[tec-razy]

Shifting from 12 years of owning German luxury cars to buying a Japanese family car.



My first post on TeamBHP – probably more proud than the feeling of getting into an Ivy League college. Just like almost everyone else here, I have been an avid automobile enthusiast since I was born (the 2-year-old me wouldn't eat lunch if it wasn't in the car). As a pre-teen, I would be literally obsessed and aspire to own every possible luxury car that was released.

As time passes, you face reality and get your priorities in order, i.e., you become practical. In the gap of a few years between being aspirational and becoming practical, I had the privilege of experiencing and owning a couple of German cars.

My most recent fleet consists of:
1. VW Polo 1.2 TDI 2012 Highline
2. BMW 520d F10 LCI Prestige Plus

Living in a city like Mumbai, where roads are slowly transitioning into moon-surface simulations, owning a sedan like the 5 series was turning into a nightmare. Additionally, for a family of 4 adults + chauffeur, it is nearly impossible to fit all 5 people in one luxury sedan (kudos to the rear transmission tunnel).

The VW Polo has been a really reliable car (if taken care of) and is the perfect diesel city car. Since it is a BS3 compliant car, there is no need to worry about the urea top-ups either. However, the rear legroom is non-existent if the driver's seat is adjusted to my height of 5' 11".

Boot capacity on both these vehicles is adequate but not the best for airport runs and longer distance travel. Especially on the BMW, the spare wheel is placed in the boot itself with no dedicated compartment for it.

My dad had been eyeing the Innova Crysta for quite a while but never really pulled the trigger on it. By the time we decided to get one, the all-new Innova HyCross was released.

Being a diesel enthusiast, hybrid was never on our radar and we were looking to get the Crysta even after the HyCross was out, but Toyota decided to discontinue the Diesel Automatic variant of the Crysta.

Having driven the Innova Crysta a couple of times, I knew the tank-like bulletproof experience it offered. Yes – it did come with its own share of flaws (a lot of them), but reliability made people overlook all of them.

Before I get into my ownership experience of the HyCross, let's get over the competitors and my reasoning behind not choosing them.

The Competitors

1. Tata Safari

This is the only car that I had taken a test drive of. It was also my first time test driving a car (I am a 22-year-old engineering grad). I was all pumped up but as expected, I was let down by the sales experience at Tata.

Things I love about the Safari:

1. Build Quality: I didn't expect the solid door thud and plush interiors from a Tata.

2. Features: Offered plenty of features such as second-row seat ventilation.

3. Looks: Yes, 10/10 to Tata for improving the aesthetics with the facelift.

Things I hate about the Safari:

1. Sales experience: The demo vehicle had multiple software issues such as 360-degree cameras not working.

2. Features: Plenty of features, but so many software bugs. The indicator blink and the click sound didn't match. Not really a dealbreaker, but it shows the lack of attention to detail.

3. Boot Capacity: With all 3 rows up, bid adieu to the boot space.


2. Mahindra XUV 700

When it was launched, I absolutely fell in love with the way the XUV700 looked and also the first-in-the-segment features it offered.

Things I love about the XUV 700:

1. Looks: Like the Safari, the XUV is a nicely designed vehicle with solid road presence. However, with so many on the road, personally, the design has started to look a bit dated, but nothing to complain about.

2. Reliability: Compared to the Safari, based on ownership reviews, the XUV 700 seems like a much safer bet in terms of reliability and engine performance.

Things I hate about the XUV 700:

1. Third-row space: This was a real deal-breaker for me. Since the second row on the XUV is fixed, it cannot be slid to make space in the third row. For someone who is almost 6 ft and may occasionally sit in the third row, this was something that couldn't be ignored. I was hoping that they would bring this in the facelift, but nothing so far.

2. Software issues and afterthoughts: I have read about frequent infotainment screen blackouts and also features such as the ventilated seats being an afterthought with software-based controls which felt unintuitive. This could just be nitpicking though.

Luxury SUVs like the X5, GLE, etc. were out of the question since neither do they offer practicality (such as a comfortable third row) nor are they reliable enough. After owning luxury cars for more than a decade, you start seeking peace of mind.

The Review

Since this is an ownership review, I am guessing you are looking for something different than the usual reading of the feature list and torque figures. Come on, you are looking for a family car – torque and BHP would be the least of your priorities.

