2014 Toyota Corolla Altis review, road test

In India, the Corolla has never had a powerful motor and, disappointingly, the new one doesn’t break away from the trend. In fact, it carries over the same motors as its predecessor and in the same state of tune too. So there’s the 138bhp 1.8-litre petrol engine and a 87bhp 1.4-litre diesel mill. Like earlier, the petrol motor is mated to either a six-speed manual ’box or a seven-speed step-CVT automatic, while the diesel gets just a six-speed manual gearbox.

From behind the wheel of the 1.8 automatic, the refined engine has a character that’s more relaxed than rushed and the power delivery is smooth and predictable. Sure, there’s the infamous rubber-band effect if you nail the pedal, but at part throttle, the CVT ’box keeps this effect to a minimum and shifts seamlessly. For those who’d like to take complete control over the reins, the paddle shifters work great in manual mode and obediently follow commands.
In fact, at about 65kph, tugging at the ‘minus’ paddle enough can push the cogs all the way from seventh to first! But pushing this motor to its 6,600rpm redline isn’t much fun as the last 2,000 revs just pile on more decibels than useable thrust. It’s best to work those paddles to keep the engine between 2,000 and 5,000 revs, where it feels the most responsive. Give it some stick and the petrol auto hits 100kph in a reasonably swift 12.16 seconds, making it quicker than it suggests from behind the wheel.

As the 87bhp power figure for the diesel suggests, there’s a severe dearth of oomph. But while outright performance is weak at best, the lack of a sudden turbo-spike makes for a smooth urban drive. Ambling around in the city is easy, thanks to the light clutch and gearbox that make cycling though cogs far less of a chore. Which is a good thing, since you’ll find yourself downshifting rather often to keep the engine above the 2,000 rpm mark -- below this, the engine feels all but arthritic. Even when you enter the meaty region of powerband, it’s just gently coaxed forward. The meekly performing motor doesn’t encourage you to stretch the car’s legs and it feels most at home at around 120kph, with the motor ticking around the 2,500rpm mark in sixth gear.