Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8 Review: Safe bet
Toyota is making a bold stab at the marketplace normally occupied by the Europeans. Could the bigger engined Altis pull it off?
The 1.8’s on road dynamics are pretty much similar to the 1.6’s - it handles reasonably well with reasonable body control, despite having a suspension set-up that’s focused more on ride comfort. The steering is open for criticism though – it not only lacks feel, but the weighting also feels highly artificial.
The Altis’ ride is really comfortable and pliant, the suspension soaking bumps and pot holes admirably - this is one car that you can go on long trips with, without getting your passengers to suffer. Furthermore, the cabin stays rather quiet at cruising speed thanks to good noise insulation from both wind noise and tyre roar.
For that money, you don’t only get a bigger and more powerful engine, but additional standard equipment like rain sensing wipers, electric adjustments for the driver’s chair, HID headlamps and the sequential gearshift facility - which is already quite a lot of kit.
Performance wise, the 1.8 doesn’t offer exactly a lot more. Well, if you are still deliberating between the 1.6 and the 1.8, then we’d suggest you choose the cheaper model and save the money for a holiday or something else. Don’t get us wrong though - there’s little negativity about the 1.8. It’s just that the 1.6 is already such a convincing package on its own.
Credits: Story by Raymond Lai, pictures by Azfar Hashim
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