Toyota Corolla Altis First Drive - Back in the Ring!

The Indian consumer today is a world citizen and demands the very latest products. Little wonder then, that Honda's rather fresh looking Civic took the premium mid-size segment by storm with its radical styling which appealed to the younger audience over the rather sedate-looking last generation Corolla. It's a good thing then that the Altis is finally here! There are also probably a lot of you who have been putting off your purchase decision waiting for this important launch, so without any further ado, lets get to the long and short of it.

The Corolla has always been one of Toyota's bread-and-butter cars and has established itself worldwide as a reliable, utterly dependable workhorse with mass market appeal.

You'd be forgiven for mistaking the smaller Corolla for the bigger Camry at first glance if it's the first time you see the car on the road. If you look at the picture of the Camry and Altis side-by-side you immediately realize where the styling cues have been taken from. That said, the styling is very conservative and even unimaginative to quite an extent but is generally pleasing. It doesn't excite like the Civic which still looks strikingly different in a sea of automobiles, nor does it have the sheer road presence the Camry possesses.

The wide grille and stretched-out headlamps make the Altis appear a lot wider than it really is - which in this premium mid-size segment is a good thing! The rear of the car is fairly unexciting, with no styling touches to add a bit of pizzazz. However, the Chrome door handles, the rub-strip with the chrome insert, the seven-spoke 15" alloys do really add a bit of life to the otherwise bland sides.

The Interiors are typically Toyota, which means you find good quality materials and top-notch fit and finish. We were driving a top of the line VL (Automatic) which apart from coming with all the usual powered bells and whistles expected in a car of this class, has climate control, H.I.D. low-beams (the headlights also have an Auto mode), headlamp washers, cruise control, an intelligent dimming rearview mirror and a fairly capable 6-disc sound system that also features an auxiliary input.

The interior is cheerful and airy thanks to the beige that dominates the cabin. There are plenty of cubbyholes to stow phones, beverages and the odd knick-knack. The double glovebox is fairly capable of swallowing quite a bit too. Once in the driver's seat, it's quite easy to find the ideal driving position. The driver gets a powered seat with height, travel and backrest adjustments and to aid all this is a steering that can be adjusted for both reach and height. All the switches and buttons fall easily to hand and but the switchgear could do with a little more tactile feel. Turn the key and the dials jump to life in a beautiful combination of orange and white with blazing red needles - neither too soft nor too sharp on the eye. Once the 1.8 VVTi motor with a respectable 132bhp settles into idle, simply shift down through the gate into D and off you go!