Lean, mildly mean
and generally green - that in a nutshell pretty much describes the new
diesel-engined Toyota Corolla Altis. We put the D-4D-powered machine
through its paces.
It had to happen even though its maker
was most reluctant to put it into series manufacture. Think about the
Japanese reticence to embracing diesel as an automotive fuel (precisely
the reason they haven't got going in Europe as much as they have
elsewhere and wanted to as well!) as a probable reason but another even
more important fact behind Toyota's (and also Honda's) intractable
approach to ushering in a diesel powered mass-market car in India was
its so called step-by-step approach. However getting to trip the light
fantastic seemed just what the doctor ordered after the bottom fell out
of the auto industry in the US and Toyota realised
it had to hedge its bet in markets where the growth was just beginning
to manifest itself. And therefore the Corolla Altis Diesel!
Now that the reason behind the delay is out of the way, let me say
that there is much more significance to this oil burning Corolla than
just being the first mass-market diesel engined Toyota offering for
India. The key to this lies in the 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine which
to many might seem pretty small for duty in a D-segment saloon but as
was proved in our road test, is an engine which allows the Corolla to
punch higher than its capacity. Designated the 1ND-TV internally, this
1364cc engine with long stroke cylinder dimensions (bore and stroke
measuring 73.0 x 81.5mm) is also just perfect for Toyota's biggest ever
project for India - the Etios hatchback and saloon, plus also a mini-MPV
on the same platform. Getting the engine to be tested in the heat of
actual real-world motoring in the land will only help the Toyota boffins
to tweak it just right for duty in the Etios when it is launched at the
end of this year.
So while the Corolla Diesel is important on its own accord and
refreshes Toyota's mass market offering in the light of rivals like the
Chevrolet Cruze and the Skoda Laura,
it is the bigger picture which Toyota could be looking at with this all
new 1.4-litre diesel. Given the way it performs in the large Corolla,
just think what sort of performance and efficiency it can deliver
tellingly in a smaller, more compact package like the Etios? Volkswagen and the rest have been given ample notice I should say.
EngineTalk
On to the main course of the moment and the fact that this automobile
is pretty much what the doctor ordered for all those brought up on the
sheer sensibility of the Innova and its supremely refined D-4D diesel
engine. All of Toyota's D-4D mills across displacement capacities
feature turbocharging and Bosch common rail direct injection and so is
the case with this 1364cc four-cylinder unit. This engine features
peizo-electric injectors which are key to the multiple injections per
cycle in the new generation common rail diesel engines. This injector
technology helps greatly in keeping NVH levels low while also enhancing
the torque capability of the engine.
The engine makes 88.4PS of power at 3800rpm but it marries this with
205Nm of muscle force which more importantly is made in a very low
1800-2800rpm band, making for a near linear and absolutely flat torque
curve. So far so good but credit must be given to the Toyota boffins
for following this up with a six-speed manual gearbox which has the
right ratios to make use of the seamless torque flow at each shift
point. This is an abject lesson which many other car makers need to
learn when matching engine to transmissions and the key to the superb
performance of the Corolla Diesel is a direct result of the
engine-transmission match-up.
Performance
Yes I must say one thing right here and that is the engine is loud
and slightly raucous when fired up from cold and makes itself audible to
many on the outside but within the confines of the Corolla's well laid
out cabin, it is not discernible. Overall the Corolla is not much
changed in visual detail or internal trappings from its petrol-engined
sibling and that is a good thing because Toyota had
always delivered a well appointed car with excellent ergonomics. Of
course, equipment levels could have been on the greater side but when
compared to rivals such as the Skoda Laura and the Chevrolet Cruze, the Corolla seemed to be missing out on the diesel action.
Not any longer because the brilliance of the drivetrain is apparent
the minute you slot the car into first and take off. It is a smooth
take-off with a bit of oomph. Every step of the way you can find the
engine humming sweetly with the torque on call always a step ahead so
that the revs don't fall off and brisk motoring is there with just a
light foot on the loud pedal. For a family car for five tuned for brisk
and competent performance, the zero to 100km/h acceleration time of
14.55 seconds is pretty respectable as is the top speed of a whisker
over 171km/h. The Corolla Diesel did the standing start quarter mile in
19.5 seconds with a terminal speed of 114.11km/h and for a car with a
1270kg kerb weight and its 1.4-litre engine displacement, the
performance is pretty pleasing.
The Drive
However, it isthe driving experience which is the proverbial cherry
on the Corolla cake for the cost conscious. This Corolla can be driven
at 100km/h in the top cog with the needle howering just below the
2000rpm mark on the rev counter and with the top three cogs in the
six-speed' box being overdrive ratios, the engine is not just flexible
enough to doodle through town but is also one of the best there is when
it comes to stretching that litre of diesel. In our in-town tests on a
brand new car with less than 45km on the odometer when we got it, we got
average fuel efficiency of 14.4kmpl but on our highway run from Pune to
Satara and back (which includes three hill sections), the Corolla had
us dumbstruck when she averaged 24.3kmpl! If one needs a better way to
describe the Corolla Diesel's operating efficiency then how does Pune to
Mumbai in seven litres of diesel sound to you? And with a 16.8kmpl
overall fuel efficiency, given its 50 litre fuel tank one is looking at a
stupendous 840 km operating range. Not bad for what is actually a good
family car for five.
Speaking about family transport, mention must be made about the tweaks the Toyota engineers
have performed on the basic suspension set-up. What was actually a
slightly wishy-washy sort of ride quality at high speeds on the
petrol-engined Altis and not much by way of steering feel when it was
pretty much needed; the Corolla Diesel has the rear end pretty much
sorted out. The car handles and grips the road very well and stays
planted come what may and she does this without compromising on the ride
quality. The ride and handling balance is a bonus as is the sharper and
well weighted steering, making for a slightly more involved driving
experience. The car tracks true even when the anchors are dropped at
high speed thanks to disc brakes all around. ABS coupled to EBD is
standard fitment on this Corolla which rides on 195/65 R15 tubeless
radials.
Verdict:
Overall this oil burning Corolla is a major move in the mind of its maker. Toyota has
a lot riding on it as I touched upon at the very beginning of this
feature and given the way it has performed I can quite clearly see it as
a very effective mile muncher in its class. While absolute price points
weren't mentioned to us at the time of going to print, we do understand
that this version will be priced from Rs 70,000 to Rs 100,000 more
across the three-trim level range. If this is competitive then I think
rivals have reason to be wary because this Corolla can just go ahead and
do things the Toyota way - efficiently and reliably, two details the
competition has yet to catch up on mightily.
Specifications:
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