Once again, the Indo-Japanese automaker Toyota Kirloskar Motor has halted bookings for the top-spec ZX and ZX(O) variants of its Innova HyCross. This comes just a month after the automaker reopened bookings for these variants. Most likely, this recent halting has been done to manage the increasing demand and low supply of these two variants. It has to be noted that even when the bookings were open last month, they stretched over two years for the Innova HyCross ZX and ZX(O) variants.
Priced at Rs 30.34 lakh and Rs 30.98 lakh (ex-showroom) respectively, the ZX and ZX(O) variants have consistently faced supply challenges. This has resulted in dealerships having long queues for these variants. At the moment, the company has only stated that this is a temporary halt of bookings. However, it has not revealed when it would resume the reservations.
Not the first time Toyota has halted bookings
This decision follows a similar action taken in April of last year. The bookings were first stopped due to supply-related issues. The Innova HyCross’ ZX and ZX(O) are so popular that after the bookings reopened in April 2024, the high demand led to a rapid reaccumulation of orders.
In order to bank on this growing demand after a year-long suspension, Toyota resumed bookings in April 2024 with a price hike from the initial launch price. At the time of launch, the Innova HyCross ZX and ZX(O) variants were priced at Rs 28.33 lakh and Rs 28.97 lakh. However, despite this price hike, the demand increased more, which eventually led to the suspension of bookings once again.
Reasons for Halting Bookings
The primary reason for this booking pause is that Toyota cannot produce enough Innova HyCross. Its production capacity has struggled to keep pace. The result of this has also affected its waiting periods. Currently, the waiting period for even the mid-spec VX and VX(O) variants is up to 14 months. On the other hand, the non-hybrid petrol variants have a six-month waiting period.
Innova HyCross’ Cheaper Alternative: Maruti Suzuki Invicto
As we have mentioned before, at the moment, smart people are buying the Maruti Suzuki Invicto. It is essentially a badge-engineered version of the Innova HyCross. The Invicto offers many of the same features and specifications with a significantly shorter waiting period.
Key Differences and Features
While the Invicto shares the same 2.0-litre strong-hybrid powertrain producing 184hp with an e-CVT gearbox as the HyCross, there are minor differences in design and features. The Invicto lacks some of the premium features of the HyCross, such as ADAS and the nine-speaker JBL premium sound system.
Additionally, the Invicto’s interior color scheme differs, and it does not offer the Ottoman-style seats found in the HyCross. However, despite these differences, the Invicto remains an attractive option, especially considering the lower waiting periods.
In cities like New Delhi, where waiting periods on the HyCross have crossed two-year marks, the Invicto is readily available at some dealerships. Additionally, if the vehicle is unavailable, the dealerships are offering deliveries in 2-3 months. At maximum, the waiting periods on the Maruti Suzuki Invicto is around 8-10 months.
The Maruti Suzuki Invicto is offered in three variants. These are namely the Zeta+ 7-seater, Zeta+ 8-seater, and Alpha+ 7-seater. The pricing of the Invicto for the above-mentioned variants is Rs 25.3 lakh, Rs 25.36 lakh, and Rs 29.01 lakh respectively.
