Why India Was Devastated When Toyota Killed the Qualis

Ep 13 – Toyota Qualis The Toyota Qualis – Toyota Qualis India, Qualis vs Innova, Qualis discontinued – was Toyota’s first shot at the Indian passenger car market and an instant success when it launched in January 2000. More refined, more comfortable, and better built than the Tata Sumo and Mahindra Armada it competed against, the Qualis established Toyota’s reputation for quality and reliability in India. A reputation the brand still trades on today. In this episode of Gone But Not Forgotten, editor Sirish Chandran drives the last Toyota Qualis to be delivered in Pune – the 2003 facelift that continued until 2005 when the Innova replaced it. Nearly two decades after it ceased production, the Qualis is still a familiar sight on Indian roads. Nothing wears out a Toyota. The Innova got the glory. The Qualis built the foundation. Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:18 Innova reputation v origin of the Qualis 0:40 Toyota Qualis (2000) 1:00 Boxy design, dated styling and pure function 1:50 Facelift (2002) 2:09 Subtle updates, GS variant and added features 2:51 Third row seating 3:01 Space, access and bouncy ride experience 4:04 Interior layout 4:25 Rear seat priority and front seat compromise 5:26 Real world usability 5:40 Long distance comfort and road trip practicality 6:28 Variants and special editions 6:50 Petrol variant and limited appeal 7:30 2.4-litre diesel engine 8:00 Proven lineage and extreme durability 9:18 Performance 9:30 Slow acceleration but effortless cruising 9:59 Ride and handling 10:12 Soft suspension, body roll and stability 11:00 Driving experience 11:23 Light steering and ease of driving 13:34 Ownership experience 13:50 Reliability, low maintenance and fleet popularity 14:56 Ergonomics and limitations 15:01 Driving position and comfort compromises 17:25 Transition to Innova (2005) 17:38 Shift from MUV to MPV and market repositioning 18:01 Qualis legacy 18:30 Foundation of Toyota’s reputation in India 19:00 Outro #GoneButNotForgotten #ToyotaQualis #evoIndia Want more #ThrillOfDriving videos? Subscribe to the evo India channel: https://bit.ly/2VfzioP Read our stories here: https://evoindia.com/ Buy #EvoIndiamagazine here: www.evoindia.com/magazine Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evoindia/ Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/evoindia/ Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/evoindia Official merchandise on 100kmph: http://www.100kmph.com/evoindia

Added 12 Jul 2026