Toyota Altis 2.0: Blissfully Aloof

MANILA, Philippines - At a time when most manufacturers are taking the sporty angle with their compact offerings, Toyota steadfastly holds the line with its Altis. Mitsubishi has gone “Evo Lite” with its Lancer EX, Ford has its Euro-chic Focus, Honda has its space age Civic, and the racey Mazda3 still looks good despite being the old man of the group. Amidst this profusion of low profile wheels, stiff suspensions, blackout interiors, and aerodynamic froufrou, the Altis will have none of it. And why should it?

Millions of customers can’t be wrong.

Even in top-of-the-line trim, the Altis will be last choice among sporty car buyers. It will, however, be first choice for all the family men and women out there who want the most comfortable, well-built sedan they can buy short of a Camry. And as we all know, there are a lot of these good folks, people who could care less about “BMW-like handling” or “soul-stirring performance” or a features list that “boasts” of everything but a built-in coffee machine. To drive an Altis is like surrendering to the comfort of your favorite couch, except that few couches can also happen to get around rather quickly.

For P1.1 million, that fair amount of cash also buys you a fair amount of class. The top shelf Altis has a 2-liter engine rated at a conservative 140 horsepower and 18.9 kg-m of torque, mated to a 4-speed automatic with manumatic shifting. Forget about “soul-stirring” performance from this drivetrain. Instead, appreciate the impressively low levels of noise and harshness that emanate from it. Even pushing it at 160+ kph, you will hear more wind noise than engine noise, and working through the gears, the drivetrain works invisibly, getting you from Point A to Point B with buttery smoothness.

Even better, it’s even modest at the gas pump. After a day of high speed driving and EDSA misery, the onboard fuel computer still registered 8.7 kpl. Note that the 2-liter also gets paddle shifters to supplement the “+/-” gate of the transmission. We used it exactly once over 320 kilometers of driving (mostly to make sure that they work), otherwise we were perfectly happy with the programming of the basic “Drive”.

What is the point of having manumatic shifting then, you ask? Because it’s better to have it than not have it at all... especially when everybody else has it and buyers are serious comparison shoppers. Oh yes, they’re still useful for holding gears in the zigzags, but more on that in a bit...

The other feather in the Altis cap is its suspension tuning. The setup is a fairly conventional front strut-rear torsion beam system, tuned for all-day comfort without giving up stability. On standard highway roads – not very smooth, sometimes with rough expansion joints – the suspension works very well with the modest 55-series tires to give the feeling of rolling on carpet.

There’s none of the road noise and tire whine associated with sporty-feeling cars, but also none of the annoying floatiness of an overly soft chassis. You feel very well cushioned in the Altis, but still connected to what’s happening underneath you. The electric power assist for the steering is predictably numb, but turn-in feels eager and it easily tracks a straight line at high speed. It’s only on fast curves that the suspension limitations are felt with noticeable body roll that will have passengers reaching for the grab handles. So, forget about “attacking” mountain roads with the Altis. The wife won’t enjoy it anyway.

And then, of course, there is the matter of the cabin. Toyota understands that owners spend 98% of the time sitting in their cars rather than staring at them from outside, so great care was taken to ensure that the interior would provide as pleasant an experience as possible. The dashboard’s organic curves are perfectly complemented by the beige-and-caramel color tones, and the center console’s amber lighting is inspired. Controls for climate control are arrayed in a large “X” pattern rather than a plain horizontal bar, and the integrated stereo has a high-end sound and feel. Sorry, no AUX jack though. Maybe Toyota thinks iPod owners won’t mind.

Of course, nobody will mind that the Altis sports a few goodies you might find in a Lexus, like a “Smart Key” with matching Engine Start button that precludes the need for a real key; fragrant, pliable leather (as opposed to the cheap kind that feels like vinyl); and the de rigeur Optitron gauges that long ago were pioneered by the upstart luxury brand. Space-wise, the Altis has arguably the most comfortable seats in the class. The front seats are wide and plush, and the backseat feels commodious for a compact car. Actually, it feels even bigger and better built than a Camry of two generations ago, which just goes to show how the benefits of trickle-down offset the realities of inflation. Even the trunk is commodious, easily swallowing a disassembled road bike with space to spare even with the low-cost, gooseneck hinges.

In all that it does, the Altis will never excite, much less overwhelm the senses. For the business of traveling comfortably though, whether on a long road trip or the daily slog in the city, the Altis does the deed very, very well.

The Good

• Excellent build quality and attention to detail.

• Smooth, quiet, comfortable ride.

• Subtle good looks.

The Bad

• Will never get the adrenaline pumping.

The Verdict

• A mainstream family car that’s happiest working invisibly.