TOYOTA COROLLA LOCAL: BETTER THAN PREMIO/ALLION?

TOYOTA COROLLA LOCAL: BETTER THAN ALLION/PREMIO TWINS?
The Toyota Corolla isn’t common around as the mainstream buyer prefers the Allion/Premio twins from Japan because of the price. It is sold locally by the official dealer whereby the main buyers are the government and organizations who can afford a zero mileage car.

We spent time with a 2019 Model which is listed at KES 2.5M and check out whether it is worth the coin.

Many Kenyans buy numberplates. We tested the car with its plates in the boot and when we mentioned the car is a KCU with 34k km someone would argue they can get a ‘new’ KDY at the same price. Looks like it will take many lessons for people to understand number plates don’t determine the age of the car.

The test car had a 1.8l dual VVTI petrol engine that is rated at around 137hp and 170nm. Definitely, those are not crazy numbers that promise blistering performance but still enough to get you from A-B. Power is supplied to the front wheels via a CVT gearbox but there is a 6-speed manual version for those who want to stay busy while driving. The car accelerates to highway speeds with ease and feels well planted at least below 110km/h which is the highway speed limit. The speedometer reading climaxes at 240kph but it is unwise trying to get to the limit if keen about your future.

Going uphill needs one to go harder on the accelerator to extract power but it is expected of small non-turbo petrol motors. Having tested a 2016 Premio early in the morning, one could tell the big difference in braking as the Corolla has disc brakes on all wheels making it feel sharper.

The test unit had its stock/unmodified suspension and it took care of road imperfections to a good extent delivering a smooth ride though we only spent time on a highway. Sound insulation is also commendable at least for Toyota standards.

In the interior, you have leather seats, cruise control and an infotainment system which is calibrated in English making operability easy as one moves through different modes. The build quality is good and it looks neat in a simplistic package.

The fuel number readings stuck at 13.5km/l but it was purely clear highway driving on an afternoon with a disciplined driver. This means if you do bumper to bumper traffic or aggressive driving, chances of registering lower numbers are high.

The Corolla feels well specced and does what it should do in a calm way. It is heads and shoulders above the Allion/Premio at the same price. With their reliability already tried and tested globally, one can’t go wrong with this ride. While it gets almost everything right, the main challenge is that you have to be ready to purchase parts from the official dealer. You get genuine parts but you have to meet the price. That could be another reason why we scout more Premios/Allions than these Corollas. The average Toyota buyer wants a car whose parts are ‘affordable’ whether genuine or fake. They also want to compare different pricing from many vendors before settling for the cheapest. The Corolla doesn’t have such a privilege.