Feedback

2020 Toyota Corolla Altis Hybrid Review: Hybrid Logic

Derryn Wong
28/01/2020

The first hybrid Toyota Corolla Altis isn’t just super frugal with fuel, it’s also the most affordable Japanese hybrid in Singapore now
SINGAPORE
The age of the electrified car is finally dawning, after years of false starts, and the Toyota Corolla Altis Hybrid might be the one that’ll do it for Japanese cars.
Why? Hybrids are proven technology these days, with even taxi and ride-sharing companies getting wise to their fuel-sipping nature.
Nonsense! you say. The Prius has been around for decades. Everywhere you go you see Toyota C-HR and Honda Vezel petrol-electrics.

It’s a little hard to believe, but the Corolla Hybrid is the most affordable and, emphasis here, officially-imported Japanese hybrid around.

The above-mentioned small hybrid SUVs are very popular, but only available as grey imports, while the official lineup’s Prius+ MPV is keenly priced at S$123,888 with COE, the Corolla Altis Hybrid is slightly cheaper at S$120,888 with COE, while the hybrid icon Prius is an eye-watering S$155,888 with COE due to its C2 Vehicular Emissions Scheme (VES) penalty.

The Corolla Altis Hybrid, at S$120,888 with COE, is the range-topping Corolla – the 1.6 Elegance (above, in white) retails for S$102,888 with COE, and the Standard model, S$94,888 with COE.


You’ll definitely want to read our review of the 1.6-litre Elegance model first to get a low down on all the evolution the new Corolla does. Notably, the 12-th gen Corolla uses the new TNGA platform first seen on the Prius, and the hybrid nicks all of its internals from the Prius too.


WATCH MORE:  Our video review of the Toyota Corolla Altis 1.6 and 1.8 Hybrid


Externally, the special blue-grey paint, blue Toyota badges, blue headlight accents, and hybrid stickers will clue you in to the Hybrid’s nature.


The new Corolla is tremendously smooth, and the hybrid system emphasises that fact further. Creeping around town in near silence it’s almost akin to driving a battery-electric vehicle (BEV).

As typical of a Toyota hybrid, any juggling between petrol and electric power, or combining both, is utterly seamless and pleasing to the driver – hit the gas, get acceleration, no stuttering, jerking, or any such nonsense.

The added weight of the battery pack under the rear seat, and the electrics (the hybrid is 95kg heavier than the sedan, at 1,410kg) seems to calm down the Corolla’s ride even further, and add more stability in corners. The boot space looks to be identical to that of the regular sedan’s (475-litres), but we’re awaiting confirmation on the official figures.

Besides the hybrid system, the range-topping Corolla has an electrically-adjustable passenger seat, a heads-up display (HUD), an electric/auto handbrake, and drive modes (PWR/ECO).

 
It otherwise has the same interior features as the standard car, including the new 6.4-inch instrument display, and a new 7.0-inch infotainment system with screen mirroring – read our review of the Elegance model to find out more.

But where your money really goes is into the hybrid system, and it works the usual Toyota hybrid magic. The claimed efficiency is 4.4L/100km, but we obtained 4.1L/100km in mixed town/highway driving, even with photoshoots thrown in – that spells for 1,097km on a single tank – and we’re confident normal people can achieve similar.

With that, the Altis makes the Prius pretty much obsolete here, it’s not only more refined, but is nicer to drive daily. The Prius is probably still more efficient – you can get sub-3.0L/100km if you drive judiciously – but it has a far higher price, as stated.

If you’re contemplating the stretch from the normal 1.6 Elegance model of Corolla, the S$18k difference certainly isn’t small, but it is worth it if you do enjoy that warm, green feeling hybrids deliver – or simply looking at a smaller petrol bill. We think it’s convincing enough, through a combination of better refinement, an even smoother drive, and amazing fuel efficiency, that if you do go hybrid, you’ll probably never want to go back to ‘wasteful’ regular cars.

The Big But here though, is that the Corolla Hybrid’s real competition is from Korean hybrids: Kia’s Niro hybrid SUV goes for S$117,999 with COE (for the up-spec SX model) and Hyundai’s Ioniq hybrid hatch has an identical price for its more-stuff-included Ioniq Sunroof model. 

Both of those cars can deliver similar fuel efficiency, and they also have the Altis beat in terms of interior features, with clearer touchscreen infotainment systems that boast Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as sunroofs and air-con front seats.


READ MORE: Annyeongha-minute, this Korean hybrid gives the Corolla Hybrid a hard time – and it’s an SUV. 


If it comes down to pure what you get for your money, on paper the Koreans have the edge. But if you’re the kind of buyer that simply can’t bring themselves to buy Korean just yet – and we suspect many of you are – then the sub-$5k price gulf to the Corolla Altis Hybrid won’t be much of a barrier.

Toyota Corolla Altis Hybrid

Engine 1,798cc, inline 4
Power 97hp at 5200rpm
Torque 142Nm at 3600rpm
Gearbox CVT
Electric Motor 70hp (estimate)
Battery Nickel metal hydride, ?? kWh
System Power 120hp (estimate)
System Torque Not revealed
0-100km/h 8.9 seconds
Top Speed 190km/h
Fuel Efficiency 4.4 L/100km
VES Band / CO2 A2 / 98g/km
Agent Borneo Motors
Price S$120,888 with COE
Availability Now

 

Tags:

4-door 5 seat Corolla Altis Hybrid sedan Toyota

About the Author

Derryn Wong

CarBuyer's former chief editor was previously the editor for Top Gear Singapore and a presenter for CNA's Cruise Control motoring segment.

Related Models

Loading...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

CarBuyer – Revolutionizing The Online Car Marketplace In Singapore

Buy Used And New Cars Online
Start your car buying journey with CarBuyer as we connect you seamlessly to the industry’s best CaseTrust-SVTA accredited car dealerships. As a one stop car online portal you can now buy your new ride, be it a pre-owned car or a brand new car from trusted dealers all over Singapore, all in one place. Our ever expanding listing of quality and covet-worthy cars, new and second hand, from both owners and trusted car dealers, will leave you spoilt for choice. Refine your search by vehicle type, registration year, price, mileage, engine type, transmission, annual depreciation value and more to find the car that best suits your needs, taste and lifestyle. You can even search for your car by dealer or directly by owner.

Sell Your Car In An Instant With Confidence
We all know how selling a car in Singapore can be a daunting task especially for a first time car seller; from trying to get a valuation for your car, finding a trusted dealer, to getting the best quote on your vehicle. CarBuyer understands the hassle and even the costs involved and have as such partnered with Huawei to develop a FIRST in Southeast Asia AI car valuation tool that is able to provide a car’s resale value at the snap of a finger. Backed with a consortium of trusted CaseTrust-SVTA accredited car dealers you can be assured that you are getting the best price for your vehicle and do not have to worry about any hidden costs.

The Ultimate Car Shopping Experience Online
CarBuyer platform is the first of its kind to be backed by Huawei’s Artificial Intelligence and cloud computing, enabling it to be able to offer users transparency and enhanced security, all with the one aim of enhancing customer experience. So come on over to buy and sell used cars online at the best prices at CarBuyer Singapore. Connect easily with dealers in real-time via our online video call feature, or schedule a test drive when you’re ready. Have some questions? Get them answered instantly with our chatbot moderated by our responsive team. Stay in the loop with our car-related tips, reviews and news. Learn the ins-and-outs of your car, as well as global and Singapore’s car updates at your own pace.