• 1.8-litre naturally aspirated 4-cylinder with CVT
• Are you ready to pay more for Toyota Safety Sense?
• GR Sport for the young & young at heart

The all-new 12^th-generation Toyota Corolla Altis recently made its debut in Thailand, the first country in the ASEAN region to receive the new sporty sedan.

In the Land of Smiles, the Corolla Altis is available in six variants including a kitted-up GR Sport (just the kit, no mechanical enhancements) and hybrid powertrain for the first time in the model history.

Prices for the Corolla Altis range between THB 829,000 (RM 114k) to THB 1,099,000 (RM 151k) in Thailand. There are three engine options available for the market – 1.6L (125 PS/156 Nm), 1.8L (140 PS/177 Nm) and 1.8L Hybrid (122 PS). All engine options are paired to a CVT automatic.

Besides riding on the stellar TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform, the Thai-market Corolla Altis is available with Toyota’s version of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.

On higher-end models with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 equipped, it comes with Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Pre-Collision System, Lane Departure Alert and Lane Tracing Assist.

In Malaysia, the outgoing Corolla Altis is fully imported from Thailand. Considering the shrinking demand for C-Segment sedans in the country, it is almost certain that UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) will continue to sell the new-generation sedan as a CBU.

We are expecting to receive the 1.8-litre engine option. Don’t count on the Hybrid model to be sold here because UMWT no longer has any hybrid models in its current line up of cars. Delays and uncertainties surrounding the new National Automotive Policy is also putting a big question mark on the continuation of tax incentives for locally-assembled hybrid vehicles.  

Specification wise, the Corolla Altis should mirror that of the C-HR with 7 airbags, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, touchscreen infotainment, which is par for the course. Of course, we are not ruling out that UMWT may go down the Mazda route and stuff all the available tech into the range-topping variant which customers will have to fork out a premium for.

The Corolla Altis GR Sport is also an interesting variant that many Malaysians would be keen on. No performance enhancements, only a sportier fascia with a body kit and sharper wheels.

So how does a Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8L with all the standard (basic) amenities priced under RM 140k sounds to you? Or would you rather have a fully loaded, decked out Corolla Altis but priced upwards of RM 150k?