A quick visit to the official website of Toyota Motor Philippines reveals something strange about the Toyota Corolla Altis. While its variants have been slimmed down to just three models, the GR-S,  GR-S CVT, and the E CVT, the engine displacement has been changed.

Previously, the sedan was only available with a 1.8-liter hybrid system or a 1.6-liter naturally aspirated engine for the other variants. However, that may change soon as the brand’s website reveals that all the non-hybrid models will come with a new 1.8-liter motor.

A new 1.8-liter?

The brochure download option isn’t available on the model page or any other pages on the website. However, the spec sheet tab seems to be updated, revealing the power figures for the 1.8-liter motor. The “new” motor will make around 140 PS and 172 Nm of torque, similar to what you would find on the entry-level Toyota Corolla Cross. The sedan may soon have the same engine as its crossover counterpart in an update. It's also quite the jump from its previous 121 horsepower and 153 Nm of torque.

Strangely, the pricing remains the same despite the larger engines, with the E variant priced at Php 1,135,000 and the G GR-S model priced at Php 1,302,000.

The model page for the Corolla Altis doesn’t seem to be updated or “fixed” quite yet, as there is no “brochure” download option available. It could point to Toyota having one final surprise for 2023 with an update to its famous sedan nameplate. 

For now, it's a waiting game to see what the Japanese automaker will have in store for the Corolla Altis, but the increase in power is a more than welcomed addition that could make the sedan a more enticing buy.

Did you like our story? Make sure to give it a 5-star rating if you do.