For a number of years, the executive sedan segment in India was dominated by the likes of Toyota and Honda. However, it was only after Honda Civic got discontinued that Toyota began to breathe easy. Soon after, major car companies like Volkswagen, Chevrolet and Skoda entered the segment, making the rivalry intense. Hyundai was slightly late in entering the picture but ever since the introduction of Elantra, it has outclassed a number of rivals. At present, Elantra, Corolla Altis, Octavia and Jetta are among the best-selling cars in the segment, which are giving stiff competition to each other. Toyota Corolla Altis and Hyundai Elantra, in particular, have gained significant market shares. In order to asses the kind of rivalry shared between the two, a comparative analysis has been carried out.
Talking about the engine configurations first, Toyota Corolla Altis is offered in both petrol and diesel engine options. The petrol version of Corolla Altis is powered by the DOHC Dual VVT-i engine that displaces 1798 cc. Power and torque delivered by this engine stand at 138 bhp and 173 Nm. Toyota provides two transmission options in the petrol version of this sedan, 7-speed sequential shiftmatic and 6-speed manual. On the other hand, the diesel version of Corolla Altis features a 1.4-litre D-4D powertrain that produces 87 bhp of output alongside maximum torque of 205 Nm.
Coming to Hyundai Elantra, it is offered in two engine options that give away different outputs. The 1.8-litre VTVT petrol motor of Elantra delivers 148 bhp of power while reaching 177 Nm of top torque. On the other hand, the powerful 1.6-litre CRDi Elantra is capable of producing power that equals to 126 bhp and peak torque of 259 Nm. In terms of transmission, the car gets both manual and automatic options in form of 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic.
As far as interiors are concerned, both cars come loaded with premium features. However, Hyundai Elantra enjoys an edge over Toyota Corolla Altis as it features better quality upholstery and class leading features. One of the main highlights of Elantra is the cabin design, which renders a stylised appearance on the inside. Apart from this, the instrument cluster panel and top-notch quality leather upholstery give a premium feel. Coming to Corolla Altis, the cabin is not that bright but the company has made up for this by adding a touchscreen infotainment system. In addition, the quality of plastic given in Corolla Altis is inferior as compared to Elantra. To conclude, it must be said that the car of Toyota does not stand out in the interior department as compared to its rival.
In terms of price, Toyota Corolla Altis is offered at a price of Rs. 11.86 lakh for the base variant whereas the top-specification costs around Rs. 16.06 lakh. On the other hand, Hyundai Elantra is available at a base price of Rs. 12.83 lakh, which further goes up till 16.18 lakh for the top trim. To put things in a nutshell, it must be said that even though Corolla Altis lacks in certain aspects but still manages to win many hearts owing to the brand value it has in India. It is quite clear that Hyundai Elantra is more powerful than its counterpart but experts feel that it is not technically sorted as Corolla Altis. The car from Toyota is a complete package considering the drive quality but due credit must be given to Hyundai Elantra, which is at present the best-equipped car in its segment.
