Toyota to introduce petrol variant for Innova Crysta, plans local production of engines

The recently launched Innova Crysta, which is now available only with a diesel powerplant, is to get a petrol-engined sibling.

The addition of a petrol variant will be crucial more now than ever before particularly for Toyota's performance in the major vehicle market of Delhi, where the diesel Innova cannot be sold as its engine size falls in the banned category of 2000cc and above. In 2015-16, the Innova sold 54,242 units of which 5,745 units comprised the petrol variant.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor's sales during 2015-16 are a 14 percent drop over the previous fiscal. The diesel ban in Delhi which put a stop on sale and registration of diesel vehicles with engines of 2000cc or more, was also responsible for the sales decline.

As regards the odd-even scheme to combat rising pollution, Toyota is not convinced, at least yet, that such a scheme reduces pollution. Under the odd-even scheme, cars with registration numbers ending in an odd number are allowed to ply on the roads and on even dates only cars with even numbers are allowed to ply on the roads. The ban in Delhi has put a spanner in the works for Toyota. When asked if Toyota would support an odd-even scheme, Shekar Viswanathan, vice-chairman and whole-time director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor says that it would support if there's merit in such a scheme. So far there isn't any evidence to suggest that the scheme helps reduce pollution, he says.  

Also read: Toyota expects pricier Innova's automatic variant to be a big draw