Facelifted Dual VVT-i Toyota Corolla Altis tested at Sepang!

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The Toyota Corolla Altis has had its mid-life facelift, and the C-segment stalwart is coming soon to Malaysia, as those who read our post last week would have known. UMW Toyota is already accepting bookings, and we now know that the Altis will be officially launched on the 23rd of September, which is about three weeks from now.

Toyota Motor Asia Pacific had a regional test drive event at Sepang International Circuit yesterday, and we were there to sample the Altis that has more than just skin deep improvements. Malaysia will get what our neighbours get – the ZR series of engines with Dual VVT-i paired to a CVT gearbox that has seven virtual ratios.

Continue reading the report after the jump.

Three drivetrains will be available for our market – a 1.6-litre (120 PS/154 Nm) 4-speed auto, a 1.8-litre (140 PS/173 Nm) with a Super CVT-i gearbox and a 2.0-litre (147 PS/187 Nm) paired to the CVT. All three engines belong to the ZR series and have four cylinders, 16 valves, twin overhead cams and Dual VVT-i, the latter on both intake and exhaust. The 1.8 and 2.0 have Acoustic Control Induction System (ACIS), which is essentially a variable intake manifold system that works to optimise power/torque at low/high rpms.

Thailand, which produces the Altis for our region, has a low spec model (popular as Bangkok taxis) pairing the 1ZR-FE 1.6-litre engine to a six-speed manual gearbox, but we’re not getting the stick shift model here as expected. A UMW Toyota personnel explained that a manual version of this particular model, in this segment, would be very poorly received. He should be correct, but this BKK cab spec does sound quite interesting nonetheless.

Only Sepang’s North track was open to us, and we were to drive behind a pace car, but it was nice that we got to sample the outgoing model as well. That was the car I started with, and two laps in the 1.8G made me realise that the much maligned Altis is sometimes unfairly criticised. It may be poor on paper, but it’s not so dynamically inept as some self proclaimed enthusiasts say it is.

Like the similarly unpopular (among car lovers) Vios, the outgoing Altis has only four forward gears, but it makes very good use of them. Response is immediate, gearbox works unobtrusively, power spread and pick up is good, and the car has a decent turn of speed. In the bends, the Corolla leans significantly and the leather seats of our Thai test car were terribly slippery, but if you look beyond these, actual grip is decent and the car tracks accurately while body control wasn’t too sloppy on the slalom.

Of course, there are classmates that are better driver’s cars and provide more sensation, but the regular family man will be very well served by this car, and I reckon that Altis owners are generally happy with their ride, no matter what others may say.

Out from the old and into the new, so I got into the range topping new 2.0V model and eased off. While it’s quiet, there’s no super silent library feel like in the Nissan Sylphy, which hides away mechanical traces so well that you just glide away like a magic carpet. Here’s it’s all very “normal” feeling, which is good for most people. Bear in mind that “normal” for the Altis means more rolling refinement than in the Mitsubishi Lancer and the Honda Civic.

I drove the first lap without using the shift paddles or manual mode, and fully flooring the throttle revealed a surprise. Unlike every other CVT car we’re familiar with, this Super CVT-i feels A LOT like a normal torque converter automatic.

Instead of the normal “tacho sweeps ahead with a few seconds headstart before speed catches up” routine, the progress of revs and speed is more synchronised here. And at 6,000 rpm or so (below the red zone), the tacho needle falls down before rising again. This was repeated a few times with my right foot fully depressed on the gas pedal, like a normal auto.

Puzzled, I looked for Michihiko Sato, Chief Engineer for the Altis, who after a few nods and a smile, explained that my findings were a deliberate attempt by Toyota to emulate a torque converter auto ‘box. He said that many people aren’t really accustomed to how a CVT works and Toyota wanted Super CVT-i to feel as “normal” as possible.

Getting back to the Altis 2.0V, I drove harder on the second lap. The shift paddles are mounted on the steering itself (not the column) and flapping them got us fast shifts in manual mode. If memory serves right, the shift action is smoother than in the Lancer.

The small and slightly flat bottomed steering was good to hold (I don’t like too thick rims) and it felt more alert and responsive compared to the old car (EPS software was revised for more “direct steering feel”) but more sensation through the rim would be very welcome.

As before, body roll resistance isn’t the best in class and you’re sure to feel the weight transfer in successive direction changes but that’s not surprising for the Altis. I didn’t appreciate the VSC on track though; it intervenes very early (beep and light) and frequently. I would have also preferred the seats to go lower and have more support, although we’re quite sure not many owners will find this an issue.

We were also taken on a taxi ride by the event’s Japanese instructor, who is also a racer. In his hands, the Toyota was manhandled around bends with abandon, despite VSC making lots of noise. Body rolling and tyres screeching, the short lap showed that a sober car such as the Altis can have limits that are above what many drivers venture to. The ex-rally man giggled a few times behind the wheel; I’m sure it was because of doing his thing in an unlikely car/venue rather than the Altis’ super entertaining handling, but it’s good to know that the car has some reserves when we need it.

This 2.0V has an all black interior, which is quite suave and classy (note the tasteful wood trim, which is dark in hue and matte in finish), but Malaysia bound top spec cars will come with beige cabins, which does make the cabin feel more airy and spacious. The all black scheme is rather appropriate with the high spec car in my opinion, since it looks quite sporty outside with a black grille and smoked headlamps.

Like the Camry, this Altis sports an “X like” design on the front fascia for a wider and more aggressive look. The changes may be subtle, but they all add up to successfully spice up the car’s ageing design. The white example you see here has a bodykit that won’t be available for Malaysia, although I bet it’ll be coming sooner or later. Changes at the back include new lamps and a longer chrome strip above the number plate. I really like the new “3D” design of the five-spoke 16-inch wheels.

After the 2.0-litre, the 1.8 didn’t feel much slower or less powerful in the two laps we had. To be honest, I would not have known the difference if the interior looked the same; perhaps a longer drive would reveal the 3ZR-FE’s advantage. One sure advantage all engines have over their predecessors is fuel economy – the new 1.8 is 15% more frugal, while the 1.6 and 2.0 should be 10% less thirsty than older engines, according to Sato-san.

All else remains the same, including the platform, chassis, dimensions and interior room. On the latter, I always enjoy sitting in the rear of the Altis when stuck in Bangkok’s epic jams; while legroom is far from class leading, the seats are set high and you sit with legs properly bent, like on the dinner table (for lack of a better example). Interior fit and finish remains exemplary while the dash and door caps are in soft touch plastics.


Click to enlarge Malaysian Corolla Altis spec sheet

The final product we get may not be 100% like the Thai spec car you see here, as there is some give and take in terms of equipment. As mentioned, the aerokit and rear spoiler will be absent in our top spec car, as will keyless entry, auto lights and wiper, rear window blind and AUX jack. However, our 2.0V model will get HID headlamps, a full sized alloy spare, and front/rear parking sensors (as opposed to rear only). Malaysia will get a beige interior across the board, while top spec Thai cars come with a dark cabin.

Indicative prices are RM105,990 for the 1.6E, RM112,990 for the 1.8E, RM122,990 for the 1.8G and RM131,990 for the 2.0V.

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About the Author

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

Comments

  1. BRANDON YEAP says:

    IT STILL OVER PRICE

    Reply Well-loved! Thumb up 162 Thumb down 18
    • DAvid says:

      overprice due to G TAX,

      still better than proton if you cal without G TAX

      Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 59 Thumb down 95
      • EX5 says:

        Bro,

        Just accept that G Tax jadi penyebab harga kereta mahal..sampai kiamat pun harga kereta luar/impot di Msia akan mahal..

        Jadi your comment – overprice due to G TAX, tak payahlah disebut-sebut lagi…semua orang dah tahu la…hahahaha

        Reply Well-loved! Thumb up 122 Thumb down 25
        • mufasa says:

          no , i dont know, i tot only malaysia protect their market and industry…. i tot other country didnt protect their market via tax…. pity malaysian, that what i tot tot…hehehe

          Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 30 Thumb down 39
          • Salamander says:

            I LOL’ed at this comment. You tell me which Country do not protect their local automotive industry.

            Proof of GTFO.

            Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 10 Thumb down 21
          • Someone says:

            About ’bout the UK? There’s no tax there, or at least, not a big one.

