We’re still waiting for the new Toyota Corolla Altis to be launched next year, while the Americans have just received theirs at the 2007 SEMA Auto Show a few weeks ago. The 2009 Toyota Corolla is set to come in 5 trim levels – Standard, LE, XLE, S and XRS,
The first three trim levels is to be equipped with the new Dual VVT-i 1.8 litre engine putting out 132 horsepower and 174Nm of torque, while the S and the XRS receives a larger 2.4 litre VVT-i engine, putting out a rather uninspiring 158 horsepower despite a much larger displacement. In comparison, the US market Accord Sedan and Accord Coupe’s 2.4 litre engine puts out a nice 190 horsepower.
Have a look at photos of the new USDM Corolla after the jump. It’s not much different from the Corolla launched elsewhere, except the US market Corollas seems to be equipped with a very basic meter panel design that threatens to bore you to sleep while you are driving. Available elsewhere in the world is a very nice self-illuminating meter panel in a golden hue, similiar to the one in the Auris.
On to more photos after the jump.
US spec Corolla meter panel
European Corolla meter panel
After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.
Paul, when will this Altis model be launch in Malaysia??
hmm y toyota new cars in front all looks like yaris 1.. new Vios also use yaris’s head…
Nice car, when will it launch in Malaysia. What is the engine cc available for our market?
Any indicative price, will it be lower due to abolishment/reduction of NAP tax?
This car is not as stylist as current Civic, but the look still attractive, I rate it as “conservative” exterior – not too boring but not stylist as well.
Personally I like this car, if there is 1.6L available with pricing RM 90K
++ then it is a good buy!
With the body kit, it really looks cool on the go as opposed to the earlier pictures that were circulated….. i hope this ones makes it our shores… but i still can’t agree to the rear lamp clusters… they just morphed the current model’s rear lapms before the facelifts….
looks great! but it does have a similiarity with the vios doesnt it?
BW said,
November 12, 2007 @ 11:02 am
hmm y toyota new cars in front all looks like yaris 1.. new Vios also use yaris’s head…
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Yaris and Vios are siblings and that’s why they look the same. Toyota Belta/Vios is the sedan version of Yaris.
I am beginning to be a Toyota sucker now
They are very progressive in coming out with new look
Where else Honda,errrr, stilll stick to Uncle look
Capt Shopalot,
I beg to differ. I think its Toyota that is sticking to Uncle look. Comparatively, try look at current Altis vc current Civic. As for the new corolla it’s so Yaris, which is so… yuckky!
I dont know why i feel boring…persona feel more interesting…& i know it is not in the same segment
em..front of this car have similarities with yaris/new vios..anyway this still a good design.but more uncle look..civic is more younger look.especially type R..
front stil look like a pig nose la….the doors are so flat . no curves and shoulder lines at all….i agree,persona have more personality
Front end was uglier than new Lancer…. while new Lancer front end is ugly, at least new Lancer had a proper lining compare to this new Corolla
Toyota design carries NO SOUL. The looks is so boring; selling point is only quality and durability.
I like the 5-spokes with the body-kit. The whole car looks better than the new Vios here in Malaysia.
there was a small advert the other day on a potential new car launching soon, could it be the new Altis?
the design is still very conservative…the rear end is like the old altis slightly improved….not imaginative at all…..performance wise, the 1.8 dual vvtis are not meant to please hardcore drivers….
Toyota built most car are based on PROFIT, not just based on Styling or Trendy. I think EVERYBODY Knew it!
Believed it or not, MOST ppl Like to buy DURABLE, Good Quality and LOW Maintanence Car rather than JUST having GOOD LOOKING sporty car.
That’s WHY TOYOTA make MOST PROFIT compare to other OEM now.
Civic/Lancer looks a million times more attractive…toyota should consider hiring a more adventurous designer like walter de silva or chris bangle perhaps….
this car gave me the impression that toyota “tried” to make the car look attractive, and then got bored halfway, thus leaving the side profile or doors of the car boring and kinda discontinued… the only thing good is that the back reminds me of the old corolla, and i like cars that have an evolutionary look. but, the back is too ugly for my liking.
To be honest, I think the current version looks better! But surely, design is always subjective…
Of the overall, I only like the European meter panel.
Vios is Yaris Sedan, that’s they both looked the same.
OMG, the instrument panel.. sooo plain and boring.
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auctioncenter2u said,
November 12, 2007 @ 4:54 pm
Toyota built most car are based on PROFIT, not just based on Styling or Trendy. I think EVERYBODY Knew it!
Believed it or not, MOST ppl Like to buy DURABLE, Good Quality and LOW Maintanence Car rather than JUST having GOOD LOOKING sporty car.
That’s WHY TOYOTA make MOST PROFIT compare to other OEM now.
