2019 Toyota Corolla Altis debuts in Taiwan, will PH be next?

The wait for the all-new Toyota Corolla sedan is finally over…for Taiwan at least.

After making its global debut in China last year, the 12th generation Corolla sedan has now been launched in Taiwan. The new model features a major redesign both inside and out together with new engine options, including a more efficient hybrid powertrain.

Design-wise, the Taiwan market received the ‘Prestige’ styling variation rather than the ‘Sporty’ variant offered in the U.S. and Japan. With that in mind, it is likely the rest of the ASEAN region will also be getting the Corolla sedan with this design, including the Philippines.

Unlike the ‘Sporty’ design, the ‘Prestige’ style Corolla looks more akin to the all-new Camry rather than its hatchback or wagon counterparts. Looking at the front, the Corolla Altis appears to borrow a host of styling cues from other Toyota models. For starters, the large center intake and dynamic headlights liken to that of the all-new Camry. Meanwhile, the fog lights and their housing are styled similar to those found on the Alphard. 

From the side, the Corolla sedan’s roofline is now more rounded, thanks to a more rakish windscreen. At the rear, there are new, larger taillights coupled with a new trunk which incorporates a small ducktail spoiler.

Inside, the cabin is carried over from the hatchback and wagon. Front and center of the dashboard is a large floating touchscreen infotainment system. Meanwhile, the instrument cluster has also been updated and now features a full LED screen on some variants.

In Taiwan, the all-new Corolla Altis comes with a host of features including seven airbags as standard, a heads up display, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Departure Alert (LDA) with steering assist, Lane Trace Assist (LTA), Road Sign Assist (RSA) and Automatic High Beam (AHB). It even features Toyota’s Drive+ Connect system in the infotainment.

With regard to the powertrain, the Corolla Altis in Taiwan is available only with two engine options. The first is a 1.8-liter 2ZR-FE engine which produces 140 PS and 173 Nm and is mated to a Super CVT. The other option is a 1.8-liter hybrid unit which produces 122 PS and is mated to an E-CVT. According to Toyota Taiwan, the hybrid model is capable of self-charging as well. 

Now that the Corolla sedan has been launched in Taiwan, it won’t be long before the new model will make its way around the ASEAN region, and to the Philippines.