The all-new 2023 Toyota Innova continues its regional tease; this time popping up in India
Dinesh · Mar 30, 2022 01:34 PM
0
0
New Innova could switch to FWD, unibody layout
Looks set to receive some form of electrification
Expect it on roads as early as October 2022
The possible front-wheel drive all-new 2023 Toyota Innova has popped up again on our radar, this time in similar guise of a development mule in Bengaluru, India, after first making an appearance in Thailand last month.
It was caught by MotorBeam and reshared to Instagram by Indonesian automotive sleuth, Indra Fathan. While they only managed a side and rear profile of the Indian Innova, it doesn’t appear to divert much from the earlier shots in Thailand or the current Innova still on sale.
The easiest way to tell it’s the same mule is by the new wheel design that was on the Thai mule as well. Since it’s shed some of the ungainly cladding from our northern neighbours, we get a more detailed look at its silhouette.
With less cladding, the rear takes more shape.
That’s a large greenhouse that’s more evolutionary rather than revolutionary from the current model although the rear quarter window has been restyled; as has some of the sheet metal in the rear.
Most of the photos coincidentally capture its derriere and what’s plain to see is the large rear windscreen, roof spoiler, a larger tailgate that’s more squarish which should give a larger cargo opening and split taillights that seem to have dropped the vertical design elements on the body.
Once everything’s revealed, the new Innova shouldn’t diverge much from the dimensions of the current one but will obviously have redesigned styling cues on the bumper, grille and other exterior cosmetic fitments.
The wheels are identical to the mule spotted in Thailand.
While little is left to speculate regarding its appearance, the powertrain and its underpinnings are still very much up in the air.
Rumours are rife that the new Innova will ditch its rear-wheel drive and body-on-frame architecture derived from the archaic IMV platform it shares with the Toyota Hilux and Fortuner. That means a front-wheel drive, unibody layout courtesy of the TNGA platform that marks a significant departure from its predecessors.
Nonetheless, the strongest and most obvious hint that the new Innova will transcend into the world of FWD and unibody construction is from a gaffe by the Indonesian Minister of Industry.
The mule spotted in Thailand with more cladding.
He let slip during a statement addressing Toyota’s export to Australia the figure of the first electrified vehicle that will be produced by Toyota in Indonesia (560B/Innova Hybrid). Part of that Freudian slip includes a commitment by PT Toyota to produce various models of electrified vehicles and the Kijang Hybrid will be the first of many.
Seeing as the current IMV platform underpinning the Kijang/Innova wasn’t developed with electrification in mind, it appears to be a foregone conclusion.
Traditionally, Indonesia has been the stronghold for Innova assembly and this is expected to continue even with the various spyshots placing the development mule in Thailand and now India. The reasons for its regional road tripping could be primarily for development work although it is assembled in India as well.
The current Toyota Innova.
Regardless of where it’s spotted, the new Innova is expected to roll out towards the end of 2022; even as early as October 2022, and be the first electrified Toyota assembled in Indonesia.
It could very well be assembled in Malaysia as well. UMW Toyota’s Shah Alam plant rolls out the current Innova in CKD form. Previously it assembled the Camry Hybrid while the new Bukit Raja facility puts together the Corolla Cross Hybrid.
You'll notice the current model has a tapered tailgate at the bottom and a vertical element to the taillights.
“Better late than never.” Some despise it, others begrudgingly agree with it but he swears by it… much to the chagrin of everyone around him. That unfortunately stems from all of his project cars not running most of the time, which in turn is testament to his questionable decision-making skills in life. A culmination of many wrongs fortunately making a right; much like his project cars on the rare occasions they run, he’s still trying to figure out if another project car is the way to go.