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Well, Toyota is making very very much profit and it is the truth. But one thing for sure, they know what MOST DRIVERS WANT (durable, high reliability, safety). Those drivers are not too concern about styling, curvy designs, unusual looking headlamps and bumpers, etc. What they want is something tthat is worth buying and can be driven everywhere and anywhere. No point buying a good looking sporty car but once you drive it to a rural area away from KL and suffers mechanical breakdown without warning, you can do nothing except waiting for a miracle to happen on the car.
It’s relative, BUT one thing clearly objective: Toyota Corolla is UNCLE-ish design BUT easy to sell.
I really want to migrate to States due to better and competitive offer by car manufacturers. Only Free Market will satisfy my desire to get the best out of the best. Hehe…Will work hard then….:-)
This one is nice. and beautifull.. but not that dugong one!..
Not overdone, average look. Just fine for me..
only that little bit ugly fat rear bumper..
ah!!.. there’s BRA TYPE SPEEDOMETER cap as gen 2!!!
Price? i think.. bloodsuxer as well..
Personally I feel this is a very nice car. Riding in Toyota car really interesting especially during taking cornering at high speed. Very stable. Can’t wait to test drive this one.
anyone noticed the USDM and European panel has different RPM limits? It appears the european panel is for diesels?
UGLY…. UGLY….. UGLY……
I think that is all i’ve got to say… come on toyota… YARIS s*cks so don’t replicate it and make it bigger… even the new VIOS is UBER UGLY…
It’s amazing how the Toyota engineers came out with this after seven long years since Altis. Looks like they had been sleeping for 5 years, woke up when Honda Civic sounded the alarm clock, then came out from the design room with a rush job. It looks dated with that dispropotionate body, boring interior, and the worse is the over-the-top body kit, which reminds me of an old man trying to do a hip hop! What the….I’m speechless.
Put camry, altis, and vios in one room and do a check-up; you will definitely find common parts being used — that’s TOYOTA ways of maximizing profit!
This car again, will be best selling small sedan car all over the world!
Capt Shopalot said,
November 12, 2007 @ 1:31 pm
I am beginning to be a Toyota sucker now
They are very progressive in coming out with new look
Where else Honda,errrr, stilll stick to Uncle look
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you gotta be kidding….look at that boring dash compared to civic’s. if honda got uncle look then this car got grandfather’s look
e-nabilll said,
November 12, 2007 @ 2:30 pm
front stil look like a pig nose
______________
exactly….i dun know why toyota like the big fugly pig nose front in many of their cars nowadays….with the emblem popping out exactly like pig’s nostrils
Out of topic: -
It is more than taxi thingy!
Malaysia firm’s ‘Muslim car’ plan
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7089707.stm
its R&D are out of ideas?
ok ok many would answer, its conservative… bla bla bla….
its surely another twin of our current Altis here, just with different eye front and back!
If this comes into Bolehland, guess Civic can wait for another few more years before next soft-facelift! same to Lancer too…
But still people buy for its badge perceived as reliable and good resale value which include high maintenance cost!
I dont think Toyota maintenance cost are expensive compare to Honda & Nissan. If i not mistaken, the after market parts especially second-hand parts from Japan are cheap! Why cheap? Coz Toyota’s cars are a lot in Japan for scrapping! Until now in Malaysia, Toyota, Subaru, Mazda half-cuts are cheaper then Mitsubishi and Daihatsu parts! This is becoz in Malaysia Proton + Perodua are rebadge cars, and when JDM cars have better spec n engine. Ppl will quickly sough for transplanting engine, especially GSR, Mivec, Evo, L2S/L5 Mira half-cuts are like hot cakes! When the demand is high for certain cars the price rose up! But when Toyota parts are a lot in Market and the demand is less in Malaysia, then the Toyota after market parts are cheap! Go and ask in those half-cuts shop, i can guarantee they will told u Toyota second hand parts are cheaper then others…
Besides that, a lot of new originals parts are made in Thailand by Denso. That why most of the Toyota products like filter, air-con pam, power steering are from Thailand! So the price are cheaper compare to parts imported from Japan! Suddenly i felt malaysian automobile industry are worse then Thailand… All ppl are fleeing from us, thx to Proton… And if u have a good mind, u would know that Toyota is famous of sharing parts in a lot of car models especially chasis, engine & transmission for cost saving…
I still don’t like the rear lamp of this new corolla and I don’t think we will get that same body kit on US S and XRS. I think the civic still won the better look from exterior and interior, btw, when is the next minor facelift of civic…
This corolla looks much better if it comes with the body kit…
exterior still okay but the interior is simple and boring…
LittleFire85 said,
November 13, 2007 @ 12:04 am
…And if u have a good mind, u would know that Toyota is famous of sharing parts in a lot of car models especially chasis, engine & transmission for cost saving…
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i dont want to offend u or proton defender.but this is my opinion,when toyota sharing thing like that,malaysian people dont care and bising maybe because they didnt know.but if proton do that,many people will complain,example persona and gen2 tail lamp…
Take it away please. Toyota has been huge ripoffs recently, spend on advertisement from cost cutting thru their products. Screw them big time, think they’re big players and now they can rip us off our hard earned money.