            Reply Thumb up 19 Thumb down 1
          • MikeC says:

            Msian local automative industry is not viable. Malaysians suffer high taxes because of this badly conceived idea. Protection means foreign investments related to cars moving to Thailand. Malaysia loses more overall. And did Malaysia gain anything?? After more than 20 years, Proton is back to rebadging Mitsubishi Lancer! Have we progressed? Anything that is protected remains handicapped and retarded.

            Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 32 Thumb down 4
          • nazaex says:

            M’sia G protect local local market? No…even our own proton is strikingly super expensive compare the same model proton sold outsides…

            Reply Thumb up 6 Thumb down 1
          • adi says:

            no.. other country’s G doesnt protect their automotive industries as much as our G does.. the high tax imposed not to protect our Protong but to increase their own pocket money.. everyone noes tat. furthermore, proton is G owned while other countries usually are privite owned.

            Reply Thumb up 7 Thumb down 0
      • gonggok says:

        If you think the price is high because of tax you’re wrong. If tax the tax so high then how come a CBU JAPAN Suzuki Sx-4 is cheaper than some Vios?

        How come an IMPORTED latest Sonata is cheaper than an Accord assembled in Melaka?

        Yes we are being ripped off – but it’s the distributors who are ripping us off…

        Reply Well-loved! Thumb up 122 Thumb down 6
        • E Bear says:

          ….AP…….

          Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 26 Thumb down 3
        • flizzardo_sohigh says:

          bro not many malaysians know this because they are too stupid and keep blaming the high tax

          the high tax structure and proton are designed to help the less fortunate people

          but we have alot of underachiever , unsatisfied mid class people keep complaining that they lack of luxury

          pathetic these people i say because even if government cancel all subsidies and close proton they will still drive junks and cant afford luxurious stuffs because eventually other expenses will go up and they can barely have money afford on better cars despite the price tag would be reduced . But then again these people are brainless so they might spend all their money on “so called better cars” and live like a pauper (of course la their mentality face to neighbors and relatives come first)

          Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 37 Thumb down 39
        • flizzardo_sohigh says:

          just look at the price of 350z formerly almost 500k brand new from tan chong

          why can they sell a new model 370z at 360k ? differences of 28% in price

          its all dealer markup lah

          if sell higher with more margin sell less also nevermind in long term they make more profit because sell less cars at higher margin means less commission to salesman and less cars to maintain for aftersale services

          normally the significant markup u pay to authorized dealer is justified by the proper and good after sale service example auto bavaria and C&C but look at UMW just lol

          Reply Thumb up 12 Thumb down 3
        • MikeC says:

          Sonata is not exactly comparable to Accord

          Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 5 Thumb down 20
      • Johnny says:

        Yes, blame it on the G. Wait until u buy car at the country down under, u will curse their G. Stop complaining. Work hard and be rich instead.

        Reply Well-loved! Thumb up 48 Thumb down 10
        • Philip J. Fry says:

          You mean Australia? Cars are cheaper in Australia than Malaysia.

          Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 29 Thumb down 1
          • Salamander says:

            And how much is the cost of food in Australia perhaps?

            Reply Thumb up 2 Thumb down 20
          • Philip J. Fry says:

            What does the cost of food have to do with the cursing the Government for expensive cars?

            (Can’t reply directly to Salamander, guess there is a limit to the comment nesting size).

            Reply Thumb up 10 Thumb down 0
          • ProTip says:

            Raw ingredients in Australia is cheap. And some things that we Asians like to eat but Aussies don’t are dirt cheap. I buy a kg of chicken wings for AUD2 (Aussies hate anything with bone and skin on them). So I call my friends over for a BBQ. Fantastic.

            But anything involving human labour is expensive due to minimum wage laws there. Mixed rice with 3 dishes costs me AUD8 from a dinky corner chinese shop because someone scoopes it up for me (that’s RM20+ BTW). In the past when AUD1=RM2.5 it was much easier. Don’t even start asking about the price of petrol.

            That being said, my first car was a 2nd hand 8yr old Toyota Starlet. Got it for AUD2.3k. I sold it for AUD2.5k to an unsuspecting foreign student.

            Basically the 2nd hand market is fantastic there and every student has a car. In my Uni days I don’t remember knowing anyone without a car.

            Reply Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
        • mal says:

          dont complain la, just buy proton lancer when it is out, ok?

          Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 15 Thumb down 11
          • Andrew says:

            agreed. you can’t always compare the price of cars and say for example cars in UK are cheaper. wait till you find out that it cost GBP3,000 to insure your family saloon and if you drive a Porsche, you can only do 2,000 miles on it a year… else you have to pay an excess. oh and if you are young and frivolous good luck in finding an insurenace company that is willing to insure your car!

            Reply Thumb up 5 Thumb down 4
  2. lee yong says:

    Hidden due to lowcomment rating. Click here to see.

    Reply Poorly-rated. Thumb up 20 Thumb down 202
    • Ahnik says:

      Sorry your 1 minute + late to being first.
      Anyway, both civic and altis has their own advantages.
      Civic suit youngsters altis suit family

      Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 44 Thumb down 65
      • Michael Ammot says:

        Civic suit youngsters altis suit family?.. err…FYI, civic rear seat space is bigger than the altis..rear boot is shallower and deeper.. what is the ‘suit to family’ criteria for u?..because of civic get 17inch?shifter paddle?sport seat design?

        i think the statement should be –> civic is for 30-46 years old driver…and the altis is for 47-87 years old driver…..that’s better statement…

        Reply Well-loved! Thumb up 86 Thumb down 20
        • alldisc says:

          perhaps,

          civic—>fun?

          altis —> less fun??

          Reply Well-loved! Thumb up 63 Thumb down 12
          • mal says:

            despite altis looks very uncle, in taiwan magazine, they can put altis and civic both very very close to each other in the race track, in other words, altis can lap as fast as civic, altho civic looks more racer.

            Reply Thumb up 14 Thumb down 7
        • ong chin aun says:

          NO. not necessary. personal preferance and style of driving is of vital important. I`M 60+ still love Civic . Best pick up and well design car technically and sporty. while TOYOTA is my 2nd. choice smooth and reliability and steady. Spart parts are not monopoly and comparatively cheaper.

          Reply Well-loved! Thumb up 34 Thumb down 1
        • rossi46 says:

          Civic ride is way too hard compare to altis which more comfortable , hence cater more towards family comfort

          Reply Well-loved! Thumb up 36 Thumb down 3
        • campro says:

          exterior design CIVIC = new Altis…
          my opinion toyota cars alway more fuel saving less power compare to honda….honda car more engine powerful although it save fuel but not as good as toyota…both car r good car…this 1 suit u then u shld go for test drive 1st…
          b4 this facelift altis is the worst compare to syphy & civic…hope this facelifted altis can improve more n more …

          Reply Thumb up 13 Thumb down 1
        • hihi says:

          seen the bumper sticker? love machine. dont laugh. your daughter could be in the back seat.

          Reply Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
  3. Yeap says:

    Pretty good. Facelift fitted with new engine. How reliable is this new engine? is this engine going to place at the all new toyota camry next year?

    Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 12 Thumb down 37
  4. nmh says:

    crop circle rear lamp

    Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 22 Thumb down 9
  5. Ijam says:

    Boring look. Korean cars look better.

    Reply Well-loved! Thumb up 142 Thumb down 21
    • Maaajeeedaaa says:

      Mazda 3 2.0 sport still the best!!! Yeeeehaaaaaaaaaaa!

      Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 35 Thumb down 32
      • 320i says:

        agreed!!! Mazda 3 2.0 is powerful enough for city/hw driving and lots of gadgets mounted to fiddle with. Owned mine for a month. Its a really fun car to drive.

        Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 15 Thumb down 10
    • DAvid says:

      cannot say I disagree, now the korean designer really creative toward the futuristic design, nice and sporty, thumb up…..

      japanese car should go for more creative design in future…

      Reply Well-loved! Thumb up 55 Thumb down 3
    • theanswer says:

      plus the price is expensive…after all those recall cases..T still dare to put high price on their car. gle sombong.

      Reply Well-loved! Thumb up 47 Thumb down 6
    • cw says:

      Unfortunately in Msia looks isn’t the only thing to look out for.
      Low specs and expensive cars are the norm here

      Reply Well-loved! Thumb up 43 Thumb down 1
      • squawk says:

        Doesn’t look as good as the new Koreans but looks better than the current Altis.

        Why does Malaysia, supposedly ASEAN’s biggest passenger car market, always get lower specs than our “lesser” neighbors?

