[dZired]

According to some media reports, Toyota is planning to introduce the mid-life facelift of the Corolla Altis in India next year. The current model is clocking sufficient numbers for the Japanese automaker, and Toyota might want to enhance its market presence with the introduction of the facelifted version. The Corolla is sold in 150 countries throughout the globe and the facelift of this executive sedan was recently unveiled in Russia.

The front fascia of the Corolla facelift has been reworked, as it gets a narrower grille and wider headlamps. Though Toyota has equipped the International spec Corolla facelift with full LED headlights, Indian customers would most likely get a conventional Xenon + LED DRL setup. The side profile remains similar to what is offered in the current model, while the rear gets a reworked chrome treatment above the number plate housing and a new set of LED tail lamps.

Powertrain options are expected to remain the same, i.e., the Corolla Altis facelift will get a 140 BHP, 1.8-litre petrol and an 88 BHP, 1.4-litre diesel.

Source: Autocar India



Link to Team-BHP News

[RavenAvi]

Toyota has recently given it's D-segment executive sedan, the Corolla Altis, a mid-life facelift. Revealed initially through sketch shots and studio images, the 2017 Corolla Altis facelift was revealed in the flesh in Russia about a month back. (link (Toyota Corolla (Altis) facelift images leaked))

Now, Toyota has confirmed that the 2017 Corolla Altis facelift will be coming to India next year.

The Corolla Altis has been a reasonable success for Toyota. Launched in 2014, the Altis has outsold it's nearest in-segment competitor, the Skoda Octavia, by a ratio of nearly 2.5:1 through FY2015. The Corolla brand has a strong pull in India (much like what Honda enjoys for the City in the C2-segment), and Toyota would want to keep the crown of the D-segment firmly in their grasp once the facelift is introduced.

The new 2017 Altis boasts of some more upmarket changes from the generation it's carrying the baton from. The exterior styling is now sharper than before with a narrower grille, bold, spread-out headlamps and a revamped front bumper. The interiors have been redone and higher quality materials have been used throughout the cabin. A larger 7-inch touchscreen Head Unit is now housed in the dashboard equipped with Toyota Touch 2 interface, and a 4.2-inch MID is fitted in the revised instrument console of the facelift. A reworked and improved climate control unit is equipped in the 2017 Altis, which is aided now by circular air vents.

The 2017 Altis is expected to come with the same 1.8L, 140HP petrol option which is mated to 6-speed manual and 7-speed CVT transmissions, and the 1.4L, 88HP diesel powerplant which many have already been critical of.

When launched, the 2017 Corolla Altis facelift is expected to come in the 13.5 lakh - 18.5 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) price bracket.

ACI

Related Read - 2017 Toyota Corolla Altis facelift (Toyota Corolla (Altis) facelift images leaked)

[Simhi]

I hope they bring in safety features like minimum 6 airbags in line with other competitors.

[PrasannaDhana]

Toyota can upgrade everything about the Corolla Altis except the weak diesel engine

How complete a car would it be, if it came with a 140bhp oil burner! It would remain the segment leader for decades to come.

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

Toyota can upgrade everything about the Corolla Altis except the weak diesel engine

How complete a car would it be, if it came with a 140bhp oil burner! It would remain the segment leader for decades to come.

It's actually the segment leader now with that diesel engine. If you add up the monthly sales of the Cruze, Elantra, Jetta and Octavia, the total is still lesser than the Corolla Altis sales for that month.

This is with a weak diesel engine, lack of features and no crazy turbo petrol.

That 1.4L diesel is actually preferred by chauffeur driven owners as they get fantastic fuel efficiency and they never drive them selves.

[ashis89]

While the exterior is very attractive and futuristic, the interiors are fit for Etios at best. It might look out of place even in an Etios.. The age old engine options continue to be offered, just like in the erstwhile Innova. They are reliable and have an established fan base.

If Toyota tries to be little adventurous and launches the car with a new set of engines, nobody would doubt their reliability too and would be happy to buy them. Based on the feedback, they could build all new interiors too and offer some more features as standard. But these would cost and why bother improving something when people are already buying a good quality product with less features and are ready to pay decent money for it.

[honeybee]

https://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&rc...27521224,d.c2I

Toyota is likely to rethink their India plans over the uncertainty about diesel engined vehicles.

[avisidhu]

Originally Posted by ashis89

While the exterior is very attractive and futuristic, the interiors are fit for Etios at best. It might look out of place even in an Etios...

Would humbly disagree. It's subjective so a matter of personal opinion, but I absolutely adore the interiors of the current one. May not be in the league of German counterparts but are still very mature looking and well put together.

I guess you might have meant wrt to it's price point, and may be somewhat right in that assessment. Thankfully it doesn't enjoy the kind of resale typical of most Jap products, so picking up a used one is an excellent proposition.

[GTO]

Agreed with BHPians. Wish the Altis got a diesel engine deserving of a 20 lakh price! The GL variant costs a whopping 21 lakhs on-the-road Mumbai; for that money, you end up with a puny 1.4L diesel making lesser power than some 6 lakh rupee hatchbacks, suffers from turbo-lag and needs to be worked hard on the open road (still getting nowhere too soon).

Originally Posted by Vid6639

This is with a weak diesel engine, lack of features and no crazy turbo petrol.

I think it's the petrol for individual buyers and diesel for cabbies that's bringing in sales. There's no doubt that Toyota could further increase the Altis' numbers if it came with a bigger diesel like its competitors. It would greatly expand the appeal of the car & badly hit the Jetta / Octavia.

[deevee]

Honestly they need to focus on the safety front. I think thats a department which this car completely lacks. 2 airbags for a 20L car. ESP?

[dinesh6481]

Same 1.4 Engine as we have seen in previous iteration and shared by Etios is a big letdown. But considering the fact that Toyota is one of the biggest hit by the illogical diesel ban and NGT directives, it came as no surprise that Toyota is wary of introducing anything worthwhile in Indian market. Till such time we have coherent policy in place, we can expect only cosmetic changes in existing models. BTW It seems the dashboard of 2017 corolla shares the same design philosophy of Cryta.

[SPARKled]

I guess this is the 3rd generation Toyota Altis/Corolla running on the same 1.8 petrol and the second generation running on the anemic 1.4 Diesel engine. This is the precise reason why I am wary of spending close 2 million rupees on an Altis even though I know its a pretty reliable car and all that. Is this the case internationally as well or specific to India only?

Thankfully not all manufacturers think this way or Mercedes would have continued selling their bomb proof W124s even now

[veyron_head]

Is it just me or the front now looks a lot like the Etios?

[Nitrous Power]

Originally Posted by SPARKled

I guess this is the 3rd generation Toyota Altis/Corolla running on the same 1.8 petrol and the second generation running on the anemic 1.4 Diesel engine. This is the precise reason why I am wary of spending close 2 million rupees on an Altis even though I know its a pretty reliable car and all that. Is this the case internationally as well or specific to India only?



Thankfully not all manufacturers think this way or Mercedes would have continued selling their bomb proof W124s even now

Agreed that Toyota's 1.8 liter is no TSI from Skoda but it's not true that it's same engine carried over for 3 generations. Toyota launched Corolla with 1ZZ-FE engine originally back in early 2000s. After that, they updated the Altis with 1.8 2ZR engine during the facelift. So the engine was updated.

To your Mercedes point, they also carried over their 220 and 250 CDI engines in two generations.

[sathya_g_m]

Not sure what stops Toyota from designing a new diesel engine for this segment. It is a poor attempt if they will have the same puny engine in facelift. It is as good as a Ciaz ZDI+ which is available at almost half its price :-)