New Toyota Corolla takes on Skoda Octavia & Renault Fluence

In the last FY 2013-14, we have seen a series of launches and up grades in this premium sedan segment; the 11th generation Toyota Corolla is a testament to this much anticipated D-segment. The car is all set to compete with rivals like Skoda Octavia and Renault Fluence. We take these two recently updated models to compare with the new Corolla as other competitors such as Hyundai Elantra and Chevrolet Cruze do fall into to this category but due to expected mid life refresh have been left out of the list. So where does each one stand within the segment, lets find out through a quick comparison. 

Design

In profile, new Corolla looks wider, longer and indeed premium. Octavia on the other hand possess clean & simple lines, rectangular headlamps with day time LED and squarish LED tail lamps, it might just  remind you of the 90's design but Octavia as a whole looks very much European and certainly is our pick among the lot when it come to appearance. While the Fluence has received the much needed make-up, French flair that the car possesses ever since its inception has been further enhanced to provide a tweaked front end. The vehicle has therefore received the family's new grille, projector headlamps and DRL's around fog lamp housing. All the three cars ride on 16 inch radials.

Interiors and Features

Corolla Altis

Corolla Altis offers black-beige and brushed aluminum finish interiors with retro style central AC vents. The complete package looks stunning and is complimented by a blue back-lit instrumentation cluster. The vehicle features auto lamps and wipers, 8-way power adjustable driver seat with first in class - reclining rear seats, touch screen infotainment system with USB, Aux-in and Bluetooth phone support and auto AC amongst others. Corolla spots dual front SRS airbags and ABS with EBD on the safety front. The car is upholstered in beige leather upholstery.

Octavia

Octavia features black and beige interior with piano black and wood inserts. Apart from this, the car gets four spoke multifunction steering wheel, 12-way adjustable driver seat with 3 memory settings, touch screen infotainment system with all the connectivity options, dual zone automatic climate control AC, beige leather upholstery and a panoramic sunroof to mention a few. On the safety front, the new Octavia features six airbags, traction control, adaptive front lighting system with cornering fog lamps and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

Fluence

The 2014 Renault Fluence gets revised interiors, the soft feel dash now features grey and light beige finish with silver metal inserts. The instrumentation cluster has been carried forward from the previous generation and is certainly the best among the lot, fully digital central dial looks classy and features chrome surrounds. The new steering wheel gets chrome metal insert for easy maneuvering. Apart from this the vehicle features, cruise control, dual climate control HVAC, 8-speaker surround sound Arkamys audio system and a new set of alloys. On the safety front, the car features dual airbags and two side airbags, electronic stability control, anti-slip regulation, ABS with EBD.

Engine

On the power plant front, Corolla offers two engine options - the 1.4 D4D liter diesel which churns out 87.2bhp of power @ 3800rpm and a max torque of 205Nm in between 1800-2800 rpm. On the petrol front, the car offers a 1.8 liter VVT-i mustering 138.1bhp @ 6400rpm and a max torque of 173Nm @ 4000rpm. The sedan offers two transmission options, a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed auto box (only on petrol) to choose from. Octavia on the other hand comes with 3 engine options, a diesel which provides a 2.0 liter producing 140bhp and 320Nm of torque matted to a 6-speed manual or 6-speed DSG auto. The 1.4 liter TSI turbo petrol churns out 138bhp and matted to a 6-speed manual while the powerful 1.8 TSI gathers 179bhp and 250Nm of torque matted to a 7-speed DSG. While the Fluence offers the 1.5 liter K9k diesel from the Duster producing a power out of 108.5bhp with 240Nm of torque matted to a six speed manual.

Read our Expert Review on the new Toyota Corolla Altis