        Reply Thumb up 19 Thumb down 1
        • The Loner says:

          This is because the distributors want big profit margin.

          Reply Thumb up 19 Thumb down 0
          • Rhys Millen says:

            No because malaysians are willing to pay top price just for the badge and snob value with less features ….As such people still buy the car when distributors reduces the spec…

            Reply Thumb up 8 Thumb down 0
          • Genki says:

            because proton has set our standard so low . a side effect of this is that people are forced to buy a supposedly premium badged car.

            Reply Thumb up 9 Thumb down 2
      • cynical says:

        “Low specs and expensive cars are preferred here”

        Corrected

        Reply Thumb up 7 Thumb down 13
      • Kambing Gurun says:

        Sea creature looking and overpriced cars are preferred here, yay.

        Reply Thumb up 9 Thumb down 0
  6. Q says:

    Better wait for those new CKD’s from VW. Bet a lot of car company gonna be more competitive in pricing there after especially T n H.For now, just plain OP and milking customer dry.

    Reply Thumb up 16 Thumb down 3
  7. Jimmy Dean says:

    OMG F-UGLY thing on 4 wheels! Korean design is much better.

    Reply Well-loved! Thumb up 41 Thumb down 10
    • kc says:

      Don’t know why later ppl still buy it, u can c Corrolla > Taxi…. later~

      Reply Thumb up 14 Thumb down 5
    • sham_azlan says:

      kamu ade duit beli? aku rasa kau cuma ade modenas….

      Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 12
      • Jimmy Dean says:

        I am driving a continental car & I wouldnt touch 3rd class jap cars even with a long stick. Especially with so many safety recalls on toyota lately.

        Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 7
      • hamid says:

        ko modenas pun tade mungkin….

        Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 3
  8. nabill says:

    i have no idea why a car like this being tested in sepang , no relation at all….anyway , how was things like power delivery? was it easy for example to get to 100km/hr ?

    Reply Thumb up 12 Thumb down 6
  9. VW_fans says:

    Copy Lexus rear lights & transfer in onto the Altis…. Altis sales been very poor compare to Civic, I guess Toyota just trying their best (implement Lexus design) onto this model.

    Reply Thumb up 10 Thumb down 4
  10. MangO says:

    Will Toyota every price competitively? Seems that their cars are getting more expensive every time there is a change.

    Maybe their strategy is to push their cars one level higher to confuse Malaysians. There is no doubt about reliability though. Its something Toyota has built over the years.

    Reply Thumb up 18 Thumb down 5
  11. lalalala~~~~ says:

    boring ~____~

    Reply Thumb up 12 Thumb down 11
  12. arulkay says:

    Paul, is this car a same segment with the next waja replacement model aka waja lancer………..the cc also look same 1.8 n 2.0cc…

    Reply Thumb up 7 Thumb down 5
  13. loollool says:

    walao~ the rear lamp so ugly !!!~~

    now those who drive benz S class or E class also look for sportier, younger look~

    the new E-class, sporty not? rite~ most who drive then are 40+-

    family car doesn’t mean has to be boring!! toyota!~~

    Reply Thumb up 17 Thumb down 3
  14. king says:

    still ugly and overpriced!

    Reply Thumb up 21 Thumb down 2
  15. Noel says:

    The expected pricing is still way too much…starting at RM105,00 for the 1.6E???

    Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 27 Thumb down 0
  16. lightning mcqueen says:

    korean cars designed by european stylist.

    Reply Thumb up 19 Thumb down 1
  17. etks says:

    Looks like the current Camry.

    Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 10
  18. shawal says:

    It is too much money for a facelifted car with a dull interior , even if it comes with a new engine, rivals may not yet reach the level of credibility as a toyota brand , however right now they offer modern design, and a lower price tag where money saved could be spent on another car after a few years…

    Reply Thumb up 18 Thumb down 1
  19. KKK says:

    danny, does the shift feel smoother than lancer in auto mode?

    Reply Thumb up 2 Thumb down 2
    • Danny Tan says:

      In auto mode, a CVT doesn’t shift, hence the name Continuously Variable Transmission

      Reply Thumb up 13 Thumb down 2
  20. DonkeyKong says:

    Luckily the front grill has been redesigned.. the bulging-forehead manatee look has been reduced. But what the heck is wrong with the rear light clusters?!!!

    Reply Thumb up 6 Thumb down 0
  21. mystvearn says:

    Seven gears seems a bit much to me in a car that has a top speed of 240km. Does the car suffer from gear in not the right power band? You get that feeling in some cars if you are at a certain speed and acceleration the Auto gear box does not know which gear to be in.This is more pronounced on hill terrain. Maybe you should do a review on a hilly terrain as well? On a track it may be fine.

    Second, I know the term if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. But surely with those looks it is a bit outdated now. At those prices you will need to a good reason to explain why a potential buyer should not go for a civic. Does anyone know the sales figure for Altis in Malaysia?

    Reply Thumb up 1 Thumb down 15
    • Danny Tan says:

      “gear in not the right power band?”

      It’s a CVT, there are no gears. If you put in into manual mode on “hilly terrain” then of course you have to do the selection yourself.

      Reply Thumb up 14 Thumb down 3
    • wowowww says:

      you can’t drive huh?==’….what car are you driving?

      Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  22. Potong Boley says:

    Torsion beam is here to stay!! after this it might be a standard for camry too… who knows..

    Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 2
    • Rhys Millen says:

      Even the current Avante gives you Multi Link Rear Suspensions …
      Ironically even the SEG Corolla was using Multi Link ..

      Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  23. paria says:

    it suits old man who is young at heart

    Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 12
    • kc says:

      old man rich~ young man can only buy national car~ hopefully P1 place the price right this time for Waja replacement…. RM75k or below is reasonable,,,,,

      Reply Thumb up 15 Thumb down 1
      • mal says:

        ok la, i made up my mind. no forte, 308T, polo, golf, no lancer, no altis, no civic, no city and vios.

        i’ll buy proton lancer that can help me save rm 40K when they launch it. Rm85k for proton lancer is better than city/vios, right?

        forte is still korean car :)

        Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
  24. CK says:

    overpriced..or else nice car..

    Reply Thumb up 16 Thumb down 1
  25. ejan says:

    bored cockpit.. old style.. the only good only dual vvti..

    Reply Thumb up 14 Thumb down 3
  26. mr.eng says:

    is me or the rear is to damn ugly? the front grill is kind a neat compare to the previous altis…and yes a bit pricey…

    Reply Thumb up 7 Thumb down 2
  27. Freak says:

    Yuck, why still got people go for plastic toy car? Why not continental?

    Reply Thumb up 7 Thumb down 7
  28. P2 says:

    new Camry…new Camry…when it’s goin’ to be launch

    Reply Thumb up 10 Thumb down 0
  29. MM says:

    A car designed for family use. As a married guy, I appreciate this car a lot. I don’t really like the interior of Civic, especially the dashboard and the seats. I must say that the new facelift for Altis comes with major changes. the Super CVT-i gearbox + Dual VVTi engine is superb. But the absence of keyless entry is a disappointment.

    Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 23 Thumb down 8
  30. WL says:

    Not much innovation, both form & function are same old boring stuff.

    Reply Thumb up 9 Thumb down 5
  31. bangmo says:

    Overpriced, but T-fans will buy no matter what

    Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 24 Thumb down 5
  32. azrai says:

    Still wondering why Toyota worldwide recall but in Malaysia not affected. Not the same tech with other Toyota markets? Downgrade?

    Reply Thumb up 11 Thumb down 1
    • kc says:

      Only USA affected?

      Reply Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
    • BMW M-Problem says:

      Get over it….

      Reply Thumb up 2 Thumb down 6
    • wowowww says:

      because they have bad vendors who provided them with cheap quality stuff….n QC too….

      Reply Thumb up 8 Thumb down 1
    • king says:

      bcos our malaysian spec toyota parts are supplied by world’s best 1st class vendors whereas in the US, UK and rest of the world get 3rd world vendor parts.

      that is why UMW can price it like a BMW.

      Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 25 Thumb down 1
  33. mohd hafizzul dorifuto says:

    :-( Over price…wait 4 the new CIVIC next year,,,totally change…

    Reply Thumb up 21 Thumb down 3
  34. 20v_ke35 says:

    Yawnnnnn….. hmmmm…. next!!!