I will be dividing this review into:

1. Looks
2. Driving Experience
3. Practicality
4. Things I dislike
5. Verdict

Before that, let me give you some more context. I took delivery of this vehicle in the last week of Dec '24. I did pay a premium for early delivery, taking the on-road price in Mumbai to 39L (ZX variant). Yeah, I figure there is no point in arguing about the mafia dealers and artificially induced wait times. I have driven it for 5000kms in the past 6 months (nothing for a Toyota, lol).

Looks

Although subjective, I feel in the looks department, Toyota has nailed it, especially for the ZX variant. The flat grille with a tall hood does give it an SUV stance (although it still looks like an MPV, no doubt about that).



The wheels on the ZX variant just look so good. The gunmetal-colored 18-inchers look perfect. Yes, the Goodyear Triple Max tyre profile looks slightly under-tyred with the gap between the fender and tyre. The tyres can be upgraded later on, but for now, these work pretty well.

The ZX variants also come with black plastic cladding which enhances the aesthetic appeal a lot. This is something I realized later on when I noticed a stark difference between the VX and ZX variants.



I am against chrome garnishes on any vehicle; I despise them. On the ZX variant, the door handles and boot lid do have chrome surrounds, but other than that, I made sure I do not install any chrome accessories.

Overall, I am super satisfied with the way Toyota has kept the design subtle yet modern, making it more SUV-ish. Obviously, it does not have the muscular appeal of the XUV700 and the Safari, but what more can you expect from a family-oriented MPV?

Driving Experience

Since this is my first hybrid vehicle, the experience was very different. It is also my first petrol vehicle after a long time. I am used to the diesel grunt and throaty idling of diesel vehicles, but as soon as I turned on the HyCross, it felt like zen mode. The hybrid drivetrain always starts in EV mode if there is enough juice left in the battery (which is the case 90% of the time). The only way to know that the vehicle has been turned on is to look at the "Ready" tell-tale light on the instrument cluster.

As I began driving the vehicle out of the parking, the second thing I noticed was how light the steering wheel is. Buying a new car after a decade does feel like an upgrade in the technology used. I find the EPS on modern vehicles to be a lot more sensitive and usable. When compared to the BMW EPS or the Crysta's hydraulic unit, the steering wheel on the HyCross feels feather-light. This does not compromise handling since it does weigh up nicely as you pick up speed.



The next thing I noticed was how car-like it feels to drive compared to the truck-like experience of the Crysta. The HyCross is based on Toyota's newer monocoque chassis platform - TNGA-C. It's the same platform shared with the global Prius, Corolla, and RAV-4 models.

I was slightly hesitant about the eCVT transmission thanks to the rubber band effect on all CVT vehicles. However, the rubber band effect is well-contained on the HyCross as a result of the additional torque output by the electric motor. Is it non-existent? No. Is it intrusive? No. It is completely manageable and if driven sanely, you would not even notice it.

Fuel Economy (Eco Mode):
City - 12-14kmpl
Highway - 17-19kmpl

The HyCross comes with 3 drive modes: Eco, Normal, and PWR (Sports)

Since our usage is typically in the city in stop-start traffic, I drive it in eco mode to extract the most efficiency. The major difference in all 3 modes is the engine response and power delivery. In Eco mode, it will try to run the car on the battery as much as possible as long as the throttle indicator is within the Eco range. I have noticed that in sports mode, it will consistently use the motor and the engine to power the wheels for peak torque. The performance is blazing fast and quick overtakes should be no problem.



The glass area from the driver's seat is plenty and the quarter glass on the A-pillar improves the visibility. You have a great view from the driver's seat; at the same time, the seating is not too high.

The suspension setup on the HyCross is quite boncy on undulations, but it's nowhere as bad as the Crysta with the ladder-frame chassis. Transitioning from a sedan to an MPV, the bouncy ride is noticeable but not uncomfortable at all. If I have to trade a little bit of comfort for more ground clearance and better pothole tolerance, I am all for it.

Situated right in the center of the dashboard, a 10.1-inch infotainment display offers wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support. Notably, it lacks vehicle information, in-built navigation, and voice-controlled actions, which never really mattered to me since I usually connect my phone via CarPlay. The touch response is smooth enough to interact with maps, change songs, and even use voice assistants like Siri.

All of these in tandem create a driving experience that is easy, comfortable, and car-like. If you ask me, driveability-wise (in the city) I would prefer the HyCross over my 5 series because of the shorter hood, lighter steering wheel at slow speeds, and no blind spots.

