2019 Toyota Corolla Altis vs Hyundai Elantra - The better sedan

The all-new 2019 Toyota Corolla Altis has been recently launched in the Philippines and has gathered quite a many eyeballs for many obvious reasons. Even though it offers a plethora of mouth-watering features to throw your money at, it isn’t the only car available in the segment that’s available for purchase. Yes, it is the newest one but we have had good cars like the Hyundai Elantra for quite some time now. So, we thought why not compare these two cars to have a clear idea about their differences and similarities.

Dimensions

	2019 Corolla Altis - 1.8 V Hybrid CVT	2019 Corolla Altis -  other variants	Hyundai Elantra
LxBxH (mm)	4630 x 1780 x 1455	4630 x 1780 x 1435	4570 x 1800 x 1450
Wheelbase (mm)	2700	2700	2700

There’s a slight difference in the height of the range-topping 1.8 V Hybrid CVT model of the 2019 Corolla Altis from that of the rest of its models whereas all the Elantra’s models measure the same. The Corolla Altis is longer than the Elantra thanks to the new TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) GA-C platform that it is based on. This gave Toyota the leverage to make the new Corolla bigger in dimensions when compared to the previous model. As a result, the interior space has also increased marginally even after having the same wheelbase as the Elantra’s.

Engine

	2019 Corolla Altis - 1.8 V Hybrid CVT	2019 Corolla Altis -  other variants	Hyundai Elantra
Engine	1.8-litre, 4-cylinder, dual VVT-i, DOHC, + electric motor	1.6-litre, 4-cylinder, in-line, dual VVT-i, DOHC	1.6-litre, Gamma engine with MPI (Euro 4)
Max Power	97 hp at 5200 rpm & 71 hp (electric motor)	121 hp at 6000 rpm	126 hp at 6300 rpm
Max Torque	142 Nm at 3600 rpm	153 Nm at 5200 rpm	154 Nm at 4850 rpm
Gearbox	CVT	CVT/6-speed manual	6-speed MT/AT

When it comes to the engine, Hyundai Elantra specs are right up there with the 2019 Corolla Altis specs. It packs similar figures and transmission options, however, it isn’t available in a hybrid variant, which, on the other hand, is the latest Corolla’s one of the biggest USPs. With the new hybrid Corolla, Toyota wants to spread awareness about the benefits of having a hybrid.

Key safety features

	2019 Toyota Corolla Altis	Hyundai Elantra
SRS Airbags	Driver, passenger, side, curtain shield, knee (driver)	Dual front
ABS	Yes, with EBD	Yes
Rear Parking Assist	Yes	Yes
Immobiliser	Yes	Yes
Vehicle stability control	Yes	No
Hill-start assist	Yes	No
High Mount Stop Lamp (HMSL)	Yes	Yes

Toyota doesn’t like to compromise when it comes to the safety department which is clearly visible when we compare the safety features of the Corolla Altis and the Elantra. The former has various advanced safety features (pre-collision system, lane tracing assist, lane departure alert) that the Elantra misses out.

Some interior features

	2019 Toyota Corolla Altis	Hyundai Elantra
Power windows	Yes with one-touch up/down	Yes
Power door locks	Yes with speed sensing	Yes
Power ORVMs	Yes (fold+adjust)	Yes
Audio system	Yes with CD/DVD/MP3/AUX and Bluetooth	Yes with CD/USB/AUX and Bluetooth
MID	7-in/4.2-in colour display	3.5-in LCD

The interior features of both the cars are more or less very similar, however, it is the cabin of the Corolla Altis that’s new and you’d feel more attracted to it rather than to that of the Elantra.

Some exterior features

	2019 Toyota Corolla Altis	Hyundai Elantra
Headlamps	LED/halogen projector	Projector-type
Front fog lamp	Yes with follow me home	Yes
Door handle	Chrome/color-keyed	Body-colored
Rear combination lamp	Full LED	Halogen bulb type

Just like the interior, the exterior of the Corolla Altis looks much more modern and latest. Corolla has always been a good-looking sedan and it looks even better in its latest avatar. On the other hand, the Hyundai Elantra is also quite good with its fluidic design, however, the sharp lines of the Toyota cut through Hyundai’s curves.

Price

2019 Toyota Corolla Altis	Hyundai Elantra
1.6 E MT - Php 999,000	1.6 V CVT - Php 1.18 million
1.6 GL 6M/T - Php 970,000	1.8 V Hybrid - Php 1.58 million
1.6 G MT - Php 1.04 million
1.6 GL 6A/T - Php 1.06 million
1.6 G CVT - Php 1.12 million

The 2019 Toyota Corolla Altis price starts at Php 999,000 for its base model and ends at Php 1.58 million for its top-end hybrid variant. Unlike the Altis, the Elantra is available in only two variants with a starting price of Php 970,000.

So, there you have it guys, a quick but informative comparison between the 2019 Toyota Corolla Altis and the Hyundai Elantra. We think that the Corolla is a much better car out of the two as it provides better features in terms of exterior, interior, engine, and safety. Although looks are subjective we would have to say that the Corolla is again the better car. We would still like to advise to have a test drive of both the cars before making the final decision.

Also Read:- 2019 Toyota Corolla Altis - Things we like