An upgraded Jap

To meet the stiffer competition head-on and add more value to its offering, Toyota has attempted to rejuvenate its longest surviving car in India by refurbishing it inside out. This should help thwart the competition the car faces from both cars above and below it in the pecking order.

Highlights:

- The new Corolla Altis gets new headlamps, grille and tail lamps.

- Interiors of the top of the line Corolla Altis now get a touchscreen DVD system and wood finish inserts on the dash. The design and the various knobs and buttons remain unchanged though.

- New features on the Corolla Altis include keyless entry and cruise control and leather seats.

- Engine options for both petrol and diesel remain unchanged, but the 1.8-litre petrol engine now makes more power; 140bhp to be precise.

On the exterior, the changes are few but easily noticeable with the car getting new headlamps, grille and redesigned fog lamps while at the rear there are changes to the bumper as well as chrome garnish on the boot and LED effect tail lamps in an effort to keep the ageing car looking contemporary.

The interiors get an even bigger upgrade with a touchscreen DVD system adding class to in-car entertainment, wood finish on the central console as well as on the doors and the rear armrest. The instrument cluster is not 3D (Optitron - like on the Hondas) but with white illumination. Entry to the car is now keyless and there is cruise control as well. Leather seats complete the luxury package as the car now gets most features available on cars a segment above the Altis.

However the most important changes cannot even be seen. The engine gets upgraded with even the exhaust bank getting variable valve timing, making it a dual VVT-i engine. This has resulted in increased efficiency, which translates into more power as well as better mileage (fuel efficiency). Replacing the ancient four-speed automatic gearboxes earlier available on the Corolla is a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which can also be operated manually through the gearshift stick with seven selectable ratios. Although CVTs are now inherently very efficient with innumerable ratios available besides being super smooth without any perceptible gearshifts, the Indian experiences with CVTs have not been great with people typically complaining of poor fuel efficiency. This problem may not manifest itself on the Corolla because this is an even more advanced system with an Eco drive light on the instrument panel when the car is being driven the most efficiently. This means no sudden or large throttle inputs and a gentle and relaxed driving style.

Most of these changes are available on the top end variants of the cars with the 6-speed manual gearbox. In the diesel engined car however, despite the other upgrades, it does not get an automatic gearbox and also the front is more sober to distinguish it from the petrol engined car.

The Corolla retains its basic characteristics of being an extremely comfortable car with decent handling due to a finely tuned suspension and these upgrades should bring it back in the limelight. But with production across both Toyota plants down to 60-70 per cent because of the tragedy and ensuing crisis in Japan, it may not be easy to get your hands on the car.

In an effort to keep up with the times, Toyota has added value to the Corolla and given it features typically found in cars a segment above. Minor changes to the exterior make the car look contemporary while upgrades to the engine and a new gearbox make the car more efficient and also increase its appeal to those looking for an automatic, as this is a big step up from the previous auto gearbox available on the Corolla.