New Toyota Corolla Altis to launch in Indonesia next week – Malaysia next stop for the Honda Civic rival?

The all-new Toyota Corolla Altis made its ASEAN debut in Thailand this week, and Indonesia is the next stop according to local media Autonetmagz. The 2019 Toyota Corolla Altis is set to launch in the republic on September 12, which is next Thursday. The media invites by distributor Toyota Astra Motor are out.

It’s speculated that the new Altis for Indonesia will use the naturally aspirated 1.8 litre 2ZR-FBE engine with 140 PS and 177 Nm, paired to a CVT. This is the larger of two petrol NA engines available in Thailand, the other being the 1.6 litre 1ZR-FBE with 125 PS/156 Nm.

Our northern neighbours also get a 1.8L Hybrid version of the new sedan; this powertrain is already in Indonesia with the C-HR Hybrid, so there’s a possibility for the Altis Hybrid as well. It combines the 2ZR-FXE Atkinson-cycle version of the 1.8 litre mill that churns out 98 PS/142 Nm with a 72 PS/122 Nm electric motor for a total system output of 122 PS.

The Altis for the ASEAN market takes after the international Corolla Sedan, which has a more conventional and less overtly aggressive design than the US-market Corolla – it has been like this for some time now. However, the new Altis is still quite a bit more aggressive than the outgoing model, dominated by a massive lower grille and slim headlights/upper grille combo.

Measuring 4,640 mm long, 1,780 mm wide and 1,435 mm tall, the new Altis is 10 mm longer, five millimetres wider and 45 mm lower than the old car. The wheelbase stays the same at 2,700 mm, but the platform is now the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) also used by the Prius, C-HR and the D-segment Camry.

The interior has a layered dashboard design with a freestanding head unit, looking a lot more minimalist than the previous dash design. Aside from claims of improved perceived quality, Toyota has also added new features such as a large head-up display, a seven-inch digital speedo display, rear air-con vents and an eight-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

In Thailand, the new Altis range consists of six variants, split equally into petrol and Hybrid camps. Pricing starts at 829,000 baht (RM114,100) for the base 1.6 litre Limo, rising to 869,000 baht (RM119,600) for the 1.6G. There’s a sporty variant called the GR Sport, powered by the 1.8L and going for 999,000 baht (RM137,500). On the Hybrid side, it’s the Entry at 939,000 baht (RM129,200), Mid at 989,000 baht (RM136,100) and High to top out the range at 1.099 million baht (RM151,200).

Available kit include auto LED headlamps, an acoustic glass windscreen, navigation, T-connect telematics, the digital speedo and HUD, a Nanoe ioniser, powered rear sunshade, seven airbags, tyre pressure monitoring system and the Toyota Safety Sense suite of driver assist systems.

Jiran kita sudah, Malaysia bila lagi? What do you think of the new Altis vs the sales-leading Honda Civic and freshly-squeezed Mazda 3?

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