    Reply Thumb up 8 Thumb down 4
  35. Chris says:

    Anyone beside me prefers the pre-facelifted Altis? Now it got more boring and at that price… I’m a fan of Toyota and I’m having second thoughts.

    Someone tell me why I should get this car instead of the Ford TDCi?

    Reply Thumb up 8 Thumb down 3
    • rossi46 says:

      Get the TDCI…its more powerful and more frugal, compared to this altis which not as powerful and a gas guzzler

      Reply Thumb up 8 Thumb down 3
    • Tiadaid says:

      Well if you read the Fiesta post you’ll see many reasons why you should get a Toyota instead of a Ford Focus TDCi

      Although many of them aren’t valid reasons…

      Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 3
      • Chris says:

        Yes I do, if you mean the things about expensive parts and looks better on paper. But such is life, you made trade offs.

        I’m not even 30 yet and I’d want something exciting yet practical when I have my own family next time. Plus I’m in Sarawak, diesel roadtax is cheap and I’d much prefer the higher torque to carry bunch of friends through the hilly roads to the next town or so.

        Not to say I’d dump all my money for a ford right now, I still love my old corolla, but seriously come on Toyota, stop making boring cars! And don’t dumb down the FT-86 to target older audience!!

        Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
    • JonLing says:

      i think if you can suffer mediocre maintenance service, expensive spare parts, then you can always go for ford. it’s nothing wrong with the cars, it’s the dealers. So if ford and toyota and nothing else to choose from, I will put my money on toyota. at least i know i won’t have to worry about my cars too much, not to mention higher 2nd hand value.

      Ford produces good cars, but Toyota has better service and value. And I am not so wealthy that I can buy a car regardless of its maintenance costs and resale values.

      Reply Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
  36. B18A says:

    ya la..the looks..is…hmm normal..not so attractive..the koreans are much much better..any way..its a good quality car

    Reply Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
  37. net says:

    the rear lamp look likes a rear lamp of mark x

    Reply Thumb up 1 Thumb down 3
  38. trollbait says:

    Second that boring look opinion. What is there to like? It’s boxier than the old model, with straight lines and 90-deg corners, especially on the back. And that mis-aligned tail-light; jeez Toyota, copying BMW is so passe these days

    Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 3
  39. trollbait says:

    lol at Malaysians – not only are they lazy to drive their cars, hence the popularity of auto-boxes, they’re willing to accept lame beige interiors that hide dust better than darker ones. This shows that they’re even lazy to clean their cars!

    Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 6
  40. Izhar says:

    so far so good….but not really like the tail lamp….maybe for other people have different opinion from me….for overall, it’s a good car….

    Reply Thumb up 2 Thumb down 2
  41. REDRIDDLES says:

    nice car…but how’s the FC?
    alot of people will buy this car anyway…but i just buy a LATIO..
    so sad

    Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
    • littlefire says:

      At around RM100k u can get a full spec 1.8T latio, i think is worth the money if compare to the 1.8G altis which is over RM120k. The only drawback is that ur car dont have VSC..

      Reply Thumb up 7 Thumb down 1
      • scooter says:

        too bad latio 1.8 is no longer selling in msia, left only 1.6ST & hatchback in buying list..

        Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • E Bear says:

      Latio is nice n roomy.

      Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
  42. umno juara tipu rakyat says:

    beige interior color was a major turn off!!!

    Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 3
    • PKR kaki kencing DAP jadi SULTAN says:

      still a reliable brand ..no matter how many recall model.

      Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 10
  43. ABTguy says:

    If UMWT wants to lure the younger fella, ditch the biege interior and take on the BLACK ONE !!! It looks WAYYYYY to old.

    Reply Thumb up 6 Thumb down 0
  44. my foo says:

    The facelifted Altis looks better, however there are still some passive looks from certain angles.. hopefully the real car looks better … :)

    Reply Thumb up 1 Thumb down 3
  45. Vincent says:

    I wonder the 7 K diff will make 1.6E relevant? People might as well get 1.8 with CVT….

    And 10K for the G spec, that is a lot ler….

    2.0 altis is only RM12K lower than Camry… beside the 7 CVT… don’t UMW think that camry will sell better? If people want a sporty look, they will buiy Civic and not Altis…

    Rethink anout it and let the sales firgure tell in the next 6 months…

    BTW, Paul, any chance bolehland cant get a CVT camry for the local assemby 2.0 version?

    Reply Thumb up 6 Thumb down 1
  46. WhatTheFuzz says:

    Since it’s packaged at that price, Toyota should put in the keyless entry for the 2.0

    Reply Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
  47. bohtakcheck says:

    talk about value, corrolla doesn’t do enough to distance themself from korean…(infact korean are more innovative)
    talk about comfort (NVH), they are not leading in the class (try on our day to day uneven road la… not sepang)
    talk about power, they are way back “downsize engine” or high-rev civic 2.0…
    talk about price, still over price with the spec they throw in
    talk about brand… yea… that’s the only thing they had left??

    T should spill over their Tech from Lexus down to camry, altis and altis range la..
    they are not people’s car, then why this kind of specs?

    still only listen to their own dwelling customer feedback? or their middle management?? …. check competition please, some people never learn or they unwilling to learn??

    Reply Thumb up 12 Thumb down 10
  48. JC says:

    More hideous than ever…

    Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 2
  49. lchan says:

    Chief Engineer of Altis says that the CVT is to emulate a torque converter. Personally, i think this is silly. It defeats the entire purpose of what a CVT is designed for. Why not carry the 5 speed auto from the camry to the altis?

    Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 7
    • Danny Tan says:

      They wanted to emulate torque converter auto only in feel.
      CVT provides better fuel economy over regular autos.

      Reply Thumb up 8 Thumb down 2
      • Viosuser says:

        Hi Danny,

        If your boss give you a company car to use (Only use for 3-4 years but it’s the company property which you have to return to them later). Comparing:

        1) The new Toyota Corolla 2.0
        2) Nissan Shyphy 2.0
        3) Coming Waja Lancer
        4) Honda Civic 2011 (which you have to wait a while)

        Which one will you choose and why ? Hope to hear unbiased comment from you.

        Reply Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
        • Danny Tan says:

          Very lucky of you to be in such a position!

          Two of the cars in your list aren’t out yet, how to choose :)
          We also need to drive the Altis for a longer duration.

          Reply Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
        • Mancini says:

          why give this kind of question. waja also on the list ka. look at danny answer, no answer actually.

          Reply Thumb up 2 Thumb down 2
          • NASOPE says:

            Aiyo why you so bad one Mancini, waja is also a car mah, it’s our own product. So bad la you…….

            Reply Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
  50. danz says:

    Pity about the 1.6 Manual. It would have been nice to have a choice. Plus it is a 6-speeder. This trend is rather alarming for petrolheads in Bolehland.

    Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 2
  51. dukeKTM says:

    Now everyone want to fits CVT in their cars… CVT = Boring transmission… for me I don’t like it. 7 virtual speed…it’s like you’ve been cheated. CVT has no ratios…

    Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 12
    • autojohndoe says:

      you understand CVT or not?

      CVT has ratio!

      it is govern by the ratio of belt diameter which is [radius of Drive Belt / Radius of Driven Belt = CVT Ratio]…

      CVT shifting is not discreet… hence its called virtual…

      the simultaneous contraction-expansion of Drive Pulley and Driven Pulley creates radius difference.

      Reply Thumb up 7 Thumb down 3
  52. midnite says:

    This will do well in a spot the difference contest… and is a good challenge to the Sentra in see who can sell the longest, but at least theres the Impul option.

    Reply Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
  53. Well says:

    I still prefer he driving dynamics of Honda and the refinement of I-VTEC

    Reply Thumb up 7 Thumb down 2
  54. Well says:

    I still prefer the driving dynamics of Honda and the refinement of I-VTEC

    Reply Thumb up 9 Thumb down 5
  55. zaff1984 says:

    the rear lamp same style with previous Altis last facelift, when apply to this latest model lilttle bit akward to me…

    Reply Thumb up 2 Thumb down 3
  56. appetite4d... says:

    as always Thais get better specs than Malaysian market..

    Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 3
  57. user01 says:

    parking assist? does it still exist?

    Reply Thumb up 1 Thumb down 5
  58. i says:

    Korea cars good looking!

    Japan cars high technology and high quality!

    Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 14 Thumb down 18
  59. Danny says:

    The Butt! is a big turn off

    Reply Thumb up 2 Thumb down 5
  60. shan says:

    comment as bad as you want…but sooner or later, umw will be laughing all the way to the bank….sigh..

