2023 Toyota Corolla Altis Hybrid packs more punch than Civic RS

Last year, Toyota revealed the 2022 Corolla Cross for Europe. Unlike the ones that we get from Thailand, the Corolla Cross Hybrid for The Old Continent comes with a more powerful hybrid powertrain. Thanks to a 2.0-liter Dynamic Force engine and a new lithium-ion battery pack, the crossover produces 197 PS which is 75 PS more than what the PH-spec Corolla Cross Hybrid makes.

And now, Toyota has followed that up with the upgraded 2023 Corolla Altis Hybrid. Like its crossover sibling, it too now comes with the aforementioned 2.0-liter Dynamic Force engine and a new lithium-ion battery pack. But how was Toyota able to squeeze out more power from it?

Aside from the fact that it gets a more powerful 2.0-liter under the hood, the automaker was also busy tweaking the electrical system. It has a redesigned power control unit (PCU) and transaxle electric motor, while the more powerful lithium-ion battery pack replaces the older nickel-metal-hydride battery system.

The result is an almost similar power output as the Corolla Cross Hybrid that's rated at 196 PS. This allows the sedan to go from 0 – 100 km/h in 7.5 seconds which is half a second faster than before. More importantly, the upgraded hybrid system has slightly reduced average C02 emissions of 107 g/km (-2g/km). The upgrade in power also means that the Corolla Altis Hybrid has more power than the Civic RS which has a 1.5-liter VTEC Turbo that puts out 178 PS.

Aside from the upgraded powertrain, Toyota also improved the Corolla's drivability and acceleration feel. Thanks to a recalibrated hybrid control, the sedan now delivers better acceleration that closely mirrors the driver's intention and their use of the throttle pedal.

Style-wise, the sedan still comes with the familiar exterior as before. However, it now comes with some subtle changes here and there. It gets a new grille mesh pattern and foglight bezels, and new bi-beam LED headlights. The interior also gets some neat updates like new upholstery, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and a new 10.5-inch touchscreen infotainment.

The upgraded Corolla Altis Hybrid is set to go on sale in Europe in Q1 of 2023. With that, other markets might get the more powerful sedan in the near future. We're keeping our hopes up that Toyota Motor Philippines brings both the Corolla Altis Hybrid and the Corolla Cross Hybrid with the new 2.0-liter engine.