UAE drivers who are after a generous ride that won’t cost a mortgage to run can opt for Toyota’s 2024 Innova, a spacious offering evidently designed with efficiency and comfort in mind. This is the fifth-generation model, and the big news is it is the first to veer into hybrid-electric territory. Toyota says the vehicle’s power train is the most up-to-date expression of the 25 years the brand has spent in developing eco-friendly technology (the clue is probably in the name – Innova does, after all, appear to be a shortening of the word innovate). Drive in the new arrival comes from a two-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine married to a pair of electric motors and, combined, the car produces 184 horsepower. It can be driven entirely on electric power or in conjunction with the petrol engine, the latter of which means you’ll be charging the batteries as you rattle along. The Innova was introduced in 2004 as a spacious way to get a lot of friends and family around and about, but the 2024 version has been styled as an SUV, rather than the earlier, more people-mover-esque vehicles. Toyota is keen to underline that the changes do not mean there is no longer ample room for passengers and luggage, though. The standard model still comes with three rows of seats that can fit up to eight people, with a second-row captain-seat set-up also being an option. At the front, the Innova has been fitted with Toyota’s trademark hexagonal grille, while all the aforementioned minivan-like stylings have been massaged into the upright stance of an assertive – but streamlined – off-roader. Inside, we’re back to the comfort side of things, with customers being able to choose from either a suede-like material or matte upholstery on the dashboard and doors. The tech includes a 4.2-inch multi-information display for the driver, allied to an 8-inch touchscreen multimedia system. The Innova is in Al-Futtaim showrooms now, with prices starting at Dh126,900.
