THE GOLDILOCKS ZONE
Toyota has offered the new GR Sport spec on the latest Corolla Altis. Can it work?
It’s only recently that Toyota Motor Thailand has begun offering various model ranges that are easier to choose from.
Take a look at the latest generation of the Corolla Altis as an example. In the past, if you wanted sporty allure, there was the Esport or TRD Sportivo version to choose from.
Now, neither of those is an option because Toyota is keen to promote the newly created GR Sport spec.
As you might expect, there are a number of racy features, like skirts, a small rear spoiler, an aggressive-looking face and bespoke 17-inch wheels. There’s also sporty leather upholstery inside.
In an apparent bid to keep things as simple as possible, the GR Sport is the only variant in the Corolla range to come with the 140hp 1.8-litre petrol engine, as tested here at 999,000 baht.
Sure, many price-sensitive buyers will find the 125hp 1.6-litre variance sufficient at 869,000 baht, while those with fatter wallets would definitely peruse the new 122hp 1.8-litre petrol-electric hybrid available for between 939,000 and 1.099 million baht.
This clearly means that anybody going for the GR Sport must like a racy look, not be short on money and be yet to embrace hybrid technology. And there are only two rivals that can fulfil similar criteria: the Honda Civic VTEC Turbo and the just-launched Mazda 3.
Which brings us to the first test: does the Corolla look handsome in the GR Sport guise? Put it like this: the sporty accents may not appeal to all eyes, but they do distinguish the GR Spec from other Corollas.
Continuing with subjectivity, the two aforementioned competitors each look good on their own, with the Civic championing its arrow-like profile for many years already and the 3 carrying on its European-esque appeal. So be your own judge is essentially the take away here.
The Corolla’s interior has changed considerably when compared with its predecessor’s. There’s a new freestanding touchscreen that’s easy to use but is set too high on the dash.
But the fascia design is now tidy and spot on ergonomically, contributing to a mostly natural driving position, made better by a comfy seat. Soft-touch plastics have now arrived in the Corolla’s cabin to help lift perceived quality.
The Corolla sits on the brand’s latest TNGA platform but with the same 2.7m wheelbase of the previous model. Even so, space isn’t (and never was) a problem for a C-segment sedan like this. In fact, it’s generally on par with the
THE COROLLA HANDLES TIDILY, WITH ARGUABLY MORE FRONT END BITE THAN IN THE CIVIC
competition and doesn’t need to grow because the Corolla has to sit below the Camry in Toyota’s passenger car line-up.
Having rear seats that can fold to increase boot capacity may not be a priority for everyone. But the Corolla has them anyway and they’re not always present in sedans of rival brands.
With the TNGA floor plan already proving its merits in the Camry and C-HR, the Corolla becomes the next Toyota to benefit from it. The most notable improvement is the ride which is taut and compliant on rutted road surfaces.
The Corolla handles tidily as well with arguably more front end bite than in the Civic. Around town, the Corolla is easy to place thanks to light and direct steering.
However, the chassis doesn’t feel that planted to the tarmac at high speeds, where suppression of road noise could have been better too. The C-HR feels more accomplished here.
Despite the Civic now being offered with a petrol-turbo engine (including the Nissan Sylphy/Pulsar), the Corolla has yet to embrace such a motor, preferring to stick with the old naturally aspirated 1.8.
Even so, the Corolla’s non-turbo fourpotter still feels lively and eager, at least in pure isolation. And combined with a fine CVT automatic that shifts like a regular torque-converter, overall performance is still commendable.
It’s only when you think about topend rush that the Mazda 3 comes to mind, or the Civic VTEC Turbo when effortless overtaking is needed on two-lane country roads. One way or another, it’s time for the Corolla to adopt turbo tech.
And when you combine aspects of performance with the Corolla’s other bits, the evolution from old to new appears too slight to make a big deal out of. Yes, the Corolla displays better driving manners now, if not to a standout level.
As said earlier, the GR Sport is definitely for a focused group of buyers, especially when the engine choice and grade is limited to only one.
Given how the chassis behaves on this first account of the Corolla, it’s safe to assume that the hybrid is the more interesting choice. And making a GR Sport version out of it shouldn’t sound bad. After all, the world of sports cars has already embarked on electrification.