Fast Facts

Verdict:
A package that is well thought out and answers most driver’s needs. Its reputation as a best seller is well-earned

An all round improvement over the old model with sophisticated looks and good level of standard equipment. It rides well over a large variety of road surfaces

The engine feels a little sluggish when dealing with the car’s extra weight

Is Toyota’s newest Corolla Altis all set to repeat its predecessor’s success?

By Lionel Kong and Justin Lee

SO YOU’RE LOOKING for a car. You’re really not into go fast bits, bulging wheel arch extensions, performance engines and all that macho boy-racer posturing. You just want a nice, clean, simple uncomplicated set of wheels that will get you to your destination with minimal fuss, take your family around in comfort on weekends and drive reliably everytime you start it up.

The Toyota Corolla Altis is your kind of car.

The original Toyota Corolla was introduced to the world way back in 1966, and was powered by a 1.1-litre engine that produced just 60bhp. Through the years, it went on to become one of the best selling cars in the world, combining reliability, safety and user-friendliness in an affordable package.

Now officially into its tenth generation, the new Corolla Altis is very likely to hang around at the top of the sales charts once again, considering the substantial improvements made to the car.

This is only the second generation model Corolla to carry the Altis name, which differentiates it from the current Japanese Domestic Model Toyota Corolla Axio sedan. Toyota tells us that both the Altis and Axio were developed side by side, with the Altis designed specially to meet the needs of drivers in Southeast Asia.

Crucially, the new Corolla Altis is actually slightly wider, and consequently has a larger cabin than the Corolla Axio.

The new Thai-built Altis does have much more street presence than its slightly staid looking predecessor. It gains a sharply designed body with clean, taut character lines running the length of the car that is slightly reminiscent of its big brother, the Camry.

Build quality over the old model has been improved noticeably. Shutlines are nice and tight, and the doors close with a satisfying thunk.