2016 Toyota Corolla Altis (Thailand)
Thailand's most popular C-segment saloon, Toyota Corolla Altis gets some
cosmetic tweaks, more features and higher prices.
The Corolla gets a sleeker-looking face with
redesigned LED lights, fog lamps, grille and bumper. The rear end also sees new
lights, but the changes are milder; the same goes for the restyled 16-inch
wheels. The racy ESport trim has also been upgraded with similar cosmetic
tweaks here and there. The interior dashboard, meanwhile, has been slightly
massaged with more soft-touch materials and white tread seams.
The engine lineup remains the same: 141 hp 1.8-litre
and 125 hp 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engines with the latter getting the
usual option of being able to run on CNG (compressed natural gas). All can take
E85 gasohol.
Toyota says there’s a new Sport mode for
the CVT automatic transmission to enhance responsiveness. As ever, the driver
can also go through the gears manually in seven steps via the gear lever or
paddle-shifters mounted on the steering wheel. The suspension has also been
slightly modified which, according to Toyota, helps for a smoother ride.
The number of airbags now come to seven made
standard across the range: two front, side and curtain airbags, as well as a
knee one for the driver. Moreover, there are more convenience features like
three USB ports and 7-inch touchscreen accommodating DVD player and Toyota’s
T-Connect navigation and infotainment systems. There’s also a rear-view camera
to aid the driver during parking and an array of other creature comfort
features.
The 1.8-litre range-topper costs 1.079 million baht,
some 10k more. The ESport now has two trims to choose from costing 939,000 baht
and 979,000 baht for the Option version. Previously, it cost 899,000 baht. The
1.6-litre model is priced at 869,000, while the CNG version now has a price
nearing the one million baht level at 969,000 baht. The manual version goes for 799,000 baht.