Practicality

Time for the HyCross to shine.

The first practical bit that I noticed after sitting in the HyCross – the number of bottle holders. Oh, what a blessing indeed to have slots that are big enough to accommodate bottles that would quench the thirst of an entire village if used to full capacity. There are close to 20 bottle holders in the car.

With all 3 rows up, there is still enough boot space to accommodate 2 full-size trolley bags easily. The third-row folding mechanism is also different compared to the ladder-frame models. The seats fold flat with one single push without the need to hang them, which eats up valuable space in some way or the other.

The newer monocoque chassis also sits much lower, making it a breeze to enter and exit. 95% of people would not require an additional side step.



The front seats offer powerful seat ventilation with 3 levels. Additionally, there is dual-zone climate control. Intuitively, Toyota has divided the two zones into the front and rear, making it a lot more practical to have a separate zone for the rear passengers. Also, the rear AC can be controlled by the rear passengers.



Legroom in every row is ample to accommodate adults up to 6 feet tall seated back-to-back. The second row can be adjusted to create space in the third row. The ottoman seats, though not frequently used, are a pleasant addition that enhances under-thigh support for extended journeys. Since they are electrically operated, they lack a tumble feature. However, if you’re lean enough, there’s enough room between the captain seats to enter the third row.

The dashboard is made up of 60% hard plastic, which is a con for most reviewers, but my practical advice would be that for the Indian weather, especially in a city like Mumbai, hard plastic makes a lot of sense since I faced multiple issues on my BMW where the soft-touch bits would literally melt and get sticky. Hard plastic is liberating and lasts forever.

The 185mm of ground clearance may not sound like a lot on paper, but I have absolutely no complaints and it is enough to go over every possible speed bump and pothole that exists in India. Yes, I would suggest you drive with ease over bigger potholes, especially on the ZX variant with lower-profile tires to avoid tire pinching.



The HyCross also comes with a 360-degree camera with front and rear parking sensors. This is something that even the Fortuner misses out on (I think it is available as an accessory now). The 8 parking sensors with cameras on all sides of the vehicle make parking and maneuvering through city traffic child's play.



The ZX variant boasts some impressive features, including a 9-speaker JBL sound system. Notably, the subwoofer is situated in the third row. While the sound quality is decent (8/10), it wouldn’t necessitate an upgrade unless you’re an audiophile who demands absolute perfection in the lows, mids, and highs. However, I suggest you balance the output with a rear offset, as it is very front-biased by default.

Things I dislike

Most of the issues are with regards to lighting.



Lack of illuminated switches on the door. I have a question for all car manufacturers (lol, as if they are going to read this) – how expensive is it to add 1 small LED behind every switch? I doubt it would cost more than 500 bucks in total. What kind of stupid and funny cost-cutting trick is this?



I have installed legroom lamps as an accessory on the HyCross because, as you guessed, there were none on the HyCross. These lights can be controlled via the Legroom Lamp app on your mobile device. I ran into a couple of glitches with them while trying to change the color. Surprisingly, the service center had no clue that these lights can be controlled via the mobile phone and I had to teach them. This is only possible in a place like India, haha!



The headlights perform poorly on the highways and are usable in the cities. They could have gone with a traditional projector setup (like the Crysta) as that would give the owner the freedom to upgrade the bulbs if needed. On the reflector setup, there is absolutely no way for you to upgrade it in any possible way. Yes, you can change the entire headlight unit (I saw a quad projector setup) – but it's not worth the risk. It also lacks rain-sensing wipers, which is surprising.

One big niggle that always bothers me after having driven German cars for the majority of the time – the doors don't unlock when pulling the lever twice. It is so irritating to manually unlock the door and thanks to the lack of any sort of illumination, it is tougher at night.

The dedicated EV mode button is useless as a heavy tap on the throttle deactivates it and kicks in the motor like the default hybrid mode. Why would you even bother keeping a dedicated button for it?

Coming to the AC, it is a chiller, but you cannot turn both zones off at the same time, which is slightly cumbersome as it makes the entire process 4 clicks instead of 1 single click.

Yes, the 8 parking sensors and 360-degree camera are super practical, but the quality of the camera is nothing to write home about. It is probably a 480p camera and it has noise 70% of the time. That would still be fine, but even the resolution of text when the cameras are activated is really crappy, but they get the job done. Never faced any issues in terms of the cameras failing or the screen not showing the view outside. Tata, I am looking at you.