    Reply Thumb up 6 Thumb down 6
    • jong88 says:

      Don’t under estimate the power of consumerism. Countless car company go bankrupt in 2008/2009

      Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 3
  61. s60T says:

    I have owned 2 hondas and 2 toyotas.while the honda engines are very free revving and is more fun to drive when you are in a “fun mood”, the toyotas are better daily commuters and that’s why most muyers are family men. Incidently my friend went to KL from Ipoh in her husband’s civic 2.0S (her own car is a volvo S40 that went for bodywork) with 17 in wheels says even her “love handles” were jiggling until they ached by the time they arrived. Not comfortable at all according to her.

    As for the mundane corolla, I remember an article in the 90′s I think by Chips Yap where he tested the corolla SEG 1.6 from JB to KL at close to 200km/h with a BMW 318 trying hard to keep up.

    Reply Thumb up 19 Thumb down 5
    • Georgie says:

      I kinda agree with you. I think most people with lame comments here never owned a good piece of honda or a toyota technology. Surprisingly the Altis is a quite comfortable commuter for its price range unlike the Civic or Lancer. Just don’t judge the car by its looks.

      Reply Thumb up 14 Thumb down 8
      • wowowww says:

        agreed with you…they just wanna bash that’s all….those ah beng….
        Korean car pulak…..nice looking car=good car….???when you bash Japanese car you should together bash the Korean coz the Koreans are using Japanese engine….just diff piston n tuning…
        go buy china car lo…some really looks good…n cheaper in price!!!

        Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 11 Thumb down 14
        • cat says:

          Aiyar… for those that can affort and wan some premium image, better buy a Toyota or Honda lar… Korean brand lower image (Head tuner but when see the Naza batch a major turn off)..

          This new Altis looks very interesting wor.. the car now look smarter and sharp from many angles..

          Interior, the Altis now already very comfi, keep it lar.. just get me a car that is nice on out, comfi at inside, and perform up to standard.,,.

          Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 3
    • Ezamshah says:

      totally agreed.. dont have to refer to 90′s article.. i do drive jb-kl quite often.. average 190-210km/hrs.. not many cars can keep up including VW Golf Gti 2.0 turbo, BMW 318, Honda Civic 2.0.. and reach kl less than 2hours.. u shud own, n test yourslf.. not just by the look.. silly..

      Reply Thumb up 6 Thumb down 5
      • E Bear says:

        Wow, what car r u driving can average 190km/hr consistently.

        The civic riding on 17″ wheels….sure hard ride lah.

        Even the Accord riding on this type of low profile will be harsh. ha ha ha.

        Reply Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
      • adehhh says:

        drive my waja constant at 180km/hr oso can what.. campro maaaaa…oso proven best handling

        Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  62. trav_da_man says:

    I think its an improvement over the current altis but 133k for the 2.0 is indeed overpriced. Still never harm paying more when residue values were rock solid and aftermarket services is one of the best in Mysia for a japanese brand.

    Reply Thumb up 8 Thumb down 1
  63. coolguru says:

    At first glance, probably will take another glance.

    But to pay for the price, I think we’ve more options now like Slyphy (though not everyone likes the funny headlamp), Forte (different class but has start/stop button), Sonata (though not many believe in Korean yet) even other class/segment car like small MPV or SUV that are getting more popular instead of sedan.

    Toyota being Toyota, there will be buyers! With so much of issues globally, I think they should SPEC-UP their car to entice buyers and to forget real/fake issues reported globally.

    Look at the test car, it has something that look like a GPS, touch-screen audio system. No AUX input – I think even uncles have iPod now.

    Reply Thumb up 7 Thumb down 0
  64. pk says:

    front is nice, but the rear part is =.=||| worst than the current model

    Reply Thumb up 2 Thumb down 4
  65. HP says:

    Wait till upcoming fully redesign honda civic or hyundai avante.Sure will beat this sucker hands-down in terms of outlook,engine and realiability.

    Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 8
    • cat says:

      Honda yes… hyundai? Erm… I still recall on one of my trip to Korea few years back.. one of my fren pick me up with a Kia.. and he was so proud of his car.. and I made a very lousy statement… “Wow, ur car still very nice, from the sound of the engine, seem like few years old, but design still very good”… and to my suprise, the car is within 1 year old..

      Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 4
  66. ong chin aun says:

    Yes, the 1.6 litre with 6-speed manual should be in our market, more choice. Honestly
    manual car pick-up should be better, save petrol and cost cuttling, cheaper . Moreover,
    let say the battery flat, automatic can`t start. If manual can push start and go to warkshop. Besides one can control the style in driving with skill. In term of maintenance, should be more economic be manual than auto gear.

    Reply Thumb up 6 Thumb down 1
    • The Loner says:

      Agree with that. But speaking of fuel consumption, I have to admit that CVT is better than manual transmission.

      Reply Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
    • squawk says:

      But there’re too many lazy people here who only know how to drive auto. :)

      Reply Thumb up 2 Thumb down 5
    • Chimpion says:

      Uncle Ong,

      There is something here I do not agree with you. If battery flat, you just call 1 friend with a car then he can help you to jump start the engine. Why bother to call 3 friends to help you to push the car ?

      I own a manual and an auto car. I only use my manual car during weekends to enjoy the THRILL on Sungai Besi highway and LDP. Both the highways have challenging bends. During the weekdays, sorry lah forget about the manual transmission. Tekan clucth until my knee painful during rush hour.

      Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
    • SukaTgkOrg says:

      if battery flat call la your insurance auto assist… most insurance have their auto assist free one… dont susahkan orang lain la….

      Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  67. Jaybond says:

    Bring in the MANUAL TRANNY..

    Reply Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
  68. lima says:

    Stupidly overpriced. In current market, with so many competent competitor, the new Altis is seriously overpriced for the spec.

    Compared to
    - Nissan Slyphy (no fight in terms on NVH and space)
    - Kia Forte 2.0 (seriously value for money)
    - Upcoming Hyundai Elantra (not sure what the new pricing would be)

    Heck, even the new Civic 1.8L looks like a bargain compared to Altis. And what is with the beige interior?!?! That would have alienate a whole segment of the market. Nissan has done this error with Latio sedan, and see what happened to it. Latio sedan is now relegated to the back as taxi while Latio sport (with the black and nicer interior) continues to have good sales.

    Reply Thumb up 16 Thumb down 1
  69. alldisc says:

    ultra conservative.

    but compare to 8 years old altis and 8 years old spectra and elantra, the altis still looks better.

    Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 4
  70. bayern says:

    i want WRM to beat this car.

    Reply Thumb up 8 Thumb down 2
  71. BMW M-Problem says:

    The only thing going for the Civic is interior space and drivetrain and engine.
    The rest you can forget it. The Quality is quite bad. NVH is quite bad.
    Feels like driving a Waja. Fun to drive but the rest is bad….

    The Altis has equal emphasis on all aspect of the car. It is an all rounder……

    Reply Thumb up 11 Thumb down 10
  72. michaelooi says:

    I think the exterior is an improvement. The rear lamps and bumper especially. But price is a bit steep.

    Reply Thumb up 6 Thumb down 2
  73. PR says:

    waja lancer will eat this altis soon…

    Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 19 Thumb down 8
    • champion says:

      !!?? I thought Toyota Coralla is always ahead of Mitsibishi Lancer sales in this country ? Do not forget Corolla is the bestseller car model worldwide. Yes I mean No. 1 worldwide.

      Proton Waja Lancer will only beat this car if the government still continue the biased tax structure.

      Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 14 Thumb down 13
      • scooter says:

        Everymonth altis is lagging behind civic 200-300 units in boleh land market. U can check it out in motortrader report.

        Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 2
        • champion says:

          Uncle scooter are u ok ? I am comparing Corolla and Lancer !!?? Are you possessed by something ? I think you need a bomoh.

          Reply Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
          • animous says:

            he says waja lancer will eat this altis soon…
            why are u comparing with corrolla??

            Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 2
          • champion says:

            another sick man ‘animous’ over here, this model is TOYOTA COROLLA ALTIS la sick man. Why you call yourself ‘animal ?

            Reply Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
    • cat says:

      not before they eat the current Mit. Lancer customer.. really… wat will happen to those ppl owning a Mit.Lancer now?

      Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  74. evoskylancer says:

    might as well wait for the new honda civic or the new hyundai avante next year…

    Reply Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
  75. engdau says:

    styling wise…. To me, it depends on individual. Dual VVTi and Super CVT 7 speeds are great improvements. It is good in fuel consumption.

    The major drawback is the rear torsion beam. Something like Vios, City, Sylphy and New Saga. Even tough VSC and TRC are ready, yet the road holding of new Altis is poorer than Civic. It is more like a family car. Very conservative look with confortable ride. No “Wow” factor when look at it at your first sight.

    Pricing wise….. New Waja Replacement can win new Altis anytime.

    Reply Thumb up 13 Thumb down 2
    • squawk says:

      Torsion beam? Even the Renaults, Peugeots & Citroens use it. And they handle very well.

      Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 4
      • engdau says:

        Torsion beam is actually catered for budget cars. For eg, Peugeot 107, 206 and Renault Kangoo. In fact, Persona uses much better choice, i.e. multi-linked.

        Imagine u pay more than RM 130K for Altis, it is no difference with torsion beam assembled in New Saga with a price tag of RM 40K.

        Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 2
        • alldisc says:

          the use of torsion beams eliminate a lot of suspension flex movement and therefore provide better stability and handling up to a certain basis.

          the advantage of torsion beam is that it is of simpler but effective design, low cost to make, improve cabin space especially at suspension well area. multi-link and double wishbone set-ups of course are better but the difference is not much, at least for normal non-performance passenger car. people dont buy altis, vios, city or jazz for performance. you want performance than its the likes of Golf GTI, Scirocco, or Civic Type R.

          Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 4
          • engdau says:

            Even cars twice as expensive do not offer the same finely tuned ride and handling balance that the Persona has; this is especially true since many cars twice as expensive these days do not even come with independent rear suspension like the Persona. It refers to Torsion Beams in the more expensive like New Altis.

            Then, who said multi-link, double wishbone and independent rear suspension are only reserved for performance cars?

            Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
        • Squawk says:

          The Renault Laguna & Megane RS, Peugeot 308, Citroen C4 use torsion beam.

          Reply Thumb up 2 Thumb down 2
    • Farah says:

      No complaint when Toyota use torsion beam. Simple equation, for this Altis, you pay more to get low cost material.

      Reply Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
  76. Altis Owner says:

    Please don’t blame Toyota for the high price, its because of the stupid government tax, the initial cost of the Toyota Altis 1.8 shipped to Malaysia is around RM60K only, but after government tax it reach RM110K when sold to end user. Personally I feel the previous Altis with bodykit much better look than this new facelift Altis.

    Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 9 Thumb down 23
    • squawk says:

      Dude, it’s not just the govt tax. Please snoop around to see how many months bonus T & H staff get. If their profit margin isn’t high do you think they can get such good bonus (hint: very likely more than yours and mine combined)?

      Reply Thumb up 11 Thumb down 4
      • cat says:

        check out how much Mit. ppl get also… hehe.. sometime.. buying a car is buying a whole package.. what u see today, buy today, service tomolo, sell at the end.. and how much u pay when u drive it daily basis..

        Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • loollool says:

      u being ripped off by wmw and still dunno~

      typical blind supported~~

      watever shit umw sell u , u will also say worth it i guess!

      Reply Thumb up 10 Thumb down 3
    • Chimpion says:

      This topic has been raised before

      A 2.4 litre Corolla is only 58k in US. Same with our Proton Persona. I cannot understand why our Persona is so damn expensive !!!

      http://www.toyota.com/corolla/trims-prices.html#/?view=sidebyside&vehicle=null

      Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
      • apada says:

        laaaaar…the more u order frm supplier, the more incentives u can get (like bulk order). U.S is very big market + competition. Dealers not afraid to play margin there lol.

        Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  77. WilliamSmith says:

    By the time this segment of cars from T & H loaded with all the goodies (HID, Auto Headlamps & Wipers, Push Start, Elec Seats, 6 Airbags, Sunroof and so forth) it’ll be as costly as RM150k. It makes the Mazda seems more value to money among the Jap brands.

    There’s definitely something very wrong with the cars industry where the price is extremely high and every time the price got revised, the jump is just way too much (relative comparison to foreign countries factoring in the conversion) and models are limited. Someone is definitely benefiting from the situation very much.

    Reply Thumb up 10 Thumb down 1
    • alldisc says:

      really? a camry 2.2 was 160K in 1997 (after economic crisis started). the second gen 2.2 also sold at 160K from 1999 to 2003. 3rd gen camry 2.4 sold around 165K and the latest 4th gen camry is selling at 172K. 10K difference over a period of 13 years.

      corolla SEG was selling for 110K in year 2000. 1.6 EFI, twin airbag, ABS.
      after 10 years you still fork out 110K for corolla but you get 1.8 with VVTI, CVT and other electronic gizmos unimaginable a decade ago.

      the secret is – japanese cars are not allowed to sell so cheap or low enough to kacau national car market. camry cannot kacau perdana (at 100K) while vios cannot kacau waja/persona.

      Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 3
      • cat says:

        govt prob sub Proton and P2 price… but I doubt they don’t allow T or H to sell their car at rock bottom price like Hyundai.. T or H… your lower price of cars will be very very well appreciated.. hehehe..

        Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  78. terrestrial says:

    No matter how ugly or comments , some ppl juz going for brand, their will think toyota is best……… but now there are lot of cars better than this…

    Reply Thumb up 10 Thumb down 3
  79. RadzLee says:

    Toyota sedans low spec are only fit to be taxis…

    Indonesia: vios
    Thailand: corolla altis

    if want style better buy something else lar…

    Reply Thumb up 11 Thumb down 7
  80. E Bear says:

    Don’t know why so many people hate this but i thought the facelift made the car look more relaxed with smoother bumpers.

    Nice. The 2.0 litre way too expensive…….

    Reply Thumb up 11 Thumb down 2
  81. cyberspace says:

    Im just wondering…if the overprice issue is in question due to G tax..but how about Naza Kia which could sell their cars at competitive price such as Forte, Naza Ria etc. Toyota also assemble their cars in Malaysia rite? hmmm…

    Reply Thumb up 8 Thumb down 1
    • autojohndoe says:

      sometimes,

      just to make themselves happy with the buying at such price… they blame others…

      they didnt judge their ownself as the one who had made decision for the purchase…

      Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 4
      • cyberspace says:

        Yeah..so G tax is not the only issue i guess…the company itself who should look into on how to utilise and not only making a huge profit on it..

        Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
    • alldisc says:

      Forte was considered national car because of Naza badge.

      Naza Ria was selling for 103K back then, but the original Kia Carnival was selling for 160K in year 2000.

      and are we aware how cheap products from korea can be? in 2002/3 a CBU Spectra costs less than 10K per unit for naza to bring in. add 300% import tax it is still cheaper than wira. govt push the prices so high so as not to kacau proton and made the late tan sri a millionaire.
      but it was big relieve to proton laa..

      Reply Thumb up 6 Thumb down 1
    • campro says:

      sorry dude…..all toyota car is assemble in THAILAND and some mpv like Innova is from INDONESIA…..not much car manufacturer want to build their car in M’sia bcoz m’sia taxation n regulation too much…poor incentive compare to Indonesia & Thailand….but u still always heard Minister say M’sia is car production hub/center….in reality Thailand is the actual ASEAN car production hub for Asia Pacific region….THailand is the most benefit from the ASean’s AFTA….

      Reply Thumb up 6 Thumb down 2
      • John Doe says:

        ALL toyota cars assembled in Thailand? Gawd, some people should go do their research before posting anything here….

        For a fact:
        1. Innova, Fortuner, Hilux, Vios, Avanza and Hiace are assembled in Malaysia
        2. Camry, Altis, Wish, Yaris from Thailand
        3. Rush from Indonesia

        And what it means by “not much car manufacturer want to build their car in M’sia”?
        1. Camry going to be locally assembled in the next facelift/FMC
        2. VW tie-up with DRB-HICOM

        Friend, you need to seriously look things up 1st…..

        Obviously someone loves Proton waaaay too much.

        Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 3
        • thai fiesta says:

          I am not sure what model that other asean countries produce by themself but in Thailand we are only import Avanza from Indonesia . Other all models, camry, altis, vios, yaris, fortuner, vigo, hiace(van), are produced here in two main factories at Samutprakan and Ban Poh – Chachoengsao.

          Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • paragon says:

        dude…
        Avanza is built by Perodua in their Rawang plant.

