Toyota Innova

[veeman]

Just returned from a trip to India.  Shuttled around in a bunch of cars, a lot of time the Innova.  Not a good looking car but great utility.  It's styled like a minivan but has sedan doors.  With the third row down (which doesn't fold into the floor), it holds a lot of luggage.  6 speed auto or 5 speed manual. Diesel and gasoline variants. RWD. 

That's my question.  Why does Toyota make this RWD?  What advantage is that for a minivan type of car? Is it cheaper, more rugged? 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Innova

[68_427]

Says right in your link the chassis is related to the Hilux.  So yes.

[veeman]

For a pickup truck chassis, it was pretty comfortable.  If they made it FWD, they'd have more boot space.  No one off-roads or tows with these. 

[2o6]

They have a FWD similarly sized van; the Perodua Alza. (Although not sold in India)


It's probably a legacy product plus factory. I suspect it's probaby cheaper and easier to throw a minivan body on a truck chassis than import a JDM or Thai product to India that may not be right for that market.


Also they can probably share manufacturing line space.

[cawimmer430]

I drove the ancestor to that car in the Philippines once - it was called the Toyota Tamaraw in that market. Elsewhere it is called the Toyota Kijang.

These are low cost cars intended for the typically large Asian families predominantly in Southeast Asian markets (Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines etc.). If I remember correctly there were only two engines choices available, a 1.5 gasoline and a 1.8 diesel. The one I drove for a day had the 1.5-l gasoline engine and a 5-speed manual. It belonged to a friend.

Honestly, this was the worst car I've ever driven. I can live with the cheapness inside, that doesn't really bother me, but that engine was just bizarre. It was so underpowered it's not even funny. It accelerated really slowly, but when you turned on the A/C the car would actually decelerate. I kid you not. You could floor the pedal and the car would slow down. Turn the A/C off and the car would accelerate again, but very slowly. Everything else about it was horrible - the steering feel, the suspension etc. but I don't hold it against the car. It was cheap for a reason.

The Innova you drove appears to be a real improvement. I think buyers in these markets now demand some more premium feel and are willing to pay for it. Back then when the Tamaraw was around buyers just wanted a cheap car that was cheap for a reason.

[veeman]

I wish I had a chance to drive when I was in India but that's almost
suicidal for someone not used to driving with a free for all mentality.