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The gauges are, like the seats, good or bad depending on the trim level. The ‘G’ line-up uses Optitron display, similar to the high-tech Mercedes-Benz S-class. It makes the gauges easy to read because of electro-luminescence technology that gives it a somewhat 3D look. Although we did the test drive under direct sunlight, there was no problem of the gauges getting washed out, unlike previous attempts by Toyota in some of their Lexus lines. On the other hand, the lower end E and J utilize the traditional display methods. Since the instrumentation cluster is designed with Optitron in mind, the gauges here look very flat. Although still easy to read—it’s not good to look at. The driving position is snug and excellent. The steering wheel falls into the right place and the shifter is easy to reach. The standard leather wheel on the 1.6G is the same effective Corolla wheel of two generations ago, while the 1.8G inherits the same except it has additional bragging rights: a chrome Toyota badge in a leather / wood combination. Surprisingly, the hand brake is easier to use on this car than the so-called ‘driver’s car’, the Honda Civic, as it’s closer in proximity to the driver. The controls are easily readable and in the already familiar Toyota layout. The exception to the ergonomic rule has to be the climate control system. The 1.6G and 1.8E for instance, herald back to the circa 80s design with the slide-type switches. The 1.8G is a bit better because of its ultra-smart climate control system; however, with its plethora of switches, it is hard to determine the on / off button, which has actually been relegated near the right side of the A/C system. We took three variants of the Corolla Altis around for a spin: the 1.8G, 1.6G and 1.6E. Surprisingly, although they share the same basic suspension geometry (McPherson Struts at front and Torsion Beam Axle at back), these cars behave, oddly enough, quite a bit differently from one another. 1.6G The 1.6G is the first car we took for a run around the course, for a simple reason: with its PHP 832,000 price tag, it’s closely in the running against the Honda Civic VTi-S and the Nissan Exalta 1.6GS. Only available with a 4-speed automatic, this is clearly a level playing field with the rest of the Toyota’s rivals since all other companies have automatic-only as their top variant’s transmission. In terms of spec-sheet power, the Corolla’s 1.6-liter DOHC VVTi 16-valve inline-4 unit produces 160 Nm of torque at 4400 rpm. In truth however, it feels much better than that. Thanks to the wonderfully smart Toyota automatic, the combination of the VVTi’s extra grunt and flatter torque curve makes this car a winner in terms of stoplight duels, probably even trouncing the peaky VTEC-3 unit in the Honda Civic. The smoothness of this car’s automatic matches the level of performance and acceleration as the Nissan Exalta. During mid-revs, the Toyota engine exhibits more excess power to give up, especially when accelerating out of twisty urban roads or even long, wide curves. Handling is pointy and somewhat precise. However, there is still a lack of steering feedback from this car to the point that it fails to communicate the driving limits of this car. Nonetheless, the Corolla Altis shows neutral amounts of understeer and oversteer up to a certain degree. When pushed to the limit, the car will exhibit huge amounts of understeer especially turning hard at over 40-50 km/h. During these emergency situations, the car suddenly loses its composure and feels rugged and scary. Add to that the fact that the softly damped springs make the car roll heavily during tight maneuvers such as slaloms. |
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