        Of course all toyota cars, parts and after sales services are WAY overpriced. Otherwise, how come their employees get at least 5-month bonus every year and their home loan interest fully subsidized by the company (pay actual house price only).

        all thanks to the Malaysians worshiping the T-brand like brainwashed zealots.

        Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
        • John Doe says:

          I didn’t say the Avanza was assembled in ASSB. I just said it was assembled in Malaysia. Thought it was waaaaay too much info for the blokes who posted those stuff up there. Innova from Indonesia? Wait til he finds out Avanza is assembled in Perodua, his brain will explode! So, no, thought I’d spare his sanity by summing it up for the poor guy….

          Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
          • paragon says:

            john i have no doubt in your comment only you should see the reply comment chain/indentation a little more carefully. my comment is a reply to the cakap-pandai campro dude, not yours. but anyway I appreciate your response. peace~

            p/s: he didn’t reply so i assume you’re right his brain has exploded…LOL

            Reply Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
    • mikec says:

      Have you heard of the words AP kings and cronies?

      Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  82. amirad says:

    Somehow I feel our national car industry is actually benefiting Honda and Toyota more. By making imported cars very expensive, resale value becomes the top priority and hence the high demand for T and H. Imagine if there is no national car industry. Car prices will be more ‘natural’ and the supremacy of certain brands will be greatly reduced.

    Reply Thumb up 18 Thumb down 0
    • squawk says:

      Imagine if we had the choices like the Europeans. Oh what a headache it would be to choose a car. :-P

      Reply Thumb up 8 Thumb down 0
    • campro says:

      yaya…i get ur good points….pls don’t ever think japanese ppl r a fool….the fool 1 is our country /choco ppl…

      Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  83. autojohndoe says:

    Danny,

    This CVT from Toyota, is it better than what Honda use in Jazz last time?

    The CVT belt tends to fail due to misalignment during shifting because
    1. unsyncronize Drive and Driven Pulley movement
    2. belt overspeed
    3. lost of clamping force/friction

    If i am not mistaken, Honda does not introduce their CVT after the Jazz because of this failure.

    Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 4
    • Danny Tan says:

      Questions/queries about Super CVT-i reliability should be taken to UMW Toyota.

      CVT is not a dead technology just because one manufacturer pulls out of it.

      Reply Thumb up 10 Thumb down 3
    • littlefire says:

      I dont see Nissan have issue with their eXtroid CVT. CVT have many different variation. Some of them use normal belt or metal belt and some use only pulley. Like Danny Tan mention, just 1 manufacturer pull out doesnt mean all will follow…

      http://www.autozine.org/technical_school/gearbox/tech_gear_cvt.htm#CVT

      Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
      • autojohndoe says:

        but, as for your information…

        All metal V-belt CVT facing this alignment issue if they are using single acting pulley…

        unless, the pulley is double acting, the alignment issue can be avoided…

        which means, the pulley clamp the belt from both side instead of one.

        but, double acting pulley will have another problem; sufficient clamping force as double acting pulley is not consistent in giving clamping.

        Reply Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
    • campro says:

      honda CVT kanasai suck problems a lot until they abandon it in new generation (current) city & jazz….
      toyota CVT dun knw hv to wait thailand & M’sia white mouse test 1st for 1-2 year…then we can knw how good the toyota CVT….
      nissan X-CVT is the best smooth quiet…..toyota CVT technology cannot match Nissan X-cvt….in the main article also hv mention it not as good as nissan x-cvt

      Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
  84. dragon says:

    Altis is my first choice because 1 liter oil can run up to 18.2km…(from toyota taiwan)
    better than vios and city…
    nice…
    but 2.0 is too expensive…

    Reply Thumb up 11 Thumb down 4
    • New2Korean says:

      18.2km/1litre! Dream on boy…

      Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 3
      • bx19gt says:

        (taiwan media also mention that the average fuel consumption of 18.2km/l and 17.7 km/l (2.0 litre) is actually 3 km/l better fuel consumption than the mit lancer 1.8/2.0 in taiwan. They claim it is class leading in quite a big margin at their respective category. Believe it or not

        Reply Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
    • WL says:

      Are u sure u got the readings correct…18.2km/l ?? Hybrid car izzit?

      Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  85. New-generation says:

    It’s just approxamately 10k away from Camry 2.0E,
    Seems to be overpriced,
    But the CVT sounds attracting,
    Is it the most expensive C-segment car?

    Reply Thumb up 8 Thumb down 0
  86. Mr.driver says:

    How much will it be without G tax?
    In Langkawi maybe?

    Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
  87. loollool says:

    UMW , you are ripping us off !!

    UMW , you are ripping us off !!

    Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 23 Thumb down 2
  88. John Doe says:

    Ugly beige colour interior again? When will Toyota (and some other car manufacturers for that matter) start giving customers choices according individual preference? The are already selling the all-black interior in Thailand and UMW Toyota is taking the cars from Thailand anyhow! How difficult can it be? Low specifications at high prices with no customizable options, truly the sad state of our automotive industry.

    Ironically, if you would check Toyota Malaysia website (http://www.toyota.com.my/altis/estimated-price.dot), it states the interior trims and panels would be in dark grey and silver colours.

    Reply Thumb up 9 Thumb down 2
  89. WooGoo says:

    No keyless go for local models? No Aux/USB/Ipod jack? No GPS also?

    UMWT gotta wake up and at least put them as options!!! Don’t they know no body plays CDs anymore???

    Reply Thumb up 12 Thumb down 0
  90. hiiman says:

    really hate the tail lights. look like some el cheapo car trying to look luxurious

    Reply Thumb up 8 Thumb down 2
  91. libralcl says:

    The front is not bad but the rear is not my taste. I still like Forte design if compare to this car.

    Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
    • alpha999 says:

      forte design is great…but as usual…toyota will be top selling non-national make

      Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • sam says:

      just because forte sell much cheaper… if both sell with same price, i bet you will get different story

      Reply Thumb up 2 Thumb down 2
      • raja hakim says:

        nah… i will get the forte cause it dosnt sell as expansive as this T-sh**…. and it have more feature like the push start button as well as safety feature like the 6 airbag… love forte, hate toyota

        Reply Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
      • WHO AM I? says:

        You may be right. But the fact we facing is Altis are way more expensive than Forte. This is the fact that we cannot either deny or change in possible near future.

        Please do not mention the price at the foreign nation, but their fact aren’t apply in our malaysia.

        Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  92. east says:

    I would rather get civic or volks for that price. Nothing new from toyota except facelift most of the time.

    Reply Thumb up 8 Thumb down 3
  93. terminate79 says:

    I still prefer going got Kia forte then to the expensive altis which having the same capacity but worse look then forte even with new facelift… its time for T to make changes to the design and more creativity align with safety is needed…

    Reply Thumb up 7 Thumb down 4
  94. JKucing says:

    Why the dual vvti 2.0 litter engine is less torque than Camry’s single vvti 2.0 engine? Detuned for fuel saving?

    Reply Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
  95. txsuprasonic says:

    the current car is already a great cruiser, now i guess it is even better with new engine and cvt, i like the more dynamic look. btw i once saw someone took a standard altis (current gen) to sepang on track day, looks fast, beat some neos too.

    and pls dont compare new waja and kia/naza and altis/civic, toyota and honda dont get subsidies unlike them.

    Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 3
  96. djomaha says:

    Tail lights are ugly

    Reply Thumb up 5 Thumb down 3
  97. 27 says:

    The engine spec is good, especially the CVT engine, personally I own civic 2.0, which I think it is fun to drive, but sometimes I sit on my friend atlis 1.8, which is quite comfort too…

    I think the new civic will come out very soon since it is almost close to 5 years if not mistaken, not sure whether will be six speed or CVT, but the engine spec probably can go up to 165ps compare current 155ps…

    Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 3
  98. TK says:

    Korean design is better due to a few well known ITALIAN designer do the design job for them. This happen since few years back already, like Proton EMAS design by one of the famous ITALIAN.

    Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  99. vl says:

    nice front part especially on the head lamp, really improved, but the rear part still… haih.. inside the rear cluster is ugly (camry rear lamp with city 06 cluster design) and interior is still very uncle design with wooden deco. You can do better on next generation!

    Reply Thumb up 1 Thumb down 3
  100. mata katak says:

    Even my unker says its an unker car……….haih….

