Toyota Innova Zenix 2023 teased – seven-seat MPV to use TNGA platform

Toyota Indonesia has released the first teaser image of the third-generation Innova, which will reportedly make its debut next month. Reports also suggest the all-new seven-seat MPV will be called the Innova Zenix, although this could refer to one of the trim levels that will be offered in the country.

At present, the second-generation Innova is known as the Kijang Innova in Indonesia, but there’s also a higher end variant known simply as the Venturer (same car but with differing styling and equipment). As such, the third-generation model could very well be offered in regular Innova and Zenix guises, although we’ll need to wait the debut to find out more.

This multi-name approach for models that share a lot of similarities isn’t new for Toyota Indonesia, as the company sells both the Avanza and Veloz. The latter is considered the more upmarket option and was previously known by a longer name (Avanza Veloz) in Indonesia before being renamed to just the Veloz – this model has already gone on sale in Malaysia to replace the Avanza.

Getting back to what we’ll refer to as the Innova Zenix for now, the teaser gives us a decent look at the front end of the MPV, which features a large hexagonal-shaped grille flanked by relatively slender headlamps. The lower apron is also rather distinctive with what appears to be prominent air guides that are linked by a thin trim piece running across the front bumper.

Previous spyshots also point out what could be horizontal LED daytime running light strips in that space, which we can roughly see in the image. The rest of the MPV is shrouded in darkness but we should expect a shape that is generally similar to the outgoing Innova to fit three rows of seats.

No further details are available for now, although the big news is the Innova will ditch its Hilux-based ladder frame chassis in favour of the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA). This will likely see the switch from a longitudinal-mounted engine, rear-wheel drive setup to a transversely-mounted engine and front-wheel drive, which is something that the Avanza and Veloz have already undergone when both adopted the Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA).

Doing so should reap some benefits in terms of interior space as there’s no need for a prop shaft to send drive to the rear wheels. The TNGA platform can also handle hybrid powertrains like with the Corolla Cross Hybrid or even full electric like the Lexus UX300e, and enables the fitment of the Toyota Sense suite of safety and driver assistance systems. Of course, we’ll need to wait to find out exactly what will be made available in Indonesia.

Toyota Indonesia already has a TNGA-based MPV in its line-up called the Voxy that competes against the Nissan Serena. However, the Voxy is positioned as a more premium offering, with pricing starting from 579.5 million rupiah (RM176,104). By comparison, the current Kijang Innova is a more mass-market offering there and starts from 369.6 million rupiah (RM112,314) – the Venturer occupies a higher price bracket above the Kijang Innova, starting from 494.4 million rupiah (RM150,239).

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