GALLERY: 2019 Toyota Corolla 1.8G versus 2018 Altis

The new 2019 Toyota Corolla appeared in showrooms last week, and we’ve already brought you a full gallery and a complete breakdown of specifications. What we didn’t tell you was that we also shot a gallery of the 2018 Corolla Altis that was also on display right next to it, giving us a rare opportunity to look at the 11th and 12th generations side by side.

Of course, despite both cars being badged 1.8G, this is not a true apples-to-apples comparison – without a larger engine option, the same variant of the latest model is closer in specs and price (an estimated RM136,888) to the soon-to-be-discontinued 2.0V. However, this should still give us a good look as to what has changed between old and new.

Firstly, the name change. As Corolla is a more recognisable global nameplate, local distributor UMW Toyota Motor will ditch the Altis branding in marketing materials – a name that was used on Toyota’s stalwart C-segment sedan in Southeast Asia since the ninth generation. But since the new car is fully imported (CBU) from Thailand, it will still feature prominent Altis badging.

Before we start, just bear in mind that the new Corolla will be positioned on the left, and the older 11th-gen on the right. From the front, the new model looks neater and far sleeker with a thin chrome strip that extends into the slim headlights (halogen on the 1.8E, full LED on the 1.8G). Cooling vents have been moved down into a gaping intake with horizontal slats, mirroring that of the new Camry.

To accentuate its width, the new Corolla features prominently squared edges that are highlighted in chrome. Previously, the older model featured deeper grooves, but both still get rounded halogen fog lamps. The lower lip is also more subtle on the new car, and there’s a protruding camera model just above the plate holder.

Round the side, there are obvious differences between the two. For starters, the side mirrors are now mounted on the doors instead of the windows, slightly improving visibility. The newer design looks to be smaller too, and only the top section of the window surrounds are finished in chrome. Previously, the chrome was along the bottom section of the windows.

The doors differ in that the shoulder line no longer align with the new, chromed door handles, and the lower moulding is more sculpted. The rear door design no longer curves along the rear wheels, and the C-pillars are more uniform in shape (from roof to shoulder) thanks to the elongated window edge.

Other details include the new 17-inch two-tone alloys, with a design that’s similar (but not identical) to the previous pre-facelifted 2.0V, as well as the omission of the VVT-i badge on the front fenders. Nice updates overall, here.

Over to the back, the new three-dimensional LED tail lights get the same red/clear lens combo, although flipped to give the L-shaped red LED section a more distinct look from afar. The light units are again joined by a thick piece of chrome, designed to highlight the car’s width.

The boot opening is more squared out to make loading and unloading easier, the Corolla Altis badge moved below to the left of the tailgate, and the rear-view camera is positioned in the middle below the Toyota logo, which is now more prominently recessed. The rear bumper is new, of course, featuring four sensors and two reflectors – the sole exhaust exit is still on the right.

Inside, the new Corolla is evidently less cluttered than before. It’s not the prettiest, but at least it’s neat. The driver now gets a nicer three-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel, a squared binnacle for the Optitron instrumentation with a seven-inch TFT LCD display, asymmetrical air vents (rounded vents before), and a freestanding touchscreen display as opposed to the older unit that’s integrated into middle.

Again, this is not the most elegant design, but it creates the visual effect which separates the dashboard from the centre tunnel. Down here, one will find a Qi wireless smartphone charging tray, a more modern gear shifter and no longer the ancient gated type (like finally), electric parking brake, dual cubbies to go with the larger door bins, and a dedicated Sports mode button at the fore of the tunnel.

Other changes include the repositioned start-stop ignition switch (now on the left), and redesigned centre stack with rounded dials for the dual-zone climate control.

The front and rear seats don’t just feature new design with mixed-material use – the front seats look like they’ve been sculpted to improve comfort, with a wider and longer seat base. The rear seats also feature deeper grooves on the seat base and seat backs.

Additional features and design changes include the new door cards, central rear air vents, integrated rear centre armrest with two cup holders, as well as a manual rear sunblind.

Unlike the 11th-gen Corolla, the new 12th-gen model will be offered with the sole 2ZR-FE 1.8 litre naturally-aspirated Dual VVT-i four-cylinder petrol engine, making 139 PS at 6,000 rpm and 172 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. As before, it is mated to a CVT with a Shiftmatic mode with seven virtual ratios, driving the front wheels.

The rear suspension has been upgraded to double wishbone units instead of the old torsion beam, a move that’s completely the opposite of what was done to the Mazda 3 (the previous-gen Mazda 3 featured multi-link rear suspension).

Standard kit includes automatic halogen headlights with LED daytime running lights and LED tail lights, 16-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry, push-start button, acoustic glass windscreen, solar and security window tinting, single-zone auto climate control, an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, fabric upholstery, a DVD infotainment system with a 6.8-inch touchscreen, six speakers and a portable tyre pump.

The 1.8G steps it up with full LED headlights, a wing mirror tilting function in reverse, auto wipers, dual-zone climate control, an Optitron instrument cluster with a seven-inch TFT LCD display, leather upholstery, a rear windscreen sunshade, Qi wireless smartphone charging and an electronic parking brake.

Safety-wise, all models get seven airbags, Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), hill start assist, rear ISOFIX child seat mounts and a tyre pressure monitoring system. The 1.8G benefits from the full Toyota Safety Sense suite of driver assists, including autonomous emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane tracing assist, blind spot monitoring and auto high beam.

The top-spec model also gets a “3D” 360-degree camera system and front and rear dash cams, items that are optional on the 1.8E (RM2,700 and RM1,100 respectively). Also offered as an option is a RM1,700 vehicle telematics system, which includes a two-year subscription worth RM250 a year. So, what do you think? Would you like a proper comparison between the new Corolla, Civic facelift and new Mazda 3?

GALLERY: 2019 Toyota Corolla 1.8 G