Newest model here by July 2023! A brief history of the Toyota Innova

The Toyota Innova has a long and storied history in the Philippine market, being a crowd favorite since its introduction nearly 20 years ago.

It became one of the stalwarts of the Asian Utility Vehicle segment for its versatility and exceptional ability to meet the needs of the Filipino family. 

Now, however, the Innova is considered a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) and has carved a niche of its own, with very few rivals being able to match its success and renown in the segment.

That said, we briefly look at its history to see what changes Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) has made to the popular vehicle and how it has evolved over the past years. 

It is important to note that we don’t count facelifts as generation changes, as the vehicle's chassis has mainly remained the same through its cosmetic updates.

First Generation (AN40)

The Toyota Innova was considered the unofficial successor to the Toyota Revo.

It debuted in 2004 and carried more modern technology, such as anti-lock brakes and airbags. Aside from it, the MPV also included other technologies, such as throttle-by-wire and variable valve timing for the gasoline models.

It also adopted a double-wishbone front suspension with coil springs and a stabilizer bar and a four-link solid axle with a lateral rod for the rear. These suspension upgrades gave it a more comfortable ride than its predecessor, without sacrificing its load-bearing capabilities.

The first-generation Innova had a 2.0-liter inline-4 gasoline engine and a 2.5-liter inline-4 turbodiesel engine, which were mated to either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic.

TMP would give the Innova three facelifts (2008, 2011, 2013) throughout its first generation.

Second Generation (AN140)

The second generation of the Toyota Innova was introduced into the local market in 2015.

It is 150 mm longer, 55 mm wider, 35 mm taller and around 210 to 290 kg heavier than the older model. These larger dimensions gave buyers and passengers more headroom, especially for the first-row and third-row occupants.

Like before, this Innova still had a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated gasoline engine. But a new 2.8-liter turbodiesel would replace the 2.5-liter motor for the Philippine market.

The diesel powerplant would give the MPV a significant boost in performance, upping its output to 174 PS and 360 Nm of torque. It would retain its 5-speed manual transmission, but received a new 6-speed automatic to replace the old 4-speed. 

The second generation of the Innova would also be its safest as its 5-airbag model would receive a 5-star ASEAN NCAP safety rating in 2016. However, it's important to note that its 3-airbag variants only got a 4-star safety rating. 

In 2020, the Innova would yet again receive a 5-star ASEAN NCAP safety rating, but this time for its 3-airbag model, proving that Toyota improved the vehicle's safety features for its recent update.

The second generation of the Toyota Innova would also get three facelifts throughout its model lifecycle. 

While it was initially available with a 2.0-liter gasoline engine, the Innova lost this motor after TMP's last facelift of the MPV, favoring an all-diesel lineup instead due to its popular demand. 

Third Generation (AG10)

The third-generation Toyota Innova is set to enter the Philippines on July 2023, following its global debut on November 2022.

The new version of the MPV brings significant changes to the nameplate as it ditches its body-on-frame construction for a new monocoque design.

The diesel engine option has also been dropped for this generation, replaced by a new 2.0-liter motor and a 2.0-liter hybrid drivetrain. 

The 2.0-liter gasoline engine produces 172 PS and 205 Nm of torque, which nearly matches the horsepower figures of the 2.8-liter turbodiesel motor.

As for its hybrid drivetrain, it produces 186 PS and 393 Nm of torque. While yet to be confirmed for the Philippines, other markets have gone away with the manual transmission and have instead stuck with an all-CVT lineup.   

Do you think that the Toyota Innova will still be a crowd favorite in its third generation?

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