What’s up? I’m Cesar Guiderone B. Miguel, a content writer for Philkotse.com. My name is a mouthful, so you can call me Cesar instead. Today I'll be sharing with you guys a particular car that I would want to buy.
The Toyota Corolla Altis. (note: photo above shows the Hybrid variant)
Anyway, I'm of the mind that I'm a fairly okay-ish mechanic. Back in grade school, I helped my dad maintain our 4BD1-Turbo jeepney. During my early college days, I managed to fix a compression issue on my first car: a Suzuki Carry. This took a week and it involved a lot of silly mistakes on my part. Later on, I (with a bit of help), managed to fix the front suspension on my Honda City. The spring nearly struck my foot when I finagled it out, but I'm rather proud that I managed to finish the job.
Now that I'm growing older and wider at the girth, I found out that fixing cars and wrenching on stuff is a pain. Bending over for hours on end is taxing, and kneeling to get to the car's lower bits will beat the stuffing out of me. So, if I wanted (or am able to) purchase a car right now, I would want something that’s comfortable, relatively spacious, and more importantly, known to be reliable.
What I'm talking about is the currently available Philippine-spec Toyota Corolla Altis.
Sized and styled just right
As a compact sedan, the Corolla Altis is just the right size for my needs. It can accommodate five people, which is more than enough for my immediate family of four. Then again, I'm living with only one family member right now so it provides a lot of space indeed. Plus, it has a trunk large enough to store the things needed to placate my occasional bouts of automotive paranoia: a portable tire inflating device, extra car fluids, etc.
Its got a stylish roofline
The best part about the Corolla Altis (at least for me), is it's subtle but elegant styling. It isn’t as loud and boisterous-looking as its competitors, and it can definitely blend in the usual crowd of cars plying the many roads of Quezon City and Ortigas. Sure, it does have some degree of aggressiveness on the front end, but most cars do nowadays anyway.
What really tickles my automotive senses is the Corolla hatchback versions that aren’t sold in the Philippines. I like sedans, but I really dig hatchbacks. To be more specific, the Corolla GR Sport Hybrid that’s sold in Europe right now more than floats my boat. Sure, it is a Gazoo Racing model and is sportier than the Corolla Altis, but it remains to be fairly subdued.
Manual goodness
Another thing that I, and many other people like about the Corolla Altis sold in the Philippines, is the availability of a manual transmission. Specifically, the said model uses a six-speed stick shift for its E and G variants. Then again, the higher-spec V variants come with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) for those who don’t want to row through gears.
This might be the Hybrid variant, but the interior arrangement remains identical on all variants
As for the engine, the Toyota-made sedan uses the 1.6-liter gasoline inline-4 1ZR-FE, or the 1.8-liter 2ZR-FXE hybrid. I am very interested with the hybrid due to its lower carbon footprint, but I'm sticking to variants with the 1ZR-FE 1.6-liter as it’s the only engine option paired with a manual tranny.
Now the Toyota ZE series of engines has been around since 2007 replacing the older 3ZZ-FE. Since then, this four-cylinder die-cast block has been known to be reliable. Sure, it did have some issues with earlier iterations, but even those are reportedly rare. Also, its 121 horsepower and 153 Nm of torque are just enough for my occasional in-city grocery trips during this pandemic. No, it isn’t as powerful as some competing cars within the segment, but then again, it's definitely got more oomph than the typical subcompact or city car model.
Lastly, the said engine is also fairly quiet. Sure, I can appreciate the roar of a high-displacement V8, the low rumble of a turbodiesel, or the screams of a tuned inline-4, but for a daily driver I’d prefer the relatively silent hum of the Corolla Altis’ engine.
The Toyota Corolla Altis from the rear
So, there you have it folks, the car that I would like to buy is the Toyota Corolla Altis. Its ZR-series engine is known to be reliable and thus will keep me from working on it, and It looks subtle but elegant on the outside, just the way I like it.
Know more about Toyota Corolla Altis 2024
The Toyota Corolla Altis is Toyota Motor Philippines’s entry into the compact sedan segment. Currently, this model has four available variants. There's the Corolla Altis E 1.6 CVT, the Corolla Altis G 1.6 CVT, the Corolla Altis V G-RS 1.6 CVT, and the Corolla Altis V 1.8 Hybrid CVT. These come with a price ranging from Php 1,135,000 to Php 1,745,000.
There are two engine options for the Corolla Altis. For the mid-spec G and entry-level E, they use a 1.6-liter inline-4 gasoline engine that makes up to 121 horsepower and 153 Nm of torque. The top-spec V trim meanwhile, gets a 1.8-liter hybrid engine that can deliver 121 horsepower and 207 Nm of torque.
For transmissions, all of this model’s variants use a continuously variable transmission.
Size-wise, the Toyota Corolla Altis comes with a length of 4,630mm, a width of 1,780mm, and a height of 1,455mm. It also has a wheelbase length of 2,700mm and a ground clearance of 175mm.
Toyota Corolla Altis 2025
In the local market, the Toyota Corolla Altis mainly competes against the likes of the Honda Civic, Mazda3, and MG 6, among others.
>>> New and used Toyota Corolla Altis 2025 for sale in the Philippines
Toyota Corolla Altis Launch
On September 9, 2019, the Toyota Corolla Altis was launched. That same event marked the first time this nameplate got a hybrid version in the Philippines.
Car buyers can still choose a gasoline type of the E, G, and V variants, but the top-range trim level will no longer have the 2.0-liter unit that the previous generation Corolla Altis used to offer. Instead, the top-spec is equipped with a 1.8-liter hybrid motor, and 1.6-liter gasoline remains on non-hybrid models.
