There’s no rest for the wicked, they say, and the same goes for the local car industry. Just a few days after the new year, we already have our first launch of 2025.
Granted, it’s a minor model change, but it’s definitely worth a mention. The first new car launch of 2025 is the updated Toyota Corolla Altis. If anything, the country’s largest automaker is reminding us that it still has a compact car to offer the public following the launch of the heavily updated Civic.
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Considering its launch in Thailand just a few months ago, the local debut didn’t take that long. The lineup is much simpler now, and, as we previously reported, the 1.6-liter option is gone, effectively ending the once-popular 1600cc sedan class. The smallest engine available is a 1.8-liter while the other choice is the 1.8-liter hybrid.
The 2025 Toyota Corolla Altis has three variants on hand. It starts out with the 1.8 E CVT, followed by the 1.8 G GR-S CVT. It’s then topped by the 1.8 GR-S HEV. Both GR-S variants get new front and rear bumpers, along with a sharper set of 17-inch alloy wheels.

The hybrid then comes with a set of clear tail light lenses and a lip spoiler on the trunk. The range-topper also benefits from a fully digital instrument cluster, ditching the half analog look from the pre-facelift versions.
But the big news here is the new battery pack in the electrified model. For the longest time, Toyota has stuck with nickel-metal hydride batteries. The new year ushers in lithium-ion batteries, increasing capacity from 3.6 Ah to 4 Ah. There are no official figures just yet, but the folks from Toyota Thailand claim fuel economy figures of 23.8km/L in mixed conditions.

Power figures are still the same as before, though. Like the nickel-metal hydride versions, the ones with lithium-ion batteries still put out a combined output of 121hp. Meanwhile, the non-electrified 1.8-liter makes 138hp and 172Nm. Manual transmissions are no longer offered, with CVT and e-CVT being the only choices.
As for pricing, check out the list below.
Toyota Corolla 2025: Variants and prices
1. Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8 E CVT – P1,207,000
2. Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8 G GR-S CVT – P1,327,000
3. Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8 GR-S HEV – P1,755,000