vaas
12-30-2008, 04:19 AM
As one man can defeat ten men, so can one thousand men defeat ten thousand. However, you can become a master of strategy by training alone with a sword, so that you can understand the enemy's stratagems, his strength and resources, and come to appreciate how to apply strategy to beat ten thousand enemies.
It is a shadow war. Over successive generations, the battles have been played out in various parts of the world. Though they won't admit it, Toyota with the Corolla and Honda with the Civic, have been at each other's throats. Superficially, they pretend as if they operate in different segments, but deep within, they
know that when anyone, in any part of the globe, wants a reliable, comfortable, thoughtful sedan, it is either the Corolla or the Civic. This war is between them, and them alone, and in the process other enemies simply cannot match up and fall by the wayside. In India, the Civic kept moving from strength to strength, as its arch-rival was getting older and somewhat unfit for what can be billed as a fight between true equals. The Civic, like a true samurai, endured the wait for a battle-ready contender for a long time, and now, with the new Corolla Altis, Toyota has finally empowered its warrior. The two rivals have been itching for a fight, and so the latest iteration of the legendary war unfolds in the country.
INNER STRENGTH
Know the smallest things and the biggest things, the shallowest things and the deepest things. From one thing, know ten thousand things. When you attain the Way of Strategy there will not be one thing you cannot see.
326
What was applicable to the exteriors of the Corolla Altis, applies on the inside as well. It is an area that anyone would be instantly at peace with and in a state of familiarity. There is nothing inside that will jar the viewer, a zone of serenity, if you please. It is a well thought-out place, with decent quality of plastics in different shades to remove monotony. Of course, the faux wood is not to everyone's liking though it would be considered luxurious by many. The multi-function, leather-clad steering wheel too has faux wood inserts, which don't endear themselves to us. The controls for the stereo and the airconditioning look as if they can take a bit of hard use, but the overall layout will take some time getting used to. The Altis has also several nooks and crannies to store irregular stuff. The rest of the car is what you'd expect from Toyota, with the quality of materials or design making the grade. And the Altis is rich in useful features, like an auto-dimming mirror, split rear seats, HID headlamps with washers etc.
In keeping with its path-breaking nature, the Civic's dash is from the future.
If it was primarily designed with a hybrid powertrain in mind, we wouldn't be surprised. The speedometer is essentially a display that throws large digits, the tachometer has pride of place in the centre and the two-level dashboard with an altogether different sort of plastic finish means the Civic has distanced itself from every other car, not just in its own category. Its single-most attractive feature of course remains the steering wheel. It is the sign of the true warrior, who does not shy from the fact that he is one. Sporty, great to hold and gorgeous to look at, it is almost like the katana.
Thus, both cars have divergent ideas of what appeals. The Altis is for everyone, from the chauffeur to the owner and everyone in between plus it is pretty loaded too, while the Civic is meant for the driver-owner. And the latter are people we respect.
It is a shadow war. Over successive generations, the battles have been played out in various parts of the world. Though they won't admit it, Toyota with the Corolla and Honda with the Civic, have been at each other's throats. Superficially, they pretend as if