Toyota Innova Hycross Flex-Fuel Spied Testing Under Heavy Camouflage? Or Is It The Facelift?

The upcoming Innova Hycross has been spotted testing with heavy camouflage, indicating the imminent arrival of a refreshed Hycross, which may include a revised fascia and the inclusion of a flex-fuel-compatible variant.

What Can Be Seen?

The images indicate that the overall silhouette looks quintessentially similar to the existing Hycross. However, the fascia is expected to see an update, which includes a larger front grille and a slightly revised housing for the DRLs, which sit on either side of the bumper. The placement of the front fog lamps looks similar, but the housing and the lower lip of the bumper may also see a design update. 

The large side silhouette of the Hycross looks unchanged, including the design touches like the subtly flared wheel arch cladding, shark-fin antenna and the overall character lines which run across the length of the car. While the design of the 10-spoke alloy wheels looks similar to the current version, we do expect them to get a different finish with this update.

The rear end of the Hycross continues to be the boxy and flat design, which includes the LED tail lamps, a roof spoiler with side aero blades and a rear wiper with a wash function. 

Is This A Comprehensive Facelift?

In true Toyota fashion, we don’t expect this to be a comprehensive facelift. However, ever since its launch back in 2022, it is time for a facelift four years later. The bigger expectation from this update is the inclusion of flex-fuel compatibility in the powertrains. The Hycross flex-fuel has been showcased at mobility expos before, and moreover, the country's transport minister, Nitin Gadkari, has recently mentioned that Toyota is ready with flex-fuel versions of its cars. 

Given the recent push for higher ethanol blends in the petrol available in the country, it is the right time to introduce flex-fuel vehicles, making them future-ready for up to 85 per cent ethanol in the available fuel. 

Toyota Innova Hycross: Overview

The Toyota Innova name needs almost no introduction to the common person. The household popularity of the Innova due to its versatility, space and rugged dependability makes it one of the few cars that have been unfazed in the Indian automotive landscape.

The Innova Hycross includes features such as a panoramic sunroof, powered tailgate, 8-way adjustable driver’s seat with memory, 2nd row Ottoman seats, 9-speaker JBL sound system, 7-inch digital driver’s display, connected car tech, 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment with wireless for only Apple CarPlay and keyless entry with engine start-stop.

Safety tech includes 6-airbags, ABS with EBD, Level-2 ADAS, auto headlamps, 360-degree camera, front and rear parking sensors, ISOFIX child seat mounts, hill-start assist (HSA) and electronic stability control (VSC).

Powertrain options on the Hycross include two engine options: a 2-litre naturally aspirated petrol with a CVT automatic gearbox and a 2-litre naturally aspirated strong-hybrid petrol with an e-CVT gearbox. 

The Innova Hycross comes only with automatic gearbox options. Powertrain specifications are as follows:

CVT - Continuously Variable Transmission (automatic) 

Expected Price & Rivals

The upcoming Innova Hycross is expected to launch at an estimated price of Rs 20 lakh (ex-showroom) onwards, keeping in mind the flex-fuel upgrades.

The Innova Hycross has one direct rival, the Maruti Suzuki Invicto, being it’s badge engineered sibling. However, cars like the Mahindra 7XO, Tata Safari, and the Jeep Meridian can be considered as SUV alternatives in the price segment.

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