Give Pakistani Toyota Corolla A Break – Try The Imported Toyota Corolla Axio

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By now Pakistan is well aware of the Japanese sibling of our local Toyota Corolla, the Corolla Axio, which first appeared in Pakistan not too long ago. Although shorter and narrower to suit the Japanese market and driving conditions, Toyota Axio is not an ordinary car! With a starting price of 1,466,837 Yens (13,790,08 PKR) which goes all up to 2,207,127 Yens (20,749,72PKR), Toyota Axio is a great option although prices are a bit higher in Pakistan after taxes. Still that isn’t much of a problem because it matches the price bracket of our locally assembled Corolla.

I wanted to share a couple of my thoughts on why people should consider buying an Axio over a Corolla. To make things simpler, I have divided the blog into four sections; the exterior, interior, features and the performance of the cars. Before I start, the thing most of the people would be interested to know is the prices of the different variants available in Pakistan!

Toyota Axio is mainly available in 3 trims in Pakistan.

  • 1.3X (1,900,000 – 2,100,000 PKR)
  • 1.5G (2,200,000 – 2,500,000 PKR)
  • Hybrid (2,400,000 – 2,800,000 PKR)

Keep in mind since we don’t get brand new Corolla Axio from an authorized Toyota dealerships in Pakistan, there is no off the shelf price. The price varies on a bunch of factors including the year of import, auction sheet grade, and general condition of the car, etc.

Also Read:  Toyota Should Make Some Real Efforts to Make The Corolla Altis Grande Standout

Exterior

If I have to define the exterior of the Axio in one word, then I would say “mature.” There isn’t much aggressive styling going on. There is ample amount of chrome on the front grill just like the new Corolla, but that also depends on the grade you buy. Higher grades have more chrome with better styling throughout. At 1460mm, Axio has the same height of that of the Corolla but sits lower to the ground! Overall I think it’s a good looking car maybe not the most exciting, but looks are subjective! Some may love it some may not.

toyota-corolla-axio-x-g-edition-1-3-2012-10074076 toyota-corolla-axio-x-g-edition-1-3-2012-10074100

Interior

The interior of the new Axio is quite decent. It’s made with a high quality material with some plastics here and there. It’s all logically laid out, and the driver gets the hang of it very easily, nothing too complicated going on and doesn’t feel high as compared to the interior of local Corolla. However depending on the grade there can be some changes as the lower 1.3X trim doesn’t get the auto climate control, steering controls and a tachometer. Just like the Toyota Vitz it just has a big speedometer in the center console. Otherwise, the higher grades have all the goodies you can think of in a family sedan. Here is the comparison of the interior of Axio 1.3X (above) and 1.5G and above (below).

interior toyota-corolla-fielder-2013-8567366

Features

You can get a fully loaded Toyota Axio with following features and safety equipment such as:

  • Keyless Entry
  • PUSH Start Button
  • Climate Control
  • 6 Airbags
  • Cruise Control
  • CVT transmission
  • Radar Braking
  • Power Mirrors
  • Traction Control
  • Parking Sensors

Performance

Now this is my favourite part about any car. Just like me it’s a very important factor for buying a car for many. When it comes to Axio, it has many engine options available mated with a CVT-i or Super CVT-i transmission. Let’s start with the base 1.3L (1350cc). Unlike the Xli/Gli, Axio now has a better and more powerful 1.3L engine. It produces 95HP and 125Nm as compared to the 84HP and 110Nm of Xli/Gli. And that is quite good for a small engine. There is also a 1.5L Hybrid which produces 74HP and when paired with the electric motor has a combined output of 105HP and 162Nm. This particular engine gives an average of 30KM/L. Then comes the 1.5L which most of the people buy. It produces 109HP with 142Nm. I have the same engine in my car, and personally, I think it’s very responsive and well refined. 0 to 3 digit comes under 10 seconds which is neck to neck with the 1.8L version in the Corolla Altis. Numbers aren’t everything, and the way this car puts power to the wheels is just amazing. Overtaking isn’t that much of a problem either. As this is a Japanese car, it just glides on the road giving a very smooth and superior driving experience compared to its local counterpart.

I am sure local Corolla has just as many pros, but these are just a few of the things that I believe make the imported Corolla Axio a better choice than the Corolla.

If you are planning to buy Toyota Axio, then head towards the PakWheels used car section where you can find many of these cars at a reasonable price. I assure you that you would not be disappointed!

