rear, Crysta has a simple design with a big rear lamp assembly.

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Build quality, fit & finish, paint quality: -
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Yes, the door close with a "THUD" sound.
The overall build quality is good. But not as sturdy as the HEXA. BTW Toyota was never known for its build quality.
I feel the Crysta is more solid build than last generation Innova.

As expected the fit and finish is top class. To date, I have completed almost 19000 KM but no rattles yet. No ugly panel gap found anywhere.

The paint quality is not so good. Tata, even Maruti have better paint quality. A small impact/rub with a foreign object can peel the colour.
Even a roadside plant's branch can give a bad scratch on your Crysta. This is my personal experience.

[KALINGA]

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Wheels & tyres:
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GX 2.8 variant comes with 205/65 R16 tyres with alloy wheels. Mine came with Bridgestone tyres which are good for all seasons.
In my opinion, these tyres are not adequate for this size of a powerful engine! A 215/225 tyre size should have been a better choice.
The 65-mm sidewall gives a comfortable ride quality on all surface.

I am happy with this spec of tyres. Wider tyres may hamper with the KMPL figure.
I will upgrade to better rubber - may be Continental or Michelin in the stock size.

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Driving position, ergonomics, controls & MID
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The front seats are full-size seats. These seats can accommodate anyone.
Excellent under-thigh support in all seats. One negative here is the restricted backward movement of the driver's seat.
If you are 6 feet tall then you may find some issue with the driving. But once acquainted with the car, there is no problem at all.
I am 6 feet tall and yes, I found some difficulties initially! But now, no issue at all.

The front center armrest is not useful for short height people. Because this armrest is not adjustable.
Cruise Control stack is always a pain. If you do not adjust the driver's seat properly then the CC stack may touch your knee in every movement of the steering wheel.

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Visibility & size of mirrors
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Excellent view of the road from the driver's seat. Just like an SUV, the seating position is high.
All rear-view mirrors are of the best size for this vehicle. Both the RV mirrors are electrically controlled.

The front & rear quarter glass add some more visibility to the driver. There is hardly any blind spot.

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Air conditioner cooling & effectiveness
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The GX comes with a manual AC. The controls are of the tried-and-tested rotary switch type. Vents are very silent in slow speed.
High-speed vent noise also not that bad. Bone-chilling air-conditioning system. The system can cool the car very quickly.
Even in the last summer, I did not use the full cooling mode. All 3 rows have vents and the rear AC control is above the middle row seat.
All the vents can be closed fully.

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Audio system & sound quality
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GX comes with a touch screen music system same as VX & ZX but with limited feature. For me this system is more than enough.
Four speakers in the four doors. They perform well for normal use. Lots of feature missing in comparison to higher models.
For normal usage, this system has got everything.

But if you need better sound then you must upgrade the speaker to some better brand.

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Interior storage
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All door pockets have a bottle holder that can easily hold 1-liter water bottles. Lot of cubby holes available in the center console.
The center armrest also has a big storage space inside. GX comes with 2 glove boxes - upper one is cooled. Lower glove box has a lock to secure your belongings. Even the 3rd-row passengers have a water bottle holder with one side cooling option.

[KALINGA]

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Engine performance & driveability in the city
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Coming from a 1.4-liter petrol engine, the 2.8 diesel is a huge upgrade for me. The 2.8 is literally a truck engine in a MUV.
This 2.8-liter engine is enough for this car. The torque converter AT box is great in city driving.

The car has 3 modes of driving (ECO / Normal / Power).
The "ECO" mode has enough power for city and bumper to bumper drive. The car does not require any accelerator input in bumper to bumper traffic. The creep mode of the AT box makes the Crysta crawl. You can get enough speed in bumper to bumper traffic. Just a slight tap on accelerator pedal can give you more speed if required.

The high seating position is a boon for city driving. Thank god, Toyota gives height adjustable feature for driver's seat in the GX model (2019 model) as well. This feature is necessary to drive a big car like this inside the city.


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Engine performance & driveability on the highway
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The 2.8-liter engine shows its true colours on the highway. The engine can run 100/120 kmph all day without any stress. The car cruises with 100 kmph at around 1800/2000 rpm. A slight tap on the accelerator and the car is eager to go more!

The "NORMAL" mode is enough for highway use. Even for overtaking, this mode is enough. In the last one year, I hardly used the "POWER" mode.
Crysta turns into a mad bull when you press the "POWER" mode button. Sometimes it feels scary!
POWER+Manual mode is also scary. Crysta literally flies in "POWER" mode!
With Cruise Control, a relaxed engine, and excellent suspension - Crysta is a king of the highway.

