As we entered the second month of 2021, UMW Toyota Malaysia (UMWT) unveiled the new 2021 Toyota Innova facelift as one of its newest models of the year next to the refreshed Toyota Fortuner.

But what are the differences between the Innova facelift and the pre-facelift? Worry not, because in this article, we’ll show you the differences between the two and whether the up to RM 4k price bump is worth it.

But first, the variants

The Innova facelift is available in three variants in Malaysia. All three are powered by the same powertrains which we’ll go through later in the article. The following are the prices for all three variants excluding SST (until 30-June 2021), on-the-road without insurance.

Exterior – New macho-looking grille

As seen on the Indonesian-spec Innova, the three-row MPV sports a brand-new trapezoidal grille which gives it a very macho appearance. Good news for parents who think most crossovers or MPVs are getting a little too tame in looks.

Apart from the grille, another difference between the pre-facelift and the facelift up front is the design of the DRL housings. The pre-facelift uses a conventional quadrilateral design while the facelift utilises a sharper almost triangular design.

Clearly, the changes are mostly fixated on the front since both the pre-facelift and facelift Innova look similar when viewed from the side. The biggest changes might be for the 2.0 X variant though.

While the pre-facelift 2.0 X introduced a new more adventure-inspired look with plastic body cladding only surrounding the lower parts of the MPV, the facelift 2.0 X gains additional black plastic trims on the doors.

The same can be said for the back too as the facelift’s design is mostly carried over from the pre-facelift. The plastic body cladding now surrounds the whole bottom of the rear on the facelift.

Finally, there is the wheel design. The 2.0 G variant of the Innova facelift receives brand-new two-tone silver and black 16-inch alloy wheels which give a touch of class compared to the pre-facelift’s standard alloy wheel design.

The range-topping 2.0 X, meanwhile, retains the same 17-inch wheel design on the facelift. However, they are now painted in Dark Mica Metallic instead of black.

Interior – More USB ports

The interior of the Innova facelift is also largely carried over from the pre-facelift. The captain seat arrangement and leather interior remain on the 2.0 X variant.

Ditto the funky-looking fabric upholstery and 8-seater arrangement on the 2.0 E and 2.0 G variants.

However, the upgrades inside are more towards the convenience of the Innova which includes additional charging ports that support fast charging. The front 2 USB ports are now located in the dashboard and there are additional charging ports in the third row.

For convenience in smartphone connectivity, the facelift Innova's 9-inch infotainment system now supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Speaking of smartphones, you can also equip the Innova with a wireless charger, albeit as an option on all variants.

Powertrain – Same tried and tested unit

When the pre-facelift Innova was launched in Malaysia back in 2016, it came with a 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder petrol engine (1TR-FE) as the sole engine. This engine produces an output of up to 139 PS and 183 Nm. It also came with a five-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic transmission.

Fast forward five years later to the facelift and while the 1TR-FE unit remains, only the automatic transmission is offered across the three variants.

Safety – More enhanced

The pre-facelift Innova was already well-spec in terms of safety with 7 airbags offered as standard along with ESC, ABS with EBD and BA, traction control, and hill-start assist.

However, the Innova facelift brings safety to another level with the addition of a blind-spot monitor (BSM) with rear cross-traffic alert available as standard on the G and X variants. Also available as standard on these variants is the 360-degree Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) in 3D.

Interesting enough, the BSM and 360-degree PVM are optional on the base E variant, which makes this facelift a win for families looking for a safe MPV.

Those are the breakdown comparison between the old and new Innova. If you’re interested, we have a helpful guide on the minimum salary to own this humble MPV.