Import Toyota Corolla Axio Thru PakWheels

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No Comments
  1. Khalid says

    BOGUS ARTICLE

  2. adnan syed says

    Better option is corolla fielder hybrid in this price bracket.

  3. MySchizoBuddy says

    who is going to provide you with parts and service?

  4. guest says

    reasonable my foot

  5. Researcher says

    You know what is problem? Car Importers never import an excellent car from Japan. Buying a used Japanese car is just like playing a CASINO BET . It is a risk , yes always a risk when u buy a used JDM. It’s better to avoid wastage of our hard earned money buy buying something locally assembled, or if you are a MAALIK POLITICIAN , then buy Axio.

  6. Researcher says

    By the way , Where is Toyota VIOS and Vitz news, about local production , one of your articles published 1.5 years ago????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? You guys just write fake things by getting money from Car Dealers………

  7. Abdullah says

    axio is a pathetic expensive piece of JUNK……local corolla is 1000 times better…

  8. Naeem says

    Sir AXIO is a BIG BIG farigh car……popular in FATA and remote areas of Peshawar………….because all spare parts of stolen AXIOs (from all over pakistan) are available here……once u start moving towards Barra Bazaar near Peshawar u would see lot of Axio…..

  9. Salik says

    out of every 100000000 cars in pakistan 1 is Axio…….GHATIYA car hai……

  10. Moaz Malik says

    I drove a 1.5 Axio with the CVT last year. I believe it was the higher trim version, as it had all sorts of bells and whistles, including a remotely unlocked trunk lid. The seating position is lower compared to local corolla, the steering wheel is smaller and easier to grip and the car feels faster than the numbers suggest. Floor it and the revs shoot to 6000 rpm and stay there while the car almost relentlessly picks up speed. The interior is not as flashy as the local corolla, but is quite ergonomic and the seats are comfortable. Engine note is muted and there is no wind noise. All in all, I quite liked it and would recommend that you at least test drive one before heading to the local Toyota dealership.

  11. Usman Haider Sheikh says

    1. 95 hp is 1331cc, falls in 1.5 liter tax bracket.
    2. axio is a smaller corolla made to fall in Japanese compact sedan dimensions.
    3. you could have focused on safety features but you tried to make your point upon performance so let me tell you, the numbers stated by toyota for 1.8 corolla are understated(like by most manufacturers for cars launched in 2013 and above models) and the way you think car puts the power to the road isn’t unique, it is the same with every cvt transmission, whether axio, corolla 1.8 cvti or city steermatic. last, why’d people prefer this over prius?

  12. Gillani King says

    Awais yusuf has written this blog because he knows and understands and he also drives a domestic japenese vehicle , most of the people here opposed him because they dont know what they are talking about and they have just a simple fan following of local toyotas (gli lani hay janab) axio is a great car and is 1000 times better than the locally made corolla a part from just a small set back reagrding comparison in its shape and size of the car, other than that all features and ride quality and even paint quality is matchless,
    Let me inform most of the locally manufactuered car users here that even on small comparison with the shock absorbers life of domestic n locally made car is matchless , domestics are the best wether u agree or u dont
    Thanku

  13. Vaqar says

    Gillani King….
    Boss in your whole discussion, u seemed to a strong supporter to Imported cars but in the end you are saying “domestics are the best”…..me confused

  14. The Blessed Guy says

    Axio in a nutshell:

    Fugliest possible trunk, pathetic interior, terrible ground clearance, tiny size… probably due to arrested growth

  15. Awais Yousaf says

    Please point out where i have mentioned Domestic cars are best!

  16. Awais Yousaf says

    Unfortunately Axio doesn’t fall in 1.5L tax bracket. Its officially stated as a 1.3, thats another case that its actual capacity is 1331cc. Second manufacturers don’t understate anything about the performance of a car especially the compact segment because thay already have very less power! I hope you are talking about a specific component. Where as power is concerned im not talking about the uniqueness of the the dilervery! I am talking about the refinement. Please have a test drive of an Axio and a corolla and floor them during your test! You will get the whole idea of my point.

  17. Awais Yousaf says

    He meant domestic Japanese cars!

  18. Usman Haider Sheikh says

    i posted this reply on may 5 too but pakwheels blog deleted it in the name of moderation to hide the lack of research done by its authors.

    1. axio is stated as 1.3 by the company, technically it is a 1.3 but according to government it falls in the bracket of 1301-1500cc cars, not the 1000-1300cc and taxed accordingly. that is why the 3rd gen vitz 1.3 is imported rarely as it costs north of 2 million to import one.