    Toyota, please give us more refreshing design please……

    Reply Thumb up 6 Thumb down 6
  101. gogo toyota says:

    TOYOTA COROLLA is always No. 1 worldwide

    http://www.automotoportal.com/article/Top_5_Worlds_Most_Successful_Cars_Ever

    http://forums.motortrend.com/70/6476407/the-general-forum/top-50-best-selling-cars-of-all-time/index.html

    This is going to be another bestseller worldwide !!!

    ALL OTHER BRANDS STAND BEHIND LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

    Reply Hot debate! Thumb up 10 Thumb down 15
    • CopyCat says:

      Lol, always No.1 because of the price laaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

      People got fooled by the article laaaaaaaaaa.

      Reply Thumb up 2 Thumb down 4
    • Lasting99 says:

      Confused by the article, it says Toyota started making Corolla in 1966 and have 9 generations. There did not make it clear which generation sold 35 million or which generation in 1997 became best selling. Or is it all the generations combine?

      Reply Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
    • Cvn says:

      Best seller in the world because it’s value for money elsewhere, here UMW is ripping us off with high price and low spec… all thanks to people who shout “go go toyota” and ” Toyota come come screw us”…. and thanks to ppl like you T & H will assume consumer here will buy whatever shi* with their emblem on.

      Reply Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  102. jamal says:

    if got some 130k spare money i’ll get this car. toyota is best for city and hway driving in my book.

    Reply Thumb up 9 Thumb down 12
  103. kimi_ says:

    OMG, the rear lights looks like those in cheap-ass china car or ah beng modified one….

    I think it is better if the two white round shaped bulb is not connected by the white rectangle…………..

    Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 11
  104. Anti Proton says:

    civic better

    Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 15
  105. fazron80 says:

    bring on the manual, if the price can be cheaper, this altis can the interest as what vios J did when they introduced manual. Cheaper price but essentially the same car.

    Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 3
  106. kahkahkah says:

    UMWT better sell your car fast before Wajalancer come out.

    Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 5
  107. WL says:

    This car is not ugly…it is just plain boring only. Japs have not been getting good designer like the koreans did, so they end up with cars which are more functional than looks. Maybe they should joint venture with the koreans to built a truly asian car. Korean design with Japanese technological knowhow

    Reply Thumb up 5 Thumb down 3
  108. joe w says:

    interior is vy sucks… uncle feel~~~

    Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
  109. Realistic says:

    Toyota’s are over priced and over-rated. I don’t think it will be able to hold on to the no.1 position in the world much longer. Maybe just two years, thats all!

    It is not selling well in the two fastest growing markets in the world – China and India. It is also a failure in Western Europe. It’s biggest markets are US and Japan, both of which are declining.

    If you thought the recall’s are Toyota’s main problem – wait for more problems to come when the US market slows down even further and Japan goes back into its “shell”

    Reply Thumb up 11 Thumb down 1
  110. maa says:

    like the cvt 7speeds..dual vvti..
    but no aux/usb port..keyless..still 2airbags..
    and last the butt is really big turn off..

    Reply Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
  111. jonijonjon says:

    bring in the corolla xrs…UMW !!

    Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  112. leekowchai says:

    isn’t this corolla due for a new generation like the civic? Or do we need to wait another 2 years? I love the current camry but i just don’t find this generation of altis appealing. Hope toyota could roll out the new generation sooner.

    Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  113. Roy says:

    Nice car but beige interior has spoiled my intention to purchase it. I will go for Civic. Seriously I was waiting for this model but however, even fuel save and other gadgets but the important is style and sporty look. Darker interior looks more macho and more reliable for long run. Beige interior for single person use and not for family.

    I think Thai market knows that beige does not last long. Malaysian market wanted to go for cheaper version with beige color.

    All the best to Toyota Malaysia. Hope they can hit the target. They have lost one customer already. HIDUP CIVIC!!!!!!!

    Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 4
    • durian says:

      Toyota will nvr regret losing one customer who is shallow minded!!

      Worldwide – Toyota is way better.

      Altis finishing is way better then civic!!

      civic = ‘young punk car’

      Reply Thumb up 2 Thumb down 2
      • New2Korean says:

        You are ABSOLUTELY correct. You have said something that is true in human society.

        The cheaters/con-men will never regret ripping-off others, in fact they will only regret if they DON’T rip-off people!

        Toyota is not only way better… THEY ARE NUMBER 1! That mean they are better than Mercedes, Bentley, Audi and ANYTHING ELSE on this planet.
        But you should also know that on this planet there are also more poor people, more stupid people and more suckers too!

        Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 2
  114. Alexander says:

    The design… getting older and older.., except performance and fuel consume matter ,i think most people nowadays cherish the good looking car . Yeah, gals too !

    Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 3
  115. MikeC says:

    CVT means you need to bring back to Toyota for servicing…. no ah beng mechanic even after warranty period…. i would have preferred a 5 AT or 6 AT instead of a CVT.

    Reply Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  116. LoveJapan says:

    New2Korean,

    They are number one because they are cheap and used to be reliable (at one time – around 1980′s to 90′s). But not anymore. Now, they are made cheaply with cheap materials – there are more recall problems with Toyota compared with all other brands in the world. So i don’t think they will be holding to the top position much longer ….

    Lets face it, Toyota is going down …

    Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 2
  117. cat says:

    Lets face it, Toyota is the only one that dares to do the recall in such mass model.. alot of the supplier for the recalled part supply also to Ford/GM and other brands.. do u tink others is spared from the defects?

    Frankly… recall all that u wan.. as long as I know my car is well taken care of and its safe..

    Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  118. anas says:

    still prefer civic 2.0 than corolla altis.

    Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 3
  119. kiong says:

    Can a toyota prius from the US be coverted to RHD?If possibe what model year is the easiest to convert. I have an 05 now.

    Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  120. Shaharom Ahmad says:

    Another boring design from Toyota again. Infact KIA and Hyundai have a better design and a way ahead of Toyota design. And with kinda price tags, people will shift to KIA and Hyundai…

    Reply Thumb up 1 Thumb down 3
    • mike says:

      In Malaysia, car prices are very high (thanks to our gov supporting Proton). Sometimes when people choose cars, they also look into the practicalities of owning the car, not purely the looks and design. I agree that some Koreans makes look attractive and cheaper at the beginning but the overally cost of ownership may not be that great. It is sad that we choose cars based on service quality and resale value; but we are living in Malaysia where cars are expensive and salaries are low. Why would people pour money down the drain just because they want a stylish car?

      Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  121. kingamok says:

    If you are young or energertic driver, get mazda 3 2.0 better than this altis. Value for money cbu from japan. Zoom-zoom spirit. You won’t regret. Believe me :)

    Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
    • cat says:

      try out also the lancer and Civic… Mazda… shabby at the moment prob shud stay away until they fully establish themselves in malaysia..

      Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  122. leonard says:

    I rather buy a unit middle range apartment rather than buy this car. No doubt how is look like we are not suppose to give comment here but direct to UMW. Ppl choice civic, camry, sonata, waja lancer is their choice. Money is them. Why u wanna give so much suggestion? Is ur car good enough to give piece comment to this altis?

    Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  123. Clyde VZS says:

    mesmerizing …yet fascinating, perhaps there’ will be some sort of C class competition with Honda soon

    Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  124. Air Lemonade says:

    I thik all of u better set up your own car factory.. than do wat u want.. so funny..

    Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  125. the matter of fact is... says:

    Each time when I looked at the discussion forum, blog, comment on the aticle, etc regarding the newly launched Toyota cars, many anti-Toyota fans were always trying to emphasize that the person who bought Toyota car is the dump person…

    In this article, I would like to remind those people, Toyota Corolla is the word’s best-selling car. There are many “dump” people wordwide to help keeping this record since 1997 and none of the year since then was failed to do so.

    out of this article, there are many “dump” people out there helped keeping Toyota in the track of No.1 automaker despite of the recent recall.

    Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 4
  126. DogoftheCar says:

    Whatever it is..
    still..

    ALTIS > CIVIC and Lancer.

    and I KNOW IT!!

    Reply Thumb up 3 Thumb down 2
  127. whatcartobuy says:

    watch ANCAP car crash test for Altis(5*) and civic(4*)

    Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  128. whatcartobuy says:

    ANCAP CAR CRASH TEST

    TOYOTA ALTIS – 5*
    HONDA CIVIC – 4 *

    Reply Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  129. razid says:

    better then Honda Civic that still using old sucks SOCH VTECH hahaha
    no Drive with wire also ahahaha

    Reply Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0

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