Toyota Corolla Altis Exterior
The redesigned Corolla Altis has sleek lines and an aggressive swept-back headlight. It is one of the most attractive redesigns ever made in this compact sedan.
Toyota Corolla Altis headlight
Toyota Corolla Altis taillight
The sharp headlights of the Toyota Corolla Altis are more focused and aggressive than its predecessors. This sedan also features a trendy large grille. The large opening in the bumper's bottom half occupies most of the front fascia.
Toyota Corolla Altis rear end
The exterior's side details feature the same shape as its previous iterations. It has a low-profile hood and a high trunk line. The redesigned sedan also features more distinct and intentional lines that differentiate the current generation from the previous ones.
Toyota Corolla Altis Interior
Inside the Corolla Altis Philippines are fabric or leather seats, depending on the variant. A mix of hard, glossy black-colored plastic surfaces, soft-touch material, and a touchscreen infotainment system are found in the rather high dashboard. The head unit is high-mounted and framed with a piano gloss border.
Toyota Corolla Altis dashboard
The cabin has an ergonomic layout and ample amount of space. There is also a decent headroom inside. The Toyota Corolla Altis also features a fine-sized steering wheel with a telescopic adjustment and a good leather feel. It also features a nice instrument cluster boasting a multi-information display and a low seating position.
Toyota Corolla Altis front seats
Toyota Corolla Altis Technology & Safety Feature
The radar cruise control system called the Toyota Safety Sense is the headlining feature of the Corolla Altis. This technology enables drivers to use the cruise control feature to almost an autonomous level. It allows a safe following speed and distance.
Toyota Safety Sense is the headlining feature of the Corolla Altis
In terms of infotainment, the base trims get the standard non-touchscreen unit while high trims have a touchscreen display head unit. It also supports USB, AUX, and Bluetooth connectivity. The infotainment system of top variants can output up to six speakers.
The driver and passenger airbags come as a standard in the Corolla Altis. It is also equipped with ABS, brake assists, child safety locks, VSC system, day and night rearview mirror, parking sensors, rear camera, crash sensor, front and side-impact beams, and door ajar warning.
Toyota Corolla Altis Platform & Chassis
The new-generation Toyota Corolla Altis Philipines is a five-seater sedan. It rides on the Toyota New Global Architecture or TNGA platform.
All models of the Toyota Corolla Altis feature a MacPherson strut for the front suspension and double-wishbone for the rear setup.
This sedan has a length of 4,630 mm, a height of 1,435 mm, a width of 1,780, and a wheelbase of 2,700 mm. The hybrid version is slightly taller by 20 mm with 1,455 mm.
The all-new Toyota Corolla Altis sets on 16- or 17-inch alloys. The larger wheels get a two-tone finish for additional visual appeal.
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Toyota Corolla Altis Engine & Drivetrain
Just like the previous iterations of the Toyota Corolla Altis, the current generation remains a front-wheel-drive and front-engined layout.
There are two powertrain options available for this compact sedan. The first one is the conventional 1.6-liter gasoline engine that generates 121 horsepower and torque of 153 Newton-meter.
The second option is the 1.8-liter hybrid unit that makes an output of 121 horsepower and torque of 207 Nm – with the help of the hybrid system. The electric motor is powered by a battery that is charged through regenerative braking. As of 2025, the Corolla Altis exclusively uses a CVT.
Toyota Corolla Altis 2025 Price List
| Variants | Price |
|---|---|
| Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8 E CVT | ₱1,135,000 |
| Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8 G GR-S CVT | ₱1,302,000 |
| Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8 GR-S Hybrid CVT | ₱1,730,000 |
| Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8 GR-S Hybrid CVT (White Pearl) | ₱1,745,000 |
Toyota Corolla Altis Pros & Cons
Pros
- Hybrid power
- Quiet but elegant styling
- Roomy
- Competent safety kit
Cons
- Not that powerful
Toyota Corolla Altis Specifications
Powertrain
| Engine Size | 1.6-1.8 L |
|---|---|
| No, Yes | |
| 145-154 Nm | |
| AT (CVT) | |
| Drivetrain | FWD |
Suspension & Brakes
| MacPherson Strut | |
|---|---|
| Disc | |
| Electronic, Manual (Hand) |
Dimensions
| 4,630 mm | |
|---|---|
| 1,780 mm | |
| 1,435 mm | |
| 175 mm |
Capacities
- of Seats: 5
Exterior
| Bi-Beam LED, Halogen Projector | |
|---|---|
| 16-17 inches |
Interior
| Fabric, Leather | |
|---|---|
| Electronic, Manual | |
| Automatic Climate Control, Manual |
Technology
| Push Button, Turnkey | |
|---|---|
| Adaptive, None, Standard | |
| None, With | |
| Both, Other Apps | |
| None | |
| With | |
| With | |
| None, With | |
| None | |
| None, With | |
| None, With | |
| None, With |
Safety & Security
| With | |
| With | |
| With | |
| None, With | |
| With | |
| With |
Toyota Corolla Altis FAQs
1. How much is the Toyota Altis 2025 in the Philippines?
The 2024 Toyota Corolla Altis costs between ₱1.135 million and ₱1.745 million in the Philippines.
2. What type of car is the Toyota Corolla Altis?
Type of Toyota Corolla Altis is a 5-seater sedan.
3. Is Corolla Altis comfortable?
Yes, it is. The driving position is fairly comfortable as well, and the Altis offers a spacious cabin with good visibility to the front, sides, and rear.
4. What are the colors available in Altis Philippines?
Toyota Corolla Altis colors are available in 6 colors in the following shades: White Pearl Mica, Celestite Gray Metallic, Attitude Black Mica, Silver Metallic, Super White II, and Red Mica Metallic.
₱ 1,054,000 - ₱ 1,665,000
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