The 2023 Toyota Innova has been revealed as a significant step forward for the MPV. It drops its diesel engine and body-on-frame chassis. The new version of the MPV now uses a monocoque chassis and is available with a gasoline engine or a hybrid system. 

While other countries have slowly replaced the older Innova with its new hybrid model, one market still keeps the body-on-frame MPV alive and has recently given it a facelift.

Toyota India has kept the older generation Innova available to the public and has given it a few revisions to keep up with its much newer model. The facelifted Toyota Innova in India gets a a new bumper with more pronounced cuts and creases, a new grille similar in design to the Toyota Hilux, and new wheel options.

The popular MPV retains its diesel engine with the 2.4-liter turbo diesel available as it does not use the 2.8-liter turbo diesel engine in the Philippine model. 

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Could both the new and old Innova be sold in the Philippines?

Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) is willing to invest in local production in the Philippines. The Japanese brand has announced that it plans to return the Tamaraw nameplate to the country with a ₱4.4 billion investment plan which means that it's ready to ramp up manufacturing locally to make this happen.

Also Read: Tamaraw nameplate to make PH comeback?

TMP can do what Toyota India does by selling the new and old models together. The automaker can keep producing the older diesel-powered MPV in the Philippines while importing its latest version from our ASEAN neighbors. 

It is important to remember that India and the Philippines have a strong market for diesel-powered MPVs and that hybrid technology is relatively new to both markets. 

Phasing out the diesel Innova may negatively affect the nameplate, especially as many Filipinos still prefer diesel engines and haven’t adjusted to or don’t like hybrid technology.

TMP can manufacture lower variants of the current generation Toyota Innova to address the market that still wants it and import or produce the Hybrid model on the side as the new top-of-the-line models. 

The Japanese brand has also registered a trademark for the “Zenix” nameplate in the country, indicating that it has plans to separate the regular Innova from its hybrid counterpart in the same way it separated the Avanza from the Veloz. 

Also Read: 2023 Toyota Innova: Engines and fuel efficiency explored

What about local production?

It is still being determined what Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) will do with the local production of the Innova nameplate. It will take time for the Japanese brand to retool its factories here for the new Toyota Innova and the new Toyota Vios, reportedly coming in 2024. 

In the meantime, it can import the higher variants of the new Innovas from our ASEAN neighbors while making a final batch of diesel Innovas for the local market. In this manner, TMP can sell both the old and new models. 

So, do you think Toyota Motor Philippines should sell the new and the old Innova together?