The current version of the Corolla - launched in India in 2014 - added a lot of flair to one of the most popular sedan lineups in the world including India. Though the D-segment sedan category is not very popular in the country as of now, the Corolla leads it in terms of sales. Its popularity has apparently prompted the company to consider launching the facelift version of the car in the country in 2017.
The Corolla Altis' popularity can be attributed to many factors - the sedan looks much better now and is a welcome change from the previous-gen model which seemed like a facelift of the model launched way back in 2003, the model's legacy for being easy to maintain, and also for being feature-laden. This has helped the Toyota maintain a lead even though there are newer cars in the segment like the Skoda Octavia. The segment is going to see more competition in the near future with the likes of the new Volkswagen Jetta and the new Hyundai Elantra.
Showcased earlier in 2016 through photos, the Corolla Altis facelift becomes even more stylish. At the front, the changes include a slimmer grille, wider headlamp clusters and a more aggressive bumper. The all-LED headlamps shown in the picture may or may not make it to the car offered in India, with Toyota Bharat deciding to rather use the projector-reflector with LED DRLs combination as seen on the current model. The bumper features a larger central air dam and new fog lamp inserts.
The side profile is similar as the Corolla Altis looks proportional and did not really require any addition/subtractions here; however, new alloy wheel designs will be offered . At the rear too, designers have not messed with the design; it remains sedated as compared to the front. Changes here are limited to a slimmer chrome strip above the number plate holder and slightly redesigned tail lamp cluster with a smoked-out effect added in.
Inside, the changes are more noticeable; the all-black theme seen on the facelift may not be offered in India, but the rest of the changes will be available. The basic changes include the addition of a larger 7-inch touchscreen-based infotainment system with a better interface, a revised multi-information display in the instrument cluster, slightly redesigned climate control interface, circular outer vents on the dashboard and new materials to improve the feel inside.
Mechanically, the Corolla Altis facelift is not expected to get any updates as compared to the current model. The petrol variants are expected to be powered by the same 1.8-litre, 4-cylinder motor developing 140PS/173Nm paired to either a 6-speed manual transmission or a CVT. The diesel variants will be powered by the 1.4-litre, turbocharged and inter-cooled 4-cylinder motor developing 88PS/205Nm paired to a 6-speed manual transmission.
More details on the new Corolla Altis are awaited, the thing is that Toyota had announced a couple of months ago that it was not very happy with the flip-flop in government policies and threatened to slow down model launches/updates till there was more stability.
Info courtesy Autocar India