What new car is Toyota Philippines launching in August 2019?

Toyota Motor Philippines is set to launch a new car next month. In an official ‘save the date’ email from the company, an “exclusive launch of (a) premiere vehicle” will happen on August 19, 2019.

With most of Toyota’s lineup being fairly new, it's a guessing game as to what new model is coming – but here are the most likely candidates.

The Toyota Corolla Altis has already been on sale in other markets, such as Europe, the US, and in Taiwan. The ASEAN market has yet to get it but up next on the launch docket is Thailand. 

This will be the Corolla Altis’ 12th generation and power options are yet to be known. Rumor has it however that it will be powered by either a 1.6-liter or a 1.8-liter gasoline engines. Speculations suggest that there is a hybrid option available. These engines could be mated to a CVT or a 6-speed manual transmission.

The all-new Corolla Altis now rides on the (TNGA) GA-C platform, which is the same as the Prius and C-HR. It means that it will be 4,640 mm long, 1,780 mm wide, and 1,435 mm tall. This makes it 10mm longer, 5mm wider, and 45mm lower than the outgoing 11th-gen sedan. This also makes the 12th-gen car 10mm longer, 1mm wider and 19mm taller than its rival, the Honda Civic.

Another car that could be on the way to Philippine shores is the Toyota C-HR. This is a car that we have been wanting to have for quite some time now. This car is also built on the TNGA platform and is Japan’s best-selling crossover SUV in 2017. This might be a bit late since the C-HR came out roughly two years ago but with a car that looks this good, it's never too late.

Current offerings in our ASEAN neighbors like Taiwan and Thailand suggest that it could come with a 1.8-liter naturally aspirated gas engine. Another power option for the C-HR could be a 1.2liter turbo. A hybrid variant is also available. As for how it puts the power to the road, the C-HR has front-wheel and all-wheel drive variants in other countries.

Whatever vehicle Toyota decides to showcase on August 19, 2019, we’ll be on top of that and we’ll update you once additional information comes in.