Modern Man

The Fortuner scores a homerun where the Innova perhaps reaches only third base: its styling. The sleek lines borrow heavily from its stablemates, the Sequoia and Harrier (aka Lexus RX 330). To our eyes, it even supplants the company’s own (more-expensive) Land Cruiser Prado. The schnozz is obviously similar to that of its chassis-mate, the Hilux, but with a blacked-out headlamp cluster with individual lenses under the clear cover. The oversized wheel-tire package gives it an exaggerated, almost cartoon-like stance. Alarmingly, the vehicle’s height exceeds its width.

- the Toyota Prius is indeed the best balance between eco-friendliness and practicality. The advanced technology under the hood works seamlessly, making the Prius as sensible as it is practical. It starts out with a sophisticated drive-by-wire system that connects the gas pedal to an intelligent computer system that controls two power plants (gasoline and electric) as well as the continuously variable transmission, effectively stretching the Prius’ mileage without compromises.

Toyota focused on serious product development with the Innova, coming out with solidly executed mechanicals rather than merely slapping on “Banawe special” features on a prehistoric drivetrain. The result was nothing short of fantastic. The Innova was received with standing ovation from both critics and consumers alike, praising it as the most practical form of transportation for people with less than a million pesos to spare.