[vulpine101]

Sid, Did you really drive it? sorry for saying this.

But the review was not as polished or as detailed as say your punto 90hp review. I mean I didn't find any significant points that a typical team-BHP review(like GTO's) has.
And why post only pics taken in the showroom?

Ofcourse, If you have done >120 then U should have been on a highway. Please take some time to take pics outside that would be better.

Sorry, i didn't mean to offend you. just few suggestions from my side to improve your review. You are actually taking a lot of effort and want you to go that extra mile to make your reviews nearly perfect.
thankU

[sidindica]

Originally Posted by vulpine101

Sid, Did you really drive it? sorry for saying this.

But the review was not as polished or as detailed as say your punto 90hp review. I mean I didn't find any significant points that a typical team-BHP review(like GTO's) has.
And why post only pics taken in the showroom?

Of course, If you have done >120 then U should have been on a highway. Please take some time to take pics outside that would be better.

Sorry, i didn't mean to offend you. just few suggestions from my side to improve your review. You are actually taking a lot of effort and want you to go that extra mile to make your reviews nearly perfect.
thankU

Yes, I drove it. Koi shaq?

That's why it is labelled as a "first drive" and not a complete "test drive". One hour drive in various conditions isn't really a test drive but enough to put in first impressions. Kindly note that a "first drive" is not necessarily a complete tbhp standard "test drive." A first drive is just an kind of orientation of what to expect from a product and it is you, the buyer that makes the final decision.
it was the same with the punto. I got a different demo car which I lambasted and the other cars i saw had decidedly better interiors and a much better fit and finish. But the product which I got, the review had to be on that. so perceptions had differed.

a test drive takes hours and hours of testing, validation and evaluation before a final result is compiled. And I too am waiting for GTO's review. And time constraint did not let me to take many pics.
hope your doubts are cleared.

[Grace]

they stopped the qualis cos it was lapped by taxis. Now they are making a car targetting this segment.

Hi Xingamazon,

Stopping of qualis was because Toyota wanted to bring Innova, the innova concept is built on IMV platform-International Multi-purpose Vehicle. This IMV platform is used across the globe esp places like thailand,taiwan,china,middle east,where double cab/crew cab is put to high usage. Infact the hilux is based on IMV platform. Whoever said Toyota stopped Qualis to prevent entry into taxi segment is hogwash.. Toyota has attractive schemes for taxi/fleet owners.

Regards
Andy

Dear Sid,
Great review.
Would like to point out that Pakistan got its diesel corolla much earlier than us.

Regards
Andy

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by Grace

Whoever said Toyota stopped Qualis to prevent entry into taxi segment is hogwash.. Toyota has attractive schemes for taxi/fleet owners.

Regards
Andy

I agree with Andy. Toyota has a base model of Innova with steel wheels and grey bumpers? Who do you think is the target market for this bare bones, Innova? My guess would be the taxi market. It amazes me how people harp on the taxi tag.

FYI, even in the taxi market there is a pecking order based on the clientele. From your basic black and yellow taxi to the metered call taxis like meeru cabs to the taxis/corporate fleet leased to high end hotels and corporate executives. Essentially these are all taxis, but they cater to a different segment. As I mentioned earlier, it will be a very long time before you hail a black and yellow Altis taxi on the street. I have seen a large number of Corrolla taxis at hotels, etc. This never stopped private buyers from buying a corrolla. I feel this will be the same way with the Altis deisel too.

[rangarx]

Excellent Review, Sid!! Thanks a ton for the Scoop!!

I think this would eat up Petrol Corolla's Sales.. It remains to be seen if Civic sales would gain momentum due to the Petrol Corolla Fans turn to the diesel variant!

[vkochar]

The Corolla Altis was one of my favourite cars and the news of a diesel being launched soon had me sold. BUT after driving a verna for more than 2 years - driving this would be like downsizing !!

Why does the Corolla not offer 1.8 / 2.0 litre diesel engines ? Why do we continue getting puny sized engines on oversized cars ? I am very dissapointed.

The ford figo comes with a 1.4 ! Although at 67 bhp it feels just ok. But not the Corolla even if its 88 bhp !

The cruze is a perfect example of a powerful sedan. I'd buy the Cruze or the Verna any day.

In fact wait and watch the sales, they are not going to exactly set the chart on fire. This segment belongs partly to the enthusiastic driver and the urban cities where the owner will be well informed on the cars capabilities and I am sorry to say 1.4 is just not enough Toyota.

At this price everything is right for the car but the engine is oh so under powered ! I do not even want a TD on this one.

[Maverick_x1]

Originally Posted by vkochar

At this price everything is right for the car but the engine is oh so under powered ! I do not even want a TD on this one.

Almost a reflection of my thoughts VKochar! Most of the folks were so eager over the launch now only to be Put-off by the puny engine.

Is Toyota offering any other engine options other than the 1.4 now?

