Most comfortable ride under Rs. 15 lakhs on-road. Review on Toyota Innova

I have been renting an Innova for over 3 years on a weekly basis [about 40-50 times annually]. Its by far the most comfortable ride if bucket seats are available for the 2nd row [captain's chairs in the 7 seater option].

My own car is a Corolla and despite the same suspension, its back seat comfort can't match the Innova.

However, when the 2nd row is a bench [8 seater option], then the rear comfort is the same for Corolla & Innova and also Tata Safari [since the Safari does not have bucket options]. When the 8 seater does not have a central folding armrest, the rear comfort is LESS than the Corolla.

I start feeling fatigue in the back seat after an hour [65 - 75 min] of being driven on Mumbai roads in my Corolla compared to over 2 hours [125 - 135 min] in the 7 seater Innova.

During summer, the 2nd row of AC blowers is a god send since I've sat In Innovas without the rear blowers and they were much more uncomfortably hot than any sedan due to the much larger volume of air to be cooled after sitting in the sun. Another way to lower the heat buildup in the sun is to provide a 'moonroof / sunroof' option that can be opened up to vent the hot air while parked.

I have seen some reviews describing the Innova as 'perfect' and that's hardly the case. However its certainly the 'best' relative to whats available in the country. To see how much room there is for improvement, you should experience some rides in minivans sold in north america for a better sense of perspective [at the same price range of about US$25 - 30 k].

My only complaints about the Innova is the 3rd row. Its fine for tourist vehicles or office commutes but for individual users its folded up 90-95% of the time. When upright, the seats block over half the side windows giving it an ugly / unfinished look which is not acceptable when we are spending over Rs. 10-11 lakhs on a car / MPV.

Toyota should consider introducing a 6-seater version without the 3rd row of blowers and flip up seats that face each other like some Taveras & Scorpios have for the last row. These smaller seats don't obstruct the side windows and are less expensive also. The cost savings could be shared with the buyers who would be non-commercial / personal use mostly. The replacement of the 3rd row would also reduce the weight of the vehicle and have a small positive impact on mileage.

Other upgrades would be a 12V socket for the 2nd row so we can charge our phones / laptops easily. Also flip down 'airline style' tray tables to put your laptop like the Indigo XL would enhance productivity as a passenger. AWD [all wheel drive] is another good safety option for monsoon driving.

Side window curtains as an option would give it more of a 'limo' feel that one gets in Ambassadors or integrated slick ones seen in luxury cars like BMW & Audi. A LPG or CNG variant should also help boost sales for those users who don't want to pay the premium for diesel. Push button [keyless] ignition like the new Chevy sedan along with auto door lock when the remote goes out of range would help improve security.

Side airbags would be a great safety option for owners with drivers [some cheaper cars already offer this now]. Currently the front airbags offer our drivers better protection than the owners! Since most owners care about mileage, a 'real time mileage indicator' would be another great option to provide on the centre console so its visible to the passengers also. Minivans abroad also have digital compass and outside temp indicators for the 2nd row which would increase the optional upgrades.

A folding rear parcel tray / shelf would keep prying eyes from checking out your personal luggage stowed in the back. The back glass panel should have an independent latch so the entire rear door does not have to be lifted up for smaller items. Rear sliding doors which are common for minivans abroad should also be introduced as an option which helps is easier entry / exit in tight parking spots. None of the headrests in Toyotas sold domestically can tilt forward for better support even though this is considered standard features abroad. They can only be slid vertically. The front headrests should also have 'holes' like Volvo for better visibility for the rear passengers.

For Indian conditions someone should innovate [pun unintended!] and link types of keys to the max speed limited electronically. So the 'Valet' key would be limited to say 30 km/h while the 'Learner' key would be 60 km/h. The 'Driver' key could be 90 km/h while the 'Owner' key would remain unlimited. This would not only conserve fuel [since AC and stereo would be disabled in Valet mode] but also reduce high speed collisions.

While the new / refreshed look of the front grill is much better than the ugly one it replaced, it still looks like a tourist car from all other angles. This image problem is the ONLY thing holding us back from owning one since my wife is adamant about the looks.

Maybe when the Tata Aria hits the roads, it will provide some much needed competition to the Innova which currently has no peers from a passenger / ride comfort perspective.