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S. Muralidhar

CLOSE on the heels of the launch of its premium, luxury sedan, Camry, Toyota has entered the high-end C-segment passenger car market with the launch of the much-awaited mid-size sedan, Toyota Corolla.

The Corolla, an extremely popular sedan in many Asian countries and the US, will compete with the likes of Opel Astra, Mitsubishi Lancer, Honda City and, may be, even Hyundai Sonata. Despite such worthy competition, the performance credentials shift the bias heavily in Corolla's favour.

Toyota Motor Corporation, the third largest automaker , has sold more than 29 million Corollas in 142 countries. The Corolla was first introduced by Toyota way back in 1968, as a two-door subcompact. By 1997, as many as 20 million units were sold in the US, where it was a runaway hit. The current version is extremely popular even in Asian countries such as Thailand and Malaysia where, thanks to Toyota's traditional focus on quality, the Corolla has earned the reputation of a dependable, fail-proof car.

The Japanese company is now introducing the latest, ninth generation Corolla for the Indian market. The car will be manufactured at Toyota Kirloskar Motor's plant at Bidadi in Karnataka. And will be offered in three variants with five colour options.

Toyota has adapted the Corolla for Indian conditions and the main areas of emphasis are improved safety standards suitable for the local driving conditions and performance parameters and quality that are expected by Indian customers, even while retaining the style and comfort epitomised by the brand.

On the styling front, the Corolla has been spruced up, with a new front fascia that includes aerodynamic multi-reflector, halogen, four-beam headlights, chrome-plated trim, lowered front bumper, and round reverse tail lamps. For better exterior ergonomics, the Corolla has also been fitted with sleek alloy wheels, bumper integrated fog lights, a concealed exhaust pipe and multi-reflector rear combination lamps. The car also features 15-inch radials as standard fitment.

To cater to the power hungry Indian car buyer, Toyota is offering a 1.8-litre, four-cylinder, sixteen-valve, double overhead camshaft (DOHC), VVT-i engine. With intelligent variable valve timing, the Corolla engine delivers an output of 125 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 16.1 kg-m of torque at 4,200 rpm. The 1,794 cc engine also boasts of a compression ratio of 10:1.

Toyota's VVT-i technology provides smooth acceleration through continuous optimisation of fuel and power availability and enhances fuel economy and reduces emissions. The Corolla is being offered with five-speed manual and a four-speed automatic transmission for the top-end variant. The automatic transmission also features a hydraulic clutch.

The top-end variant has an option of leather-upholstered seats and the driver's seat is adjustable for height. For better rider comfort, the Corolla's seats have been given high hip points. This enables ease of entry and exit from the vehicle, something which users of many low-slung mid-size cars do not enjoy.

Toyota has put much thought into the twin areas of comfort and safety for the Corolla. For improved drive quality, the front McPherson strut-type independent suspension along with stabiliser bar has been specifically tuned to provide easy handling and a comfortable ride. The specially designed ETA-beam type trailing arm rear suspension with stabiliser bar and toe-correcting bushes also provide better drivability, comfort and stability.

In the interest of safety, the Corolla features disc brakes on all four wheels and front and rear crumple zones that help absorb the impact in the event of a collision.

Other standard features include seat belts with adjustable anchors, airbags for the driver and passenger, child lock, engine immobiliser, and key and light reminders.

The Corolla has been introduced in three variants — 1.8J, 1.8E and 1.8G. The three trim-level models are in the price range of Rs 9.80 lakh, for the base variant, to Rs 12.50 lakh, for the top-end with leather upholstery (ex-showroom Delhi).

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