Since the subwoofer is situated in the third row, songs with prominent bass can be quite uncomfortable for someone seated in that row. I personally experienced this issue.

If you opt for the ZX(O) variant with ADAS, you might encounter an issue with the intrusive ADAS in city traffic. However, that’s not the primary concern. The real problem is that you can’t permanently disable ADAS. Every time you restart the car, it’s enabled by default. This can be particularly frustrating, especially if you frequently use the vehicle as a chauffeur-driven car. That’s the sole reason I didn’t choose the ZX(O) variant.

Verdict

The Innova HyCross is the perfect family vehicle you can buy that would satisfy 80% of your needs. It is obviously not a car meant to be driven enthusiastically, but I really enjoy driving it thanks to its silky-smooth steering wheel and silent engine with 10x better NVH levels compared to the Crysta. It is the very definition of practicality and ticks all the essential boxes that one may need in a family vehicle. I would also say that the HyCross is a luxury vehicle in its own right. The peace of mind and practicality it offers is what I consider luxury.


Do I miss flashy features such as being able to see maps on the instrument cluster and 120 trillion color choices for the ambient lights? Yes, I would love to have them, but they are not "needed" for me. The HyCross is simply a "fulfill-your-needs" vehicle that is over-expensive for the amount of features it offers but definitely worth every penny when you realize that it has everything one would need from a family vehicle.

[CEF_Beasts]

What an amazing first post and welcome to Team-BHP !

I have seen your POV videos on YouTube and thoroughly enjoyed watching it

The Innova HyCross has definitely raised the bar in the MPV segment in India and how! It was difficult to beat Toyota’s own BOF Diesel IMV platform, but they absolutely nailed it with the monocoque hybrid TNGA-C Platform!

For the lighting upgrade:

1. I have upgraded my stock foglights to Aozoom FLP2030 from my Toyota dealership, keeping my warranty intact.

2. I have upgraded my Master Window Switches and Individual Switches to illuminated ones from Toyota Japan (Illuminated Master window switch panel from a RAV4) and AliExpress (individual illuminated switches)

Looking forward to your future updates.

[Utopian]

Let me be the first one to comment and congratulate you for the Hycross. Despite all these years, it has held on to the top spot in the segment with its no nonsense approach. I am just wondering on why you did not consider the Invicto? Same car with some missing features at a lesser cost.

[car_guy1998]

Very well written on your Hycross.

Well, I've been thinking of writing an ownership review of our Hycross VX, which will complete 2 years by the end of this month, but thanks to my procrastination, I couldn't pen it.

Our car is inching close to 70k Kms, which is gonna be done by the end of this month, mostly, though the current odo is at close to 67k Kms as of today, and we couldn't be happier with the car except for a few issues like tak-tak sound while steering the car to left, which is a common issue in Hycross and the problem I got to know is driveshaft. Till date, the car is still running on stock brake pads and stock tyres, though they need replacement by the end of this month, and the new tyres might be a 2nd birthday gift for our car.

And, I sometimes feel that we could've bought the ZX variant, but it was 6L expensive than VX version that we own now. Even VX(O) would've sufficed our needs, and we were even ready to shift the booking to VX(O) or ZX, but since we needed a car ASAP, we settled for VX instead.

[tec-razy]

Originally Posted by CEF_Beasts

What an amazing first post and welcome to Team-BHP !

I have seen your POV videos on YouTube and thoroughly enjoyed watching it

Thank you so much! Haha, you were able to recognise me from the YouTube videos.

That's amazing! I will soon upgrade the fog lamps with the Aozoom projectors. Do you have an image of the lights performance?

Originally Posted by Utopian

Let me be the first one to comment and congratulate you for the Hycross. Despite all these years, it has held on to the top spot in the segment with its no nonsense approach. I am just wondering on why you did not consider the Invicto? Same car with some missing features at a lesser cost.

Yes the invicto is definitely VFM. However, since the HyCross is the OG model, I went ahead with it. And the invicto comes with a lot of chrome on the grille and I am not a fan of the diamond cut alloy wheels. Other than that, the brand value of Toyota can't be ignored

Originally Posted by car_guy1998

Very well written on your Hycross.
Well, I've been thinking of writing an ownership review of our Hycross VX, which will complete 2 years by the end of this month, but thanks to my procrastination, I couldn't pen it.

