Old faithful: the evolution

The seating is extremely comfortable and spacious in the front. But in the Altis, the back seat is the place to be. With plenty of leg space and a floor that is virtually flat, the back seat passengers, even those tucked in the middle, will have less to complain about. They also have a three-point seat belt thrown in for extra safety.
The boot is spacious and thanks to the use of a Torsion Beam in the rear suspension, wheel arch intrusions into the boot are kept to a minimum.

The new version has an electric adjustable drivers seat, the controls of which are easy to figure out and swiftly get you into a comfortable driving position. But for those expecting something different in the interior, the 2008 Altis fails to deliver. Honda raised the bar for interior styling with the Civic, and instead of attempting to compete, Toyota has gone ultra conservative with the interior styling, going for the traditional and ubiquitous fake wood and fake chrome. The overall impression is one of economy than style.

The switches and controls are not at all extraordinary when you consider how strong the competition is. In terms of tactile quality, one would probably find the Honda Civic to be a more pleasurable deal. But for those of a practical frame of mind, the new Altis is relatively issue-free.

The controls are all well laid out, the audio equipment is easy to adapt to and operate; everything on the console is very neatly put together. The steering wheel is similar like many other features to that of the Camry, and the dials are clearly visible through them with large self-illuminating digits surrounding a conventional-sized radial speedometer and rev-counter.

However, Toyota has not delivered the new Dual VVT-i engines employed in the Japanese and American markets, and so the new Altis has an ageing engine line-up. The 1.6 litre 3ZZ-FE and the 1.8 litre 1ZZ-FE units have power output of 109 hp and 132 hp respectively, both achieving this peak at 6,000 RPM. At idle the engine is all but silent.

During the test drive the engine was found to be a bit sluggish. The pick-up, too, could have been better, but it still remains the solid and reliably powerful engine of the older Corollas. The Civic might have more power in its 140 hp 1.8 litre, but I think you would be hard pressed to notice that extra 8 hp, and given Toyota8217;s expertise in the area, the refinement in the Altis is impressive.

The car deals with bumps and potholes adequately, though it can be a bit uncomfortable for those riding in the back seats. Though you do feel them, minor bumps don8217;t really affect the riding pleasure and the car settles down quickly afterwards.

The car, with its fuel saving power steering, handles very well even in mildly inexperienced hands, accelerating, braking the brakes are new and taking corners very smoothly. The car comes with the latest generation ABS coupled with EBD electronic brake force distribution system while the GOA body structure is intelligently designed for best impact dissipation.

To help put things in perspective for those dithering between the sleek and powerful Honda Civic and meticulous Corolla Altis, it really comes down to the temperament of the buyer and driver. The Civic is built for those who love to drive and revel in the knowledge of having a powerful engine under the hood. The Corolla seems tailored to deliver the comforts that those who like to be driven expect with an eye towards making it family and children friendly.

The Corolla has never positioned itself as a car out to capture the imagination of the youth and is at the end of the day just an entry-level car in markets like the US. But despite the less exciting engine, the acceleration and performance will still be enough to make it an enjoyable car to drive.

There are many who may call the Altis boring, but there is great comfort in owning a car that always starts when the key is turned, has brakes that do as they are told and comes packed with features that ensure you return home safe.