It’s curious that Toyota Motor Philippines opted to standardize the hybrid powerplant in the crossover derivative of the Corolla (aka Corolla Cross), but not the OG Corolla (aka the Corolla Altis). Two years later, it looks like the carmaker is about to rectify that shortcoming by announcing more variants of the Corolla Altis HEV.
Currently, if you wanted a hybrid Corolla sedan, you had to fork out P 1,746,000 for the top-of-the-line Corolla Altis GR-S HEV. Though it comes with some nice bits like a recalibrated power steering system and shock absorbers, not everyone wants an overtly sporty compact sedan. Some people want something more basic and, yes, more affordable.
That’s where the Corolla Altis 1.8 E HEV and Corolla Altis 1.8 G HEV will join the Toyota Motor Philippines as per their certifications filed at the Department of Energy (DOE). This move will mean that the Corolla Altis will join the Corolla Cross in finally getting an electrified powertrain as standard. While the compact car segment isn’t that big anymore, this will no doubt put even more pressure on the likes of the Honda Civic which opted to play safe and just plop in the e:HEV powertrain on the expensive RS variant, and even the Hyundai Elantra and Mazda3.
Per its DOE certification, the new Corolla Altis variants will use the very same powerplant used by the Corolla Altis 1.8 GR-S HEV. This means the long-serving 1.8-liter 2ZR-FXE Atkinson cycle that makes 98 horsepower and 142 Nm and an electric motor that outputs 72 horsepower and 163 Nm. All in all, it’s enough for 122 horsepower. A 0.83-kWh Lithium-Ion battery has also been confirmed in its government filings.
Although Toyota Motor Philippines has yet to reveal the full specifications, expect the two new Corolla Altis HEV variants to mirror their non-electrified counterparts, perhaps save for the electronic parking brake with auto hold which will become standard.
This would mean that the Altis 1.8 E HEV will be pretty basic as they come with 16-inch alloys, halogen headlights, no front fog lamps, fabric seats with manual adjustment, and no ADAS. It will likely have things such as automatic climate control, LED headlights, a push-start system, reverse camera, and an 8-inch infotainment system. The Altis 1.8 G HEV, on the other hand, brings back the “bridge” model that slots between the E and GR-S grades. Expect a higher amount of trim such as 17-inch alloy wheels, leather seats with power adjustment for the driver, dual zone climate control, a 360-degree camera, and Toyota Safety Sense.
As for pricing, this is where things get a bit tricky. Currently, the Corolla Altis range starts at P 1,213,000 for the 1.8 E, goes up to P 1,333,000 for the non-hybrid GR-S, and tops out at P 1,746,000 for the GR-S HEV. The large price gap means Toyota could keep the pricing of the GR-S HEV variant intact, while bumping up the pricing of the Corolla Altis 1.8 E HEV and 1.8 G HEV upward.
It’s very likely that the Corolla Altis HEV will be priced to match the Elantra HEV which has a starting price of P 1,480,000 (GLS) and a ceiling of P 1,680,000 (Premium). If we’re guessing, the Corolla Altis 1.8 E HEV will be priced at around P 1.4-million, while the 1.8 G HEV will be at around P 1.6-million.
"sporty"
ReplyDelete"122bhp"
Pick one.
Atleast it won't eat the ativ hev. would love to see your insights between ativ totl hev and base corolla E hev sir uly. Just like what you did on G corolla cross and yaris cross totl.
ReplyDeleteIntended to give more breathing room for Ativ HEV? There's still people whose budgets and preferences lean towards the low P1 million and pure ICE segment. If Corolla E is leaving this space, then bring back the Vios 1.5 G, even if only the automatic.
ReplyDeleteJust get the GR Corolla
ReplyDeleteToyota Corolla the best selling vehicle of all time
ReplyDeleteBest selling doesnt mean best car.
DeleteMazda 3 is not best selling but its a lot best than the vanilla corolla.