Just take a look at Mazda, Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi all trying their best to give us what is value for looks and money (k, Nissan’s local line up ain’t go the looks).
I don’t actually like Japanese cars, but i can see Honda putting a lot of effort into their cars, whereas all Toyota cares are profits and profits and profits.
Exterior carries the familiar Toyota trademark,but the Camry looks nicer,interior is quite plain,not good or not bad either,..but their ‘formula’ always worked very well and again this will sell as usual…
It’s not much different from the Corolla launched elsewhere, except the US market Corollas seems to be equipped with a very basic meter panel design that threatens to bore you to sleep while you are driving.————————————————————-
zzzzzzzzzzz
US also getting same treatment as Malaysia.haha
Anyone looking for 1.6l sedan just go for the new 2008 hyundai accent just launched yesterday. Those prefer 1.8l better take Honda Civic Vtec 1.8 or Nissan Latio 1.8Ti. It looks nowadays toyota merely selling the brand instead of the car!!!!What a shame!!!
We must love our national car so much that every time when we’re talking about some other make/model, somehow our national car will be brought into discussion. Healthy for our national car I guess, since the Rakyat are so critical.
Actually Toyota has been quite famous for taking a conservative approach as far as design is concerned. They’d rather go for the true & tested rather than something bold and different. Honda is more daring lor. But we can’t deny both offer similar quality and built. Good for the market mah.
Nah! It’s Boring!
nice car. but why new altis interior looks very plastic? Not as good as the current one. Malaysia version will it be the same as US version? anyone can tell me this? usually the Singpore and Malaysia will have different version. e.g. current Toyota Camry. as i know, facelift honda civic will coming very soon…
The unkitted one looks ok, but the kitted one doesn’t look nice also.
*sigh* Toy-yota…
i very much anticipate for this one.. all my bubbles popped out alredi
so sad that theyre sticking to yaris design! its not THAT bad, jz not working for me
so many ppl driving around civic, lancer got 2 months waiting list.. any other car option within that budget range?
Looks very Vios-ish, not a bad thing, but Toyota’s offerings seem pretty similar nowadays.
Haven’t test drive the car before, so can just comment on the exterior. The current version of Altis has a little bit of Lexus look. But this one, have anyone sees a human face been pulled up by a pantyhose? look at this car, “face-lift” of the previous version, literatery.
nice if i can get one free
I read many are complaining on the similar looks for Toyota’s latest line-up.
I don’t really think it’s that big of a fuss.
Try looking at major car makers and have a quick glance at their current line-up.
You’ll find that most models under each brand have genetical or similar looks.
It’s as if the cars came from one parent, and they all share similar design traits.
I personally find it interesting to see how they alter the designs (of the Corolla) to make it standout from other models (Camry, Yaris, etc.) and yet still retaining similarities that people find annoying.
alot of body roll
if they lexus’fy the rear lights a bit more would be better.
leongylun said,
November 13, 2007 @ 8:58 am
nice car. but why new altis interior looks very plastic? Not as good as the current one. Malaysia version will it be the same as US version? anyone can tell me this? usually the Singpore and Malaysia will have different version. e.g. current Toyota Camry. as i know, facelift honda civic will coming very soon…
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where did u hear the news about the civic facelift from?
[Capt Shopalot said,
November 12, 2007 @ 1:31 pm
I am beginning to be a Toyota sucker now
They are very progressive in coming out with new look
Where else Honda,errrr, stilll stick to Uncle look ]
Are u kidding?? new & existing toyota vios and Altis looks very similar !!
looks like toyota R&D runs out of ideas ….very boring and outdated
design…
I find Honda design quite futuristic…..and very trendy..and sporty (compared
to nissan or toyota!) checkout the new Stream, new Honda Accord,
new Honda Civic and the new Honda CRV….very very cool design!!
is totally different from competitors!!! set the new benchmark!
well done Honda…
Compare to new corolla and current civic, I still love the civic for its exterior and interior, btw, when will be facelift of civic since it lauched at 2006 worldwide, it is due to 2 years facelift…
Front looks like a Vios with larger grill, rear looks like current Altis with ugly lights. Interior nothing to comment… too boring to even say a word. It actually makes the Lancer’s interior look interesting!!! I don’t understand why they can’t create a smaller Camry.
to me, its looks like a facelift rather than a new model…same goes to
the new Vios…
Somehow I find the one being launched in the China market recently looks much nicer than the US version… personal view..
and what on the earth happen to toyota actually?? i think the toyota designer team must plan a camping trip to Honda HQ and see what trend of car design currently should look like.. huhuhu.. so sory for toyota kipassusahmati…
Have the chance to take a close look at Toyota roadshow in Shanghai. The tail light is pretty sporty and ruggat..
I dunno about the rest of u but I am getting very bored of Toyota’s Corolla designs.
the new corolla shape are too big and too shit looking all around, call a corolla a camry instead!!!
the old skool corollas still kick ass mannnn