The next-generation Toyota Corolla Altis is set to
be launched in Thailand in August this year, according to Headlightmag. The
local motoring site says that Thailand – a big market for the Corolla Altis– will get the same version of the Altis
as Taiwan.
The Taiwan market Corolla Altis has
the same look as the European Corolla Sedan, which was first seen in late 2018.
As has been the case for some time now, the US-market Corolla Sedan has
different styling plus a more aggressive fascia. The US face might be too much
for the rest of the world, which gets a more subdued version.
China also gets a more sporty version of the booted
car called the Levin, which wears the fascia of the five-door Corolla Hatchback
and wagon-bodied Corolla Touring Sports. Many names, different faces. This 12th-generation Corolla is
an all-new one with underpinned by the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA)
GA-C platform, as used for the Prius and C-HR. It measures in at 4,640 mm long,
1,780 mm wide and 1,435 mm tall, making it 10 mm longer, five mm wider and 45
mm lower than the outgoing sedan.
The height reduction is significant and should bless
the new Altis with a more dynamic appearance. Wheelbase remains at 2,700 mm and
the boot is capable of 470 litres. Compared to the Honda Civic, the new Altis
is 10 mm longer, one mm wider and 19 mm taller, with the same wheelbase length. The report speculates that the
Thai Altis might launch with two naturally aspirated petrol engine options –
1.6L and 1.8L – with a 1.8 litre hybrid variant to follow later.
If so, the base engine could be the 1ZR-FAE Dual
VVT-i unit with 132 hp and 159 Nm, which can be paired to a six-speed manual or
CVT. The 1.8L could well be the 2ZR-FE, with Dual VVT-i, 140 hp, 173 Nm and a
Super CVT-i automatic with seven virtual ratios. The 1.8L hybrid powertrain
combines a 2ZR-FXE Atkinson-cycle engine with 122 PS/142 Nm, with an electric
motor pushing out 72 PS/163 Nm. The hybrid’s transmission is of course a CVT.
The US market gets a 2.0 litre Dynamic Force engine
with 169 hp and 205 Nm. In the Japanese C-segment arena, only Honda has gone
the downsized turbo route with the Civic 1.5T. Toyota – and Mazda with its new
3 that will be launching here next month – are sticking to NA power.
