I have a 2019 Toyota Innova Crysta (BS4) 8-seater with the 2.8-litre diesel-AT powertrain. It has done about 45,000km. Now due to GRAP 3 commonly used in Delhi NCR, I am thinking of changing my vehicle. I want to buy a similar automatic 8-seater car with good luggage space. I like the new Innova Hycross VX, but I get some confusing information from the showroom. So, I thought I could check on the following:
1) How efficient is the hybrid, especially in a city like Gurugram. One showroom staff says the hybrid only works for 5 kms.
2) We travel outstation 3-4 time in a year. How efficient is it on the highway doing an average of about 100kph?
3) Is the hybrid expensive to maintain?
4) Lasltly, will it be better to get the Crysta diesel instead?
I am a retired senior citizen, so I need to be careful before spending money.
Capt. Berry, Gurugram
Autocar India says: The Toyota Innova Hycross Hybrid is certainly worth considering. Its petrol-electric combination makes it impressively efficient, delivering 13.1 km/l in the city and 16.1 km/l on the highway in Eco mode during our tests.
When a salesperson mentions that the Hycross can drive only about 5 km purely on electric power, that’s accurate — but it’s only part of the story. The hybrid system constantly recharges its battery through regenerative braking and the petrol engine (which acts as a generator), allowing the vehicle to frequently switch to electric mode. This seamless cycling between petrol and electric power is what maximizes overall fuel efficiency.
Even on highways, when driven with a light foot, the Hycross can run solely on electric power for short periods. However, the transition between the petrol engine and the electric motor is fully automatic — it cannot be manually controlled. The intelligent hybrid system continuously manages this balance to deliver both strong performance and optimal efficiency.
In terms of ownership, service costs for the hybrid are comparable to a conventional petrol vehicle. The battery and electric motor require no special maintenance.
Overall, we’d highly recommend the Innova Hycross Hybrid over the Crysta diesel variants for its smoothness, comfort, refinement, and effortless driving experience.
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