Thursday, May 14, 2009

Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8G - Test Drive

Previous review: Showroom spy shots!

Had the pleasure of spending a morning driving the near-top-of-the-range new Corolla (1.8G spec, which includes EVERYTHING except leather), and it really surprised me! The owner had specced her car with the additional RM$1,500 bodykit which was money well-spent.



The 16" inch rims rode very differently from the equivalent sized numbers on a Honda Civic 1.8S, which is firmer. The Corolla was really a "baby Camry", so comfortable over our heavily rutted roads!
I was surprised by the inclusion of a sequential gear-shift on this model, just flick the gear lever (a nice positive action I have to add!) to the right, and raise up a gear "+" or lower a gear "-", and the transmission reacts accordingly. However, the Corolla is still a car to be driven smoothly and comfortably, as compared to the much sportier Civic. The choice is yours!


Parking is a doddle with the Park Distance Control, yes it even includes front sensors. Just click the button labelled "P" below and voila! I also found the muted-orange indicator lighting eg. on the A/C and Circulation very soothing, and the interior of the Corolla is simply a great place to be in!
Overall, it was a really good driving experience, and one that surprised me.
The "plus" points ... Comfort, specification, conservative looks, excellent resale value (one day!).
The negatives ... Not as sporty as the Civic, overly conservative looks especially when parked alongside a sexy Civic, and engine was slightly unresponsive (But that may have been because this particular drive I enjoyed had only 4,000km on the clock).

2 comments:

Ciki said...

Wa, looks much btr thn d original altis .. Tht was so beng! Lol

Julian Si said...

Heh heh ... ah beng cars are VERY popular in our Tanahair :-)