New Corolla Malaysian Debut In September 2010
Sepang, 1 September 2010 – There has been much talk about the new Corolla Altis, from as far back as the middle of last year – my information was that it would be launched in the third quarter of 2009, so I kept a look out for it in Japan, and also at the Tokyo Motor Show when I visited the Makuhari Exhibition site last autumn, and I did not see it – on subsequent trips to Japan, I still kept a look out for it, but no, I was not toe be rewarded for my vigilance – only now do I realize how I could have missed it – it looks exactly the same, except for some slight differences in body trim.
Yes, my dear friends, the new Corolla Altis is a face-lift, which is a little bit of a disappointment, although I must admit that there are some very interesting changes to the features, all of which make the Toyota Corolla Altis an even better car. The launch date will be sometime this month, but the sales outlets already have an estimated price for those who wish to book these new cars. I understand that there are product brochures and specification sheets already available.
There will be three engine variants to choose from – 1.6 litre, 1.8 litre, and 2.0 litre. For the 1.8 litre version, there are two grades, the E grade and the G grade, whilst the 1.6 and the 2.0 are available in one grade only. All three engines in the variants come with Dual-VVTi as standard. Dual VVTi is Toyota’s version of variable valve timing, available on both the inlet and exhaust camshafts.
For the first time we see an engine and transmission change midway through a Toyota model life cycle – it used to be that engine and transmission changes are only done for a full model change. Perhaps the strong pressure of the competition coming out with new and exciting models had something to do with this, or perhaps this is a sign of Toyota listening to their customers, but the new Corolla Altis comes in three variants, the top of the line, and most impressive being the Altis 2.0V, that, as the model suffix suggests, comes with a 2.0 litre engine.
Personally, from as far back as the 1980’s, I have always advocated that the Corolla should have a 2.0 litre version, just as BMW had the 3 Series with engines ranging from 1.6 litre through 2.0 litre, and even a 2.7 litre model back then. With different engine options, one can choose a car according to one’s own preferences, but back then, the corolla was available only with two engines, the little 1.3, and the 1.6 litre. The Corolla has always been a great car, but I have always felt that it lacked that kick-in-the-pants feeling. Of course I never suggested that they should do away with the 1.6 litre model of that time – I merely wished that there was an additional variant available.
During the time that I was active in motor sports, my most successful seasons were in the years between 1983 to 1987 – 1983 was when I won the Rally of Malaysia outright, and between 1984 and 1987, I was Malaysian National Champion three times. For these years, my rally car was a Toyota Corolla. Not that I had it easy – my rally car was a Toyota Corolla 1.6 litre, and I had to compete against fierce competition who came in 4WD turbo charged cars, many of which were of larger engine capacity, and I also face tough challenges from 240 horsepower Group B supercars with my Malaysian-built 147 horsepower engine. Insofar as my motor sports career was concerned, the Toyota Corolla has been instrumental in helping me get my laurels, and the model has always been close to my heart – but just imagine how much easier my task would have been if only there had been a 2.0 litre Corolla.
Now, twenty years after I have retired from the sport, it seems my wish has been granted. By a strange coincidence, the new Corolla Altis 2.0 litre engine comes with 147 PS @ 6,200 rpm, not ground-breaking in today’s terms, but it certainly will give the new Altis a new character, and write a new chapter in driving enjoyment. Torque is 187Nm at 3,600 rpm.
For the 2.0 litre and 1.8 litre versions, the currently standard 4-speed automatic transmission has been discarded, and in its place is a 7-speed CVT, which Toyota proudly proclaims as a ‘Super CVT-i, the ‘i’ standing for intelligence. The 2.0 litre model comes with a set of paddle shifters mounted behind the steering wheel. The 1.6 version retains the 4-speed automatic transmission.
The 2.0 litre version and one of the higher spec 1.8 versions are equipped with VSC (Vehicle Stability Control) and TRC (Traction Control). All models are fitted with ABS, BA and EBD, plus dual airbags.
All the variants now come with rear disc brakes, yet another sign that Toyota does listen to its customers. I have just been told by another car manufacturer last week that for cars this size, a set of drums at the rear would be just as effective, and that rear discs are just a marketing gimmick – this may be true, but I for one would pick a car with rear discs over one with rear drums any day. Wheel sizes are 15-inch for the 1.6 variant, and 16-inch for the 1.8 and 2.0 litre variants.
We had a short stint of testing at the Sepang Circuit today – The drive was not long enough to fully evaluate the car, but it was enough to give a quick first impression – we should be getting the cars for a longer test drive later on, after the launch. Here are my general impressions, based on driving the 1.8 litre and 2.0 litre versions. There were no 1.6 litre versions available for testing.
There has obviously been some work done to the suspension, at least in terms of ride and handling tuning – the new Corolla is surprisingly very ‘planted’ around the corners of the North track at the Sepang International Circuit. We did not ‘race’ around the circuit, but were guided along in convoy style, with strict instructions not to overtake – so we each did our own ‘holding back’ to build up a small gap and do our own driving tests, in addition to the slalom course the Toyota people set up along the track – my overall thumbs up goes to the Corolla in terms of road behaviour.
Driven alongside the current model, the new Altis seems a little more refined in behaviour – you do not feel a great difference between the old and the new in terms of handling – the new one is just a wee bit better – the old one is still very excellent as it is.
With the CVT, the acceleration sensation is a little more subdued – mainly as a result of the seamless gear changes compared to a regular automatic transmission – it is not slower. With the 2.0 litre, you can play with the paddle shifters if you want, although I suspect that it would be faster if you just allow the ‘auto’ mode to do the work. The CVT appears to have some ‘steps’ built into the virtual ratios, and it can be fun if you know what you are doing. For the standard 1.8 litre version (E Grade), there is no paddle shifter, but I think that it is available as an option in the G grade version.
In my opinion, the Toyota design engineers have done a great job to ‘integrate’ the engine, drive train and suspension well – the result is a well balanced car that will blend well into our Malaysian driving fraternity. The Corolla, as it has always been, and is likely to be for a long time to come, is a car for everybody – well balanced. Look out for the launch – in the meantime, booking prices are RM105,990 for 1.6 Auto, RM112,990 for 1.8 E grade, RM122, 990 for 1.8 G grade, and RM131,990 for 2.0V, (Price on-the-road with insurance)
For the Malaysian motoring fan, the new Corolla Altis, especially the 2.0 litre model, spells higher driving excitement – hopefully, the average age of Corolla owners will come down a little. I wonder if it would be too much to hope for a manual version – there is a six speed manual gearbox available, I understand.
