The Toyota Innova has been one of India’s most loved cars for a long time. The MPV also won the prestigious 2023 car&bike car of the year award earlier this year and even though its prices have been going up consistently, so has been its popularity. In its latest avatar as the Hycross the car has crossed the Rs. 30 lakh price barrier but even that hasn’t stopped buyers from thronging to Toyota showrooms. But now there’s a challenger in town and the challenge has come from within the extended family with the Invicto.
So, it becomes an obvious question then. Which one of these two to choose from? The Maruti Suzuki Invicto or the Toyota Innova HyCross. Yes there’s very little that separates them, but there are some key differences as well, including the cost at which they come. We got both the MPVs together to find out.
Invicto's face reminds more of other Maruti Suzuki cars and less of the Hycross.
Even though these are cross badged models, enough has been done to help you differentiate between the Invicto and the Hycross especially when it comes to the face. There are many differing elements, including the headlamps where the Invicto gets the Tri-LED pattern seen on many cars from Nexa. Importantly fog lamps are missing on the car but are provided on the Hycross. The grille design differs too due to which Invicto reminds you more of other cars from the Maruti Suzuki Nexa family like the Grand Vitara and even the Fronx and less of the Hycross which is a good thing for brand identity.
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The Hycross gets 18-inch wheels, which are one size bigger.
The face of the Invicto also sees the use of piano black and there’s a good amount of chrome as well, something a lot of buyers like in the premium segment. On the profile, one more key difference is the alloy wheel design as well as the size. I liked the ones one the Invicto more, though on the Hycross, you get 18-inch wheels, which are one size bigger. The rear is where these cars resemble each other the most with their similar looking lamps, skid plates and spoilers.
Rear is where these cars resemble each other the most.
So overall when it comes to exteriors it’s not exactly a Baleno-Glanza kind of a story where are cars are exact clones of each other barring the logos and badges, but it’s not a Grand Vitara Urban Cruiser Hyryder like scenario either, where the differences are much more evident. The Hycross and the Invicto are somewhere in between. While the former is available in 7 colour options including the new Blackish Ageha glass flake you see in pictures, the latter has 4 options including the signature Nexa blue.
At first glance it is difficult to distinguish between the two cabins.
The cabins of both these cars are similar, loaded with features and absolutely justify the segment they are present in. Highlights include the big 10.1-inch touchscreen system which is compatible with Wireless Apple Carplay but wired Android Auto. However, the quality can be a bit better, especially when you compare this system to some other cars from Maruti Suzuki including the Grand Vitara where you get a nicer, clearer view and the 360 view of the camera is better too.
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Front seats get ventilation on both the MPVs.
Both cars get a 2-zone climate control, one for the front row and one for the second row, an electric driver’s seat with memory functions and both the front seats get ventilation as well. The gear lever is nicely integrated into the dashboard, which leaves extra space to keep more stuff between the seats. While both cabins have dark themes, Invicto has a combination of black seats and golden inserts on the doors and the armrests, while on the Hycross you get a combination of dark brown and silver.
The cabins justify the segment these cars are present in.
A bigger difference is that while the Hycross gets the superior 9-speaker JBL premium sound system, the Invicto makes do with a 6-speaker unit. On both cars you can buy a dash cam, air purifier and a wireless charger as accessories while a dedicated app ensures that the Invicto also gets ambient lights as an option.
Electric seat settings on second row are only offered on the Hycross.
Here’s why you might end up liking the second row of the Hycross a bit more than the Invicto. Yes, both cars get captain seats but it’s only the Hycross that offers you Ottoman seats too. That really adds to the comfort and gives you calf support which aids you on long journeys. The seats can convert into a lounge and they also get electric settings albeit only on the Hycross. On both cars, there’s a foldable tray between the seats, armrests, and window curtains apart from a huge panoramic sunroof.
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Third rows on both get lack enough space.
You also get the options of bench seats in certain trims to accommodate an extra passenger. The third row isn’t very spacious in either of the MPVs, but the good thing is that you get AC vents, charging ports and yes adjustable headrests for all three passengers. And yes there’s an electric tail gate too on both.
The hybrid drivetrain on both cars is provided by Toyota.
It is the same Hybrid setup that powers both these cars, the Hycross as well as the Invicto. It comes from Toyota which was the case with the Grand Vitara and the Urban Cruiser Hyryder strong hybrids as well. The 1987 cc Petrol engine along with the batteries makes 184 bhp along with 206 Nm. It’s a nice, easy, relaxed drive on both these cars with the eCVT gearbox and of course the dedicated EV mode as well, where they run purely on batteries initially, and then later the engine comes to life, depending on throttle push.
You can choose between Eco, Normal & Power drive modes on both MPVs.
But there’s a bit for the enthusiast as well because if you want to touch the speed of 100 kmph from stationery, you can do that in less than ten seconds and yes you also have a Sport mode along with Paddle shifts on both the Hycross and the Invicto. You can also choose between Eco, Normal & Power modes which alter the characters of the cars quite a bit.
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Maruti is claiming the exact same figure as the Hycross which is 23.24 kmpl.
Impressive ride quality has always been one of the big USPs of the Toyota Innova even in the previous generation, that continues with the Hycross and of course continues with the Invicto as well. You get a supremely comfortable ride, and it doesn’t matter whichever row you’re sitting in, this is guaranteed on the car. The smaller wheels of the Invicto have probably made the experience even more supple, it isn’t a big difference though. Ideally it should aid in better fuel efficiency as well, but Maruti is claiming the exact same figure as the Hycross which is 23.24 kmpl. That is very impressive looking at the size and segment these cars come in.
The Hycross gets many more trims when compared to Invicto.
The Hycross, unlike the Invicto, also gets a Petrol-only version where the same 2.0 engine makes 172 bhp and 209 Nm. Here too you get a CVT, but the claimed fuel efficiency drops in the absence of a hybrid setup down to around 16 kmpl. Here too, there’s no manual transmission option and if you do want that you’ll have to go in for the Crysta, but that one is available with only a Diesel mill.
An electric parking brake is provided on both cars.
Both SUVs get as many as 6 airbags, a tyre pressure monitoring system, an electric parking brake, front parking sensors and disc brakes on all wheels. And then there’s ADAS, the driver assistance systems which also find a place only on the Hycross. So especially when you’re out on the highways, on faster roads, features like Adaptive Cruise control, lane keeping assist and Blind spot assist, come to your aid and make the drive safer.
| PRICES (EX-SHOWROOM) | PETROL | HYBRID |
| INNOVA HYCROSS | Rs. 18.82- Rs. 19.72 lakh | Rs. 25.30 - 30.26 lakh |
| INVICTO | NA | Rs. 24.82 - 28.42 lakh |
Owing to its Petrol-only trims the Hycross starts at a much lower price point but when it comes to hybrids, it begins at a higher point than Invicto. Talking about warranty, Toyota scores better here too by offering 3 years/ 1 lakh kms, while the Invicto gets 2 years/ 40,000 kms like many other cars from Maruti Suzuki. And then there’s the small matter of waiting period. The Hycross could take up to two years to deliver depending on the variant while the Invicto too has reached fourteen months, owing to the short supply from Toyota.
The price difference between the top trims is almost Rs. 2 lakh.
While the ride and feel is pretty much the same on both MPVs, it is the Hycross that gets a lot more features when compared to the Invicto. But remember it all comes at a price. The difference between the top trims we drove is almost Rs. 2 lakh and that’s quite significant. The option really is between more features and less cost, but here’s a Maruti Suzuki on which a buyer will happily spend Rs. 30 lakh, courtesy of the coming together of two auto majors.