Thank you! Yes the VX makes a lot more sense and is value for money. If they had offered the same set of alloys on the VX(O) I would have definitely skipped on the Ottoman seats and gone ahead with VX(O). But unfortunately that is not the case.

Your usage is pretty extensive. My 10 year old beamer has still not hit the 60k mark. I'll keep the driveshaft issue in mind. I had faced a similar issue on the polo last year and had gotten it replaced.

[bangarchand]

How is the performance of you android auto (Wired). In most of the wired android auto systems, the connects goes off after say one hour or so. Then even if you disconnect it and reconnect mostly it will not connect. Once car is switched off and then switched on then only the android auto comes into life.

Is it the same with apple car play? Can anybody answer this?

[tec-razy]

Originally Posted by bangarchand

how is the performance of you android auto (Wired). In most of the wired android auto systems, the connects goes off after say one hour or so.. Then even if you disconnect it and reconnect mostly it will not connect. Once car is switched off and then switched on then only the android auto comes into life.

Is it the same with apple car play? can anybody answer this?

I faced connectivity issue once with wireless Carplay and that's when I had used wired Carplay for more than 1 hour and didn't face any issues. Even wireless works flawlessly now after resetting it.

[manofinfinity]

Congratulations mate, glad you have bought it without any unnecessary accessories it looks much better without anything.

After owning and living with the Hycross/Innova for 2 years, I finally understand the craze behind it and why it is in everyone's garage despite them owning cars that cost 10 times more. You can’t just go wrong with it there is no price for practically, usability and reliability the japs have nailed it to the core.

For me, the highlight of the Hycross experience is just how good it feels to drive The more you drive it, the more you miss driving it, I take the Hycross everywhere where I know I can find parking.

IMHO Hycross is the best iteration of the Innova brand.

[S2kyon]

Amazing review. Such a detailed post! Welcome to the Hycross club, looking forward to hearing more from you!

[Balamurugan]

Great review Really enjoyed reading your experience with the HyCross ZX. Toyota has done a solid job with this car. It is looking premium and still has that practical family feel.

The space comfort and mileage you mentioned are really impressive. I feel this is one of the best cars now for long drives with family. Your photos are also very nice especially the interior one looks classy.

Thanks for sharing your honest views.

[Happymiles]

Originally Posted by tec-razy

The Innova HyCross is the perfect family vehicle you can buy that would satisfy 80% of your needs. It is obviously not a car meant to be driven enthusiastically, but I really enjoy driving it thanks to its silky-smooth steering wheel and silent engine with 10x better NVH levels compared to the Crysta. It is the very definition of practicality and ticks all the essential boxes that one may need in a family vehicle. I would also say that the HyCross is a luxury vehicle in its own right. The peace of mind and practicality it offers is what I consider luxury.

Really appreciate for the effort you put into this thorough review. Your clear explanations paired with each photo made the information both helpful and easy to understand

[praveen_khm]

Very well written review. I have been running into showrooms as I am planning my next car. Between XUV7OO and this, I am leaning more towards HyCross. Appreciate your efforts in writing such detailed review while also highlighting the issues. Congratulations mate

[viXit]

Originally Posted by CEF_Beasts

What an amazing first post and welcome to Team-BHP !

.

Are those the Toyota accessory ambient lights in your car?

If yes,

Do they turn on when you unlock the car?
Do they get brighter when you open the door?
Do they have a dimmer that reduces brightness while driving?

[sharad_kmc]

My Hycross inched past the 70k mark sometime back. The steering has a weird Tak tak noise which the service centre is not able to rectify. Occurs as I come up ramps while steering left. Other than this noticed the sunroof was sticking a bit. The service centre changed the battery during this service as it failed the diagnostic test twice.

Do let me know if any of you here managed to get rid of the steering noise.

Regards
Sharad

[tec-razy]

Originally Posted by viXit

Do they have a dimmer that reduces brightness while driving?

You get an app to control the light intensity and color. I have set it up in a way that it turns on only if the doors are opened or the roof light is turned on. Rest of the time, the lights are turned off as they can be slightly distracting while driving.

Originally Posted by sharad_kmc

The steering has a weird Tak tak noise which the service centre is not able to rectify. Occurs as I come up ramps while steering left.

Nothing so far. I have heard from others that it could be a drive shaft issue.