The Hindu Business Line : Corolla jazzes up to stay on top

STAYING on top is far more difficult than getting there. This holds true in the dynamic and highly competitive world of automobiles too. Car manufacturers have to be constantly in touch with their customers and the market for being a wheel ahead of the competition, especially with regard to ownership satisfaction.

The Toyota Corolla is clearly the leader in the C+ executive segment of the passenger car market with a 32 per cent share. To retain and consolidate its market share, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has launched a refreshed, refurbished Corolla to make it an even more attractive option for customers in this segment. The changes, based on customer feedback, have led to the addition of a few practical, premium features and a few styling changes both inside and outside the car.

New exteriors

The Corolla's bonnet grille has been re-designed to give it a bold, bigger look. The honeycomb grille design with a wider bottomline in the front bumper is more attention grabbing. The 10-spoke alloy wheel and the tubeless tyres have now been introduced across grades offering more `premiumness' even for buyers of the base model. The fog lamps have been re-designed and the new classy LED rear combination lamp adds to the car's classy appeal. Other new features include the printed antennae in the rear windshield, adding to the car's aesthetics and image. The suspension has also been tweaked to improve ride comfort.

Improved interiors

The interiors have been spruced up not only to enhance the visual appeal and luxury feel but also to improve the comfort levels for the occupants. The steering wheel now comes with an elegant wooden finish and is equipped with conveniently placed audio controls.

The Corolla's premium music system comes with a 6CD, AM/FM in-dash player which also reads MP3 tracks. The new wood trim centre panel, perforated leather seats, leather steering wheel, chrome scruff plate in front doors and so on, based on the trim level, further augment the car's luxury image. Thoughtful improvements in the interiors include extra lumbar support for the driver's seat, courtesy delay lamp to improve visibility during entry and exit in the dark, and keyless entry. Also, a further reduction in noise, vibration and harshness has been ensured with the introduction of additional insulation pads.

The Corolla will continue to be powered by a 1.8-litre DOHC VVT-I engine that develops 125PS of peak power. Delivery of power is smooth and seamless, thanks to the optimal timing achieved by using Toyota's VVT-I (Variable Valve Timing-Intelligent) technology.

The Corolla is now available in six colours, which include the new Green Mica Metallic. Priced between Rs. 9.93 lakh and Rs. 12.15 lakh (both ex-showroom, Chennai), this ninth generation Corolla comes with a warranty of three years or 1 lakh km, whichever is earlier.

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