Overview

Does the Corolla Altis diesel have what it takes to beat our current diesel D-segment champ, the Skoda Laura? AUTO BILD INDIA delivers its verdict

The Corolla Altis diesel might have a small engine but as it proved in our previous issue, it’s no pushover. However, the real test will be to see how it compares with the Skoda Laura; currently the car to beat, in our opinion, in this entry level luxury diesel sedan segment. Be it space, comfort, dynamics or even performance, the Laura with its new 2-litre diesel engine has proved to be a fantastic buying proposition.

So, here we have the Corolla Altis in its top-of-the-line GL avatar powered by diesel taking on the Laura Elegance. Of course, you can choose from two other trim options on the Skoda, but the price difference between the GL and Skoda’s L&K trim is just too vast. The Ambiente does match the GL on price, but it is sparsely equipped and therefore we decided to take the in-between option, the Laura Elegance.

Exterior & Interior

Skoda's cabin is more understated. But, plastics feel more upmarket and it's better built too. It's also well equipped but stowage spaces are limited

The Skoda Laura is the more dominant here

Besides having a more complete drivetrain, the Corolla also offers good value for money, come tangible facets. Like the Laura it has comfortable front seats, but at the rear, it betters the Skoda. It has more comfortable rear seats. Unlike the ones on the Laura, which are firmer and more contoured, the Corolla’s cushy rear seats allow the passenger more freedom of movement. These are decently large too, so thigh and back support, is never an issue.

Additionally, the Altis gets steering mounted controls and headlamp washers that are missing on the Laura. It also offers more usable stowage spaces to put away chunkier items. Otherwise, features like digital climate control system and power mirrors with fold function it comes with, are also present on the Laura.

Toyota's interiors are fl ashier and offer additional comfort features like a multi functional steering. Feel of quality though isn't as high as the Laura

Toyota Corolla Altis comes across as more timid

The Laura meanwhile has a few exclusive features as well. It gets one touch up/down power windows on all four doors, while the Altis only has it for the driver. And, though not terribly relevant for the Indian consumer, the Laura also gets front seat warmers. It's also more spacious and has a larger, more fl exible boot. The build quality and the choice of plastics used feel more upmarket as well.

And once you begin driving, you'd appreciate the more pliant ride. The Laura isolates its occupants better over a series of bumps or potholes. It also rides fl atter over broken roads than the Toyota which tends to roll and pitch more. This tauter body control of the Skoda also helps it around corners. One can throw it hard into bends and its reactions, be it under or oversteer, are a lot more predictable. Also, with better feedback, especially via the steering, it defi nitely makes for a more involving car to drive.

Engine & Gearbox

Skoda Laura

Now, the Laura Elegance and the Altis GL might be at par in terms of equipment, but there’s still a huge difference in the engines of the two cars both in terms of capacity and outputs. The Laura has nearly 20 additional horses and 45Nm of torque. Not surprisingly, the Laura is much quicker in sheer acceleration terms than the Corolla. It is two seconds quicker to 100kmph with the gap growing signifi cantly as speeds continue to rise. The former uses a 2-litre diesel while under the Corolla’s hood is a comparatively puny 1.4-litre engine. Also, 1.4-litre engines are something we mostly see is hatchbacks and cheaper sedans. Its power output of 88bhp again is more in line with hatchbacks than larger, more expensive saloons the Altis competes with.

But, in everyday driving conditions, surprisingly, there isn’t such a marked difference in performance as the on-paper specs and the acceleration results indicate. And that’s mainly down to the gearing the Toyota employs. It uses a relatively close ratio six-speed gearbox which ensures the Altis is always in the right rpm range. And along with a fl at torque curve which peaks at as low as 1800rpm (once the turbo is spooled up), it doesn’t feel underpowered at all; again, contrary to what the specs suggest.

Toyota Corolla Altis

But that’s not all; when it comes to driveability, be it while getting on the throttle to close the gap in traffi c or pulling an overtaking move on the highway, the Corolla does in fact do a better job than the 110bhp, 2-litre Laura Ambiente. The same is of course refl ected in our roll-on test fi gures wherein the Altis posts quicker times. The throttle response is pretty good too on the Toyota and though there’s some turbo lag, the shorter and closer gearing does an appreciable job of concealing it. Unless of course, you let the revs drop down to 1000rpm.

However, a smaller engine managing to keep up with a larger one, as is the case here, isn’t really the astonishing bit. It’s the difference in fuel economy of these two cars that’s mind-boggling. Of course, one of main reasons why Toyota went in for a 1.4-litre unit (besides cost saving) rather than a larger engine was better fuel economy. But, an overall figure of 16.9kmpl that the Altis returned is still outstanding. In the city it managed over 15kmpl and the worst it returned after hard driving, including performance testing, was just a tad under 12kmpl.

Dimensions

Skoda Laura (mm)
The Laura offers more shoulder, elbow, leg and knee room for its passengers	The Laura's boot is also more spacious
Toyota Corolla Altis (mm)
The Altis is short on room at the front and the back compared to the Laura	The Altis's boot is quite spacious but loading and unloading isn't as easy as on the Laura

Scorecard & Verdict

Toyota Corolla Altis- The Altis is efficient, driveable, comfy and well equipped. It's almost perfect for the sensible buyer.

Skoda Laura- The Laura is more fun to drive and well equipped. But, it just can't match the Altis' cost advantage.

Scorecard

Body: The Laura is a bigger car, more so on the inside. It offers more room at the front, particularly for the leg and the elbow. As for the rear, there's more knee and shoulder room. It also has a bigger boot which with its large opening makes it easy to put in luggage of all shapes and sizes. It's also slightly better built, but more importantly it offers more safety equipment.

Drive: The Laura with its larger and more powerful engine might have an edge over the Altis in straight line acceleration, but when it comes to driveability, the Altis is in fact slightly better. But, what really swings this head in the Toyota's favour, is the Altis' fantastically fuel effi cient 1.4-litre engine. As a result, it also emits signifi cantly less C02 in comparison to the Skoda.

Comfort: The Laura is a tad better when it comes to ride and handling. In Elegance trim, it also offers more comfort equipment. But, otherwise the Altis matches the Laura in every other comfort area, including in-cabin noise. Toyota though has more comfortable rear seats, but easier ingress on the Skoda sees the two score equal points.

Dynamics: Besides better handling, the Skoda also has a better steering; it offers more feedback and is more precise. Toyota though edges ahead in manoeuvrability not courtesy its turning circle, but clearer edges, slightly better visibility and a much lighter steering which makes it easier to park and drive though traffic.

Cost: As is clear from our Test Results, the Skoda and the Toyota, as products are nearly as good. But, the Laura Elegance's higher pricing, relatively average resale and warranty compared to the Altis, sees it lose out in the overall stakes. The Altis then is the winner in this comparison.

Verdict

The Corolla Altis diesel as a buying proposition makes perfect sense for those looking for a comfortable, well equipped, easy to drive and cheap to run everyday car. And, one of the biggest USPs of the Altis diesel is its fuel efficiency. Also, if you look at the Scorecard closely, you’d find it’s this one aspect that really helps it close the gap with the Laura. Of course, having a better resale along with better warranty only enhances the Corolla’s appeal as a very cost effective car to own. The Laura remains the more fun to drive car in this test, nonetheless. It does have better handling and steering feel on its side, after all. The Skoda is also more spacious and has a bigger boot. But overall, the Skoda just can't match the Toyota's cost advantage making it less appealing to buy than the Altis.