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Manila Bulletin devider Drive devider A silent, safe, and efficient hybrid

A silent, safe, and efficient hybrid

Published Jan 13, 2023 08:29 am

2020 Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8V Hybrid CVT

The title summarizes what the 2020 Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8V Hybrid CVT is all about. The test unit arrived with a reading of 14.4 kilometers per liter. After only two days and under average driving conditions (did some overtaking, maintained max highway speed), it performed better. I’m now at 15.6 km/l and rising.

Except for the ‘Hybrid’ badge on the side and tail and the blue halo of the front and rear logo, this model looks like the non-hybrid Corolla Altis models. Its body is sleek with a great-looking façade that comes with the most stylish interpretation of Toyota’s ‘Keen Look.’ The lines on the nose are slim and come with the exact amount of chrome accents to match the thin bi-beam LED headlights and LED daytime running lamps. At the back are similarly styled LED combination lamps connected by a chrome bar and a bumper with shapely edges to match the housing of the front LED fog lamps.

This model is probably one of the best-looking sedans in the local market, along with the Mazda3. It is sexy without exaggerating its curves and exudes elegance despite minimal chrome effects. Its beauty lies in its design, and after making Corollas for 56 years, it feels like Toyota has made its best body to date.

As the top variant, it uses a smart-entry system and a Push-Start button. Despite the low roof and center of gravity, it was surprisingly easy to climb aboard and exit the vehicle.

For a car with a chic body and highly advanced powertrain, the cockpit's design leaves much to be desired as the layout looks like something from the previous generation. It does have a padded dashboard and soft-touch surfaces on the door panels.

In the middle is an eight-inch touchscreen display. The operating system is a little dated compared to the competition in the segment. The spec sheet says it has Apple CarPlay, but it did not activate when I plugged in my device. Pairing via Bluetooth is easy and only needs to be done once, but wirelessly playing music needs to go through a process, which was tedious.

The air vents are slim but with big openings, which made it easy to cool the cabin down. There are rear vents as well. I like that it still has manual aircon controls, so it only took less than a second to adjust fan speed. New designs in other cars today will make you go through several menus just to increase or lower the temperature.

It has an EV mode button to go fully electric, which is battery level contingent (needs to have around 40% charge), and a Drive button to switch between Eco, Normal, and Sport (Power). Sport mode increases the revs but has more bark than bite, which means loud revs with only a slight increase in pull at best. Eco is more subdued and retards almost all feedback in favor of reduced fuel consumption. I stayed in Normal most of the time. It is the perfect compromise between the two modes and delivers the right response relative to driver input.

Steering is light, but the turn ratio could be better. For a compact sedan, it barely made a complete U-turn on a four-lane road. I expect better in the next generation.

Comfort is superb, and that is what this model is known for. It takes all shapes and sizes of humps easily and always lands gently. Noise, vibration, and harshness suppression are very good. Handling is commendable because its low stance keeps body roll to a minimum.

I saved the two best features of this model for last: the 1.8-liter engine complemented by an electric motor and the Toyota Safety Sense.

The first is the hybrid powertrain mated to a continuously variable transmission. Max output is 121-PS and 142-Nm of torque. It is silent at startup as it uses the electric motor to get the vehicle rolling. Even with the engine running, it is quieter than most other models in its segment. Acceleration is gentle but overtaking along city streets is a cinch with added throttle pressure. Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) is a collection of advanced driver-assist systems that include Pre-Collision, Automatic High Beam, Lane Tracing Assist, Lane Departure Alert, and Dynamic Radar Cruise Control.

At P1.595 million, the 2020 Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8V Hybrid CVT is not the most affordable compact sedan. But with a hybrid engine and TSS, it is undoubtedly the most efficient, quietest, and safest sedan you can buy in the market right now.

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