Completed a couple of long drives with 4/5 people on board. All trips were an awesome experience with the car.

1) Pune --> Hyderabad --> Pune.
2) Pune --> Goa --> Pune. (2)
3) Pune --> Bangalore --> Pune.

I was the only driver for all the trips. Never felt any fatigue during those trips.

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Gearshift (automatic)
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The GearBox is an old school 6-speed Torque Converter. Don't expect any lightning speed gear change like the DSG or any other newer and advanced GB. Toyota never uses anything new or any new technology until those are proven to be reliable.

This Gear Box is very smooth. No jerks like an AMT Gear Box (was in my Tiago AMT). With this powerful 2.8 litre engine - there is almost zero lag.
There is a slight lag when you kick down to a lower gear. But the ample power and torque fill that gap.
Tried once in manual with all the modes. In my experience, the ECO/NORMAL with AT mode is always enough for any type of road.
Never felt the necessity for manual mode on day-to-day usage and even on the highways as well.

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Overall NVH levels
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The NVH level has been well controlled in the new Crysta. Once the engine warms up, there is very negligible noise.
Sound insulation is excellent in the Crysta. Very low noise even during the high-speed drives on the highway.

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Fuel efficiency: City and Highway
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I am getting 9 to 11 kmpl in city bumper to bumper traffic.
On the highway, the mileage is around 11 to 13 depends upon the driving style.
All these figures are with 100% AC.

The mileage depends upon how you drive. With a light foot on the accelerator, you can get more mileage on the highway.
Maintain a speed of 80/90 kmph - and one can get very good mileage from this size of engine.

[KALINGA]

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Handling
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This car is on a Body-On-Frame structure. But the excellent suspension makes it easy to drive like a sedan.
This is a big car and height is almost like an SUV, so prepare your mind accordingly before driving this truck.
Controlled speed around the corner, you hardly feel any body roll.

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Braking
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The brakes are very good for slow and average (100/120) speeds. You need to plan for high-speed braking.
For a 2.8 the car needed a rear wheel disk brake! But this is not a deal-breaker at all.
Once you are acquainted with the car, you will know how and when to brake.

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Ground clearance
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Excellent ground clearance.
I never felt the ground clearance is low in all my trips till now.
For normal "on-road" use, the ground clearance of the Crysta is enough.

[KALINGA]

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Niggles / Problems
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I have completed almost 19000 KM in one year. No complaints till date (Touch Wood).
When I set my requirements for a new car, one of the primary requirements was "reliability".
That's the reason I graduated from TATA and Maruti to Toyota.

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First Free Service Experience :-
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In just 3 weeks, completed the run-in period and the first free service as well.
After around 900 kms, I did the first service. Did not use the "free pick-up" service provided by Shaw Toyota. The service centre is at "WAGHOLI" which is almost 35 KM from my home. Still, I took my vehicle to the service centre. The service centre experience was top class as expected, with a neat and clean customer lounge area and a SA promptly allocated for my vehicle.

As I did not have any complaints/issues - they did their 1st-service routine tasks/check-up. Within a couple of hours, I got my vehicle.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

[knrn]

A great and detailed write up. Thank you for the same. I too am a fan of Toyota. It just doesn't go wrong. Built to last is the phrase. Have been taking test drives of nearly all cars for a year now but nothing beats an innova in comfort and space. Add top notch reliability as well. I think it's the Japanese that have mastered the art of zen. Have a look at all the jap products. Niggle free all of them. I personally feel the Innova to be an investment if one plans to hold on the car for ten years or more. Only one fault I can think of. It is damn expensive even for the base model. But the peace of mind it brings compensates largely for that. I wish you many more happy years of ownership. Even I am planning to buy one after the 2020 Norms uniformly kick across India. Looking forward to your thread from now on. Thanks.

[asit.kulkarni93]

I somehow missed this thread, great compilation and to the point review. I feel you got the Crysta at the right time. Right when it had all the necessary features. Considering how much you travel, The Crysta AT was the perfect upgrade for you after the Ertiga.

[DicKy]

Bought at the right time.

The 2019 facelift had the GX variant get the much needed factory music system as standard (though mediocre), with the added plus of cruise control in the automatic, and height adjustable driver seat too.

Yet

Still had that stonking 2.8 too.

A few months later, maybe a puddle lamp here and there, but would have lost the 2.8 for the 2.4.

Have a happy loonnnggggg motoring.