    2. if the manufacturers don’t understate than the stated time for axio 1.3 with 1nr-fe was 13 sec by toyota and 9.5 sec for dual vvti 1.8 corolla(a bit better for valvematic but we don’t get it here so it is out of comparison), 11.5 sec for 1.5 hybrid axio. now all that extra hp make it on par with a 2004 xli?

    3. instead of trying to convince everyone with what you felt, why don’t you google what a cvt is and its advantages?

  19. Awais Yousaf says

    See you are missing the whole point here! The 0-100 timing for both 1.3 and 1.5 hybrid stated by the company are correct! On the other hand the engine compared in the blog was the regular 1.5 not the hybrid! Well im supposing you didn’t get my point. The whole point was that a Japanese assembled 1.5L car comes up-to par in performance with a 1.8L Corolla made in Pakistan! I am not saying that the both engines are neck to neck instead i am saying that the Pakistani Corolla isn’t making full use of the engine. What-so-ever the reason be.

  20. Usman Haider Sheikh says

    you are just humiliating yourself now, writing a bogus article, deleting my comment, replying again without properly reading the comment which mentions 0-100.

    the regular 1.5 liter axio is half second slower than the hybrid version at 0-100 of 11.5 sec, the regular corolla(1.8) is at 9.5 sec with cvt and 9 sec with 6 speed manual. now if 2 sec difference isn’t considerable to you then your presence on an automobile blog is questionable.

    lol, an axio’s 1.3 liter 95 hp engine with lighter body has 0-100 time equal to 2004 corolla 1.3 74hp with heavier body and it is the Pakistani corolla that isn’t making the full use of its power?

  21. Awais Yousaf says

    Well dude i didn’t remove your comment neither i have the privilege to! I am sorry if your comment was deleted by someone or whatever the reason be! And where as the 1.5L is concerned (let aside what ever the company has to say) it’s 0-100 timings are under 10 seconds. (9.2-9.8 mostly on what i have tested). 1.8L Corolla does it in the same time. Neck to neck. Where as 1.3L Axio is concerned it can do 0-100 in 13 seconds (that’s the worst case possible). On my testing it was 11.5sec. The thing is companies never understate the performance. Most of the times its just to accommodate the worst case scenario in which you can test a vehicle! I have tested 1.3L,1.5L Axio and 1.3L GLI, 1.8L Grande extensively before i wrote this “bogus” article. Believe me or not the 1.3L Axio was better than the 1.3L Corolla ,provide any scenario you would find it doing alot better than the Corolla and 1.5L is dangerously near to 1.8L Corolla in terms of performance! If your whole point was about the fact that 1.8L Grande is leaps better than do test out both vehicles.

  22. Aqeel Zia Nayyer says

    even if manufacture mention it 1.3 it will fall on 1.5 as they note the exact cc of the car. 🙂

  23. Awais Yousaf says

    oh ok! 🙂

  24. Awais Yousaf says

    As a Pakwheels blogger i don’t have even 1% control over the comments section! Anyways i might be wrong about that tax bracket part other than that you have no idea what the whole blog was about ! Baqi yar ap Corolla hi lea kru! Peace!

  25. Raza says

    well i have also 2008 top of the line axio Luxel which is 1.8 but honestly the new shape of this axio is not that good as compare to corolla where the old shape axio has better interior then corolla but new shape axio don’t have good interior even new corolla has better interior and exterior i don’t like this new shape axio especially it’s back it’s ugly front is ok not good then corolla but when it comes to quality axio is far better then corolla you probably notice the quality while opening the door of both. i fully agree with your this statement “it just glides on the road giving a very smooth and superior driving experience compared to its local counterpart.” yea it is far better then corolla in driving experience it has very good grip on road it feels so good case i have also driven the corolla as well but i have to say axio is much more comfortable then corolla and has very good grip on higher speed yea when it comes to transmission CVT sucks but thankfully mine one has triptonic as well i’m not saying triptonic is very fast but it’s better then just simple D where new 2016 corolla has shift paddles right behind the steering wheel axio has more safety features like mine one has 7 airbages and precollision safety overall axio is much better then corolla in terms of quality driving and in Safety but new shape axio has ugly shape i don’t like it where corolla has good exterior but not interior
    when it comes to ground clearance corolla is on high heels with 17 inch tyers it looks like SUV my brother have one it is grande in size it huge but again axio is value of money

  26. Zain says

    don’t expect leather from corolla corolla has also that same pathetic interior

  27. Atif says

    Write something for the sake of writing. This what pak wheels blogs have reduced to.

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