[Musicmaker23]

I don't think the 1.4 engine is going to *hurt* toyota in any way if sid's drive report is to be believe, which i do.
What the 1.4D is going to end up doing is attracting a lot more buyers, a lot of chauffeur driven men/women who end up sitting in the back seat but to whom the final fuel bills matter.
If someone has that kind of cash & wants to splurge on a performance machine, noone would aim for a Corolla in the first place. The car's name stands for reliability, trust & comfort. There're other avenues for the rev-happy buyers.
I'm glad to see that Toyota finally came out with the diesel. Are you listening Honda??

Sid, really liked the write-up. Its a great introduction before a full-blown review. Great going

[extreme_torque]

The BSM review also mentions severe turbo lag below 2000 rpm, which also concurs with autocar's review and my short drive which I have posted on this thread somewhere.

Toyota Corolla Altis Diesel - Altis and much more

That this was not a performance oriented car was clear even since Toyota announced the 1.4 liter engine capacity but Toyota's almost always have good drive ability and I am pretty disappointed by the engine on this showing. At just 57k's less than the performance benchmark Cruze, which incidently also has better looks and equipment levels, I find it hard for someone to convince himself to settle for Toyota and not to go Chevvy's way.

[Grace]

@rangarx: Toyota has decided to to continue petrol version. The production will be in 70:30 ratio with petrol in lower side. The Innova is manufactured in 95:5 ratio. Monthly they sell about 40-50 cars in petrol. The largest market for petrol/CNG being metros. If they stopped a lucrative position in industry they stand to lose marketshare leader position.

@Vkochar: You may not have the cake and eat it too. Toyota is giving you FE of 21+ and thats what we Indians look at a car and invariably think aloud "average kya ha". You cannot have power and FE at the same time. Toyota is very clear and has a strategy ahead to remain topslot in marketshare instead of changing the rules,you have to change the gameplan itself. I do not think any manufacturer of size of that car ever dared to claim a mileage of this number. Its difficult to make all people happy at the same time. As regards of your query on BHP,you have to see at what RPM you are getting the power,obviously more RPM means more stress on the engine.

@Maverick_x1: Refer to post of musicmaker23. Certainly this car will be in executive chauffer driven. At end of the day it is the fuel bill that will matters to the user in this segment. Toyota has to try making differant user segments happy.

@extreme_torque: When Toyota built the Corolla diesel,they stripped down a laura,octavia and a cruze and made the corolla from thereon. Infact I suggest you to drive a cruze and Altis dsl side by side. Cruze will feel very heavy as it is having a 2 litre engine,corolla will be very lightr footed.

[Me-hul]

Y 1.4?
Indian market is highly price sensitive. 1,8/2.0 l engine would highly escalate costs.
Wonder y people here tend to have the feeling that these auto companies try to treat India as inferior to other countries.
They are just catering to our market requirements/demands.
Honda tried getting a world -class product (jazz), accordingly priced. The result is right in front of you.

Just because of 1.4 engine they have come up with closely spaced 6-speed gear ratios. So a request to have a close look at what they have to offer.

No offense meant. Just a personal say.

[blackasta]

Originally Posted by Me-hul

Y 1.4?
Indian market is highly price sensitive. 1,8/2.0 l engine would highly escalate costs.
Wonder y people here tend to have the feeling that these auto companies try to treat India as inferior to other countries.
They are just catering to our market requirements/demands.
Honda tried getting a world -class product (jazz), accordingly priced. The result is right in front of you.

Just because of 1.4 engine they have come up with closely spaced 6-speed gear ratios. So a request to have a close look at what they have to offer.

No offense meant. Just a personal say.

jazz?? 'accordingly priced'????

[h.k]

Originally Posted by blackasta

jazz?? 'accordingly priced'????

do make a note cars with 1500 cc attratcts a different tax in the auto industry and thats why i guess toyota made it below the 1500 cc line.

honda jazz is a world class car, but the cost is high in india because its imported and thats what makes it more expensive assume jazz to be in the price of 5laks it would have sold like hot cakes. cheers mate.

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by Me-hul

Y 1.4?
Indian market is highly price sensitive. 1,8/2.0 l engine would highly escalate costs.
Wonder y people here tend to have the feeling that these auto companies try to treat India as inferior to other countries.
They are just catering to our market requirements/demands.
Honda tried getting a world -class product (jazz), accordingly priced. The result is right in front of you.

Just because of 1.4 engine they have come up with closely spaced 6-speed gear ratios. So a request to have a close look at what they have to offer.

No offense meant. Just a personal say.

How come Chevvy is able to price Cruze as such even though its a newer car, with bigger engine, better safety ( 5stars), better equipments??? I am sorry but the Corolla Altis is horrible overpriced for this engine.

[SkyWalker]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

How come Chevvy is able to price Cruze as such even though its a newer car, with bigger engine, better safety ( 5stars), better equipments??? I am sorry but the Corolla Altis is horrible overpriced for this engine.

+1
The diesel, which is a puny engine compared to the petrol, should come cheaper, not costlier. 90K more of a much smaller diesel engine is just Toyota's way of making money on Indian market conditions of paying more of any diesel engines.

That being said, i still say it would set the sales charts on fire. Toyota is not a non profit organization - so i see no reason why they shouldn't sell at a higher price when they can make good sales.