Corolla Altis is the name Toyota uses for the Corolla sedan in several Asian markets, including the Philippines, India, Taiwan and parts of Southeast Asia. The 2020 Toyota Altis is therefore the twelfth-generation Corolla, coded E210, which Toyota introduced in 2018 and began selling as a sedan in 2019. It is a mainstream compact sedan built on the Toyota New Global Architecture, offered with a choice of gasoline and hybrid powertrains. This article reviews the 2020 Altis, its engines and its pricing in the markets that use the name.
What “Altis” Means
Toyota sells the same basic Corolla under different names around the world. In Japan, Europe and North America it is simply the Corolla; in much of Asia the sedan version carries the Altis suffix. The 2020 Altis belongs to the twelfth generation of the Corolla, a line in continuous production since 1966 and one of the most widely sold cars in history. For this generation the Corolla moved onto the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) GA-C platform, which also underpins the Prius, the C-HR and the Corolla Cross.
That platform change is significant because it altered the car’s fundamentals rather than just its styling. The Corolla had traditionally used a simple torsion-beam rear suspension in many markets; the TNGA car switched to an independent rear setup and a more rigid body. Our coverage of the larger All-New 2019 Toyota Camry Gains Styling Flair and Engine Specs shows how the same generation of engineering reached Toyota’s mid-size sedan.
The Twelfth-Generation Corolla
The E210 Corolla was first shown at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show. It was developed under chief engineer Yasushi Ueda and is the first Corolla built on the TNGA GA-C platform. Compared with the previous car, the base of the windshield was lowered and the dashboard height reduced for better visibility, while the seats were lowered to preserve headroom. The sedan version went on sale from 2019, making the 2020 model year an early example of the generation. As of 2020 the twelfth-generation Corolla was the best-selling passenger vehicle in the world.
Toyota builds the E210 Corolla across Japan, Brazil, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States, which is why engine choices differ from country to country. Each plant builds to local regulations and taxes, so the Altis sold in one market may have a different engine range from the car sold under the same name elsewhere. Buyers should always confirm the specific powertrain fitted to the car in front of them rather than relying on the name alone.
Interior and Equipment
The Altis interior follows the Corolla’s layout, with a horizontal dashboard and a central display. Equipment varies by market and trim. In the Philippines, the entry 1.6 E made do with halogen headlights, manual air conditioning and a basic multi-information display, while higher grades added a 4.2-inch color display, automatic climate control, a leather steering wheel and power-folding mirrors. All versions received seven airbags, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and vehicle stability control. Toyota Safety Sense was fitted to the hybrid.
Exterior, Platform and Chassis
The sedan body sits on a 2,700 mm (106.3 in) wheelbase and measures about 4,630 mm (182.3 in) long in international specification. The TNGA GA-C platform brought a lower center of gravity and a more rigid body than the previous Corolla, and it switched the rear suspension to an independent double-wishbone design, with MacPherson struts at the front. The changes were intended to improve both ride comfort and handling compared with the older car, and they are the clearest engineering difference between the 2020 Altis and its predecessor. Fuel tanks measured 50 liters on gasoline models and 43 liters on the hybrid.
Engine and Transmission
In the markets that use the Altis name, the 2020 model was offered with two main powertrains. The 1.6-liter 1ZR-FE four-cylinder gasoline engine produced 121 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 153 N⋅m of torque at 5,200 rpm. The hybrid used a 1.8-liter 2ZR-FXE engine paired with an electric motor for a combined 121 horsepower; the gasoline engine alone made 97 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 142 N⋅m at 3,600 rpm. Non-hybrid cars offered a six-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
What Changed for the 2020 Model Year
The 2020 model year was the first full year of Altis sales on the new platform in most Asian markets, following its 2019 launch. The big shift was structural rather than cosmetic: the move to TNGA brought independent rear suspension, a lower driving position and a stiffer body. The hybrid also became a mainstream option rather than a niche one, appearing as the range-topping 1.8 V in markets such as the Philippines. Careful buyers should confirm which powertrain and platform a particular car uses, since the previous-generation Corolla was sold alongside the new model in some countries.
Price and Variants
Pricing depended heavily on the market. At its Philippine launch, the 2020 Corolla Altis range started at ₱999,000 for the 1.6 E with a manual gearbox, with the 1.6 G manual at ₱1,045,000 and CVT versions from ₱1,115,000. The 1.8 V hybrid sat at the top of the range and was the only variant with Toyota Safety Sense. The 2019 Toyota Corolla S Price And Review covered the previous generation, which was still available in some markets alongside the new car. A general index of our Toyota coverage is available in the Car Review section.
