New 2014 Toyota Corolla Altis – Impressive
The 11th generation Corolla Altis is here, and there are reports on it elsewhere on this site. I took one for a more comprehensive drive last week, courtesy of UMW Toyota motor Sdn Bhd, and I come away with renewed respect for the 2.0V top of the range model. I will not go into too many details on the features that come with the car, but rather, talk more about the drive impressions.
First off, the new Altis is the probably the largest the Corolla has ever been, the result of Toyota aiming to give more with each model introduction. Those who are old enough to recall the very first KE10 Corolla back in the mid sixties will know what I mean. The Corolla has come a long way, and this is the best Corolla yet.
In terms of engine power, the 2.0 litre engine with its 145 PS and 187 Nm of torque delivers ample power to drive the 1.3 tonne Altis body without any fuss. Acceleration is not breath-taking, but the car is fast enough to satisfy most of the people who are likely to buy this car. When Toyota designed the Altis, it was with a view of providing a good balance between outright power and fuel economy, and with the current issues of ever-increasing fuel prices, this time the design team appear to have put fuel consumption high up on the list of priorities; the Altis is surprisingly very frugal on fuel.
In city type driving, which included some bumper to bumper traffic and long waits at traffic lights, I got quite a decent figure of 10.8 kilometres per litre (9.2 litres per 100 km). On the highway, driving at speeds between 90 kph and 120 kph, I was pleasantly surprised to see the kilometres per litre figure on the on-board data readout climbing up, to as high as 16.3 kilometres per litre (6.13 litres per 100 km). This makes the Altis the most economical 2.0 litre cars I have ever tested. To put things into proper perspective, I used gentle, but not ‘pussy-footing’ acceleration, and maintained a steady speed, with the air-conditioner on, doing nothing out of the ordinary.
The excellent fuel consumption figures are contributed to by judicious tuning of the engine control unit (ECU), transmission control unit (TCU), putting in an electric power steering (EPS), and keeping weight down to a minimum without sacrificing on structural integrity (which affects safety, durability of the body and road handling). Everything is a fine balance, and it appears to me that Toyota have struck the perfect balance with the Altis.
Power delivery through the electronically controlled CVT (Constantly Variable Transmission) is smooth; I have not been a CVT fan, and never liked the ‘rubber band’ effect of the engine revving up on acceleration, and waiting for the road speed to catch up. Well, it has been a good umpteen years since the CVT first appeared, and having evolved in leaps and bounds, the new CVT boxes are much improved. The driving feel is so much better, and in the Altis, if you didn’t know that it has a CVT, you would probably not even notice the difference between it and a normal slush box. A set of paddle-shifters is there behind the steering wheel for you to have fun.
Interior space is good, with plenty of room for everybody, thanks to a long wheelbase, and a wide track. Ride comfort is excellent, with the suspension tuned to the firm side of comfortable. For the 2.0V, the 17-inch wheels do contribute to excellent road manners during cornering.
I particularly like the keyless entry and keyless start, the reverse camera, easy to use navigation system, and the new dashboard design that has more flat surfaces rather than those cars that come with curved surfaces. The LED headlamps, available only with the 2.0V, are appreciated for night usage, and the 2.0V only black leather seats are nice. Similarly, it is only the 2.0V that comes with VSC (Vehicle Stability Control).
My overall verdict: the Corolla Altis is so good that even I would consider it as a family car – good size, good handling, comfortable, a powerful enough engine and a drive train that makes it extremely fuel efficient.
