Backing up

Team OD Published: August 26, 2011, 05:53 AM IST

The OVERDRIVE Etios Yatra spanned 11 days and we ended up driving 6372km around India on the Golden Quadrilateral, a great way to see our diverse country. Crossing various states, the yatra wouldn't have been possible without a support car - the Innova. While the Etios had two members from Team OD at all times, the Innova carried the camera crew, photographer, equipment and luggage.

Driving on the G-Quad, we were doing speeds higher than usual with the air conditioner turned on at all times and stopping only for video shoots and photography. The Innova we were driving was the updated BS IV version that recently received an intercooler; the power has gone up by 5PS to 109PS. The engine is the same reliable 2.5-litre D4-D engine, a great performer.

Cruising at triple digit speeds was effortless even with the Innova fully loaded. The vehicle was calm at city speeds when driving through small towns and stable on the highway. Passengers in the middle row too were not uncomfortable over bad roads and high speeds and had no complains. The Innova is like a sedan in the dynamics department. It feels composed on bad roads, in corners and thanks to ABS, under braking as well.

What endears the Innova to us, specifically, is the tail gate opens upwards like in a hatchback and offers enough space to comfortably seat the camera crew and equipment. Indeed, we have nearly always used an Innova for OVERDRIVE's TV shoots.

The Etios was fast and effortlessly covered a lot of miles during the Etios Yatra. The photographer never complained as the Innova kept up with the Etios and captured those important moments. The driver of the Innova also never felt fatigued after 12-hour driving days. The seats offer great support with a perfect driving position, while comfort features and interiors match up to most sedans and that only adds to the comfort level.

There are sedans, there are MUVs, and there's the Innova. The Innova has set a new benchmark in terms of space, packaging, engine and highway travel in India. Six years since its launch, the Innova is both the family car of choice and the cab of choice for most of us. The Innova has come a long way and its universal appeal speaks highly of the vehicle's reliability.

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