Toyota Innova Crysta Expert Review

Toyota Innova Crysta retains the familiar MPV silhouette with a a bit muscular and premium appearance. The large grille, swept-back projector headlamps, flared wheel arches and sharply kinked rear glass makes it look contemporary and SUV-like.
Underneath, the Crysta uses a body-on-frame chassis and rear-wheel-drive layout, sticking to the Innova’s proven formula of durability and toughness.

Inside, the Crysta feels genuinely premium, with a layered dashboard, wood trim, ambient lighting and good material quality. Toyota clearly aimed to push the MPV upmarket, and it succeeded.
Front seats are large and extremely comfortable, while the second-row captain chairs remain among the best in the segment for long-distance travel. They recline, slide and offer generous legroom, reinforcing the Crysta’s chauffeur-friendly appeal. The third row is roomy, has easier access thanks to the one-touch tumble mechanism. While the high floor means passengers still sit slightly knees-up, space and comfort are better than most rivals. Practicality is another highlight. The cabin is filled with storage spaces and bottle holders, while the foldable third row adds flexibility for luggage carrying.

The Crysta is offered with a 2.4-litre diesel engine producing 150hp and 343Nm paired with a 5 speed manual gearbox. It delivers strong low-end pulling power and very good highway performance, making overtakes easier even with a full load of passengers.
The diesel engines still sound slightly gravelly when revved hard. At cruising speeds, however, the Crysta settles into a relaxed and refined rhythm that makes it an exceptional long-distance machine.

The claimed mileage for Innova Crysta is around 15.01kmpl. In real-world conditions, the figures vary from around 9kpl to 13kpl depending on weather, driving style and road conditions.

Ride comfort has always been the Innova’s biggest strength, and the Crysta improved it further. The suspension setup absorbs potholes, broken roads and speed breakers with remarkable composure, making it one of the best long-distance family vehicles sold in India. 
The suspension is softly tuned, which helps comfort but also results in noticeable body roll around corners. Handling is safe and predictable rather than engaging, and the heavy hydraulic steering feels slow and cumbersome in city driving.

The Crysta gets features like a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, ambient lighting, cruise control, automatic climate control and powered driver’s seat adjustment. 
Safety equipment includes up to seven airbags, ABS, hill-start assist and Vehicle Stability Control.

The Crysta is priced roughly between Rs 18.85 Lakh to Rs 25.50 Lakh (ex-showroom). The Crysta’s pricing seems expensive for an old MPV but few vehicles combine toughness, comfort and long-distance cruising ability as convincingly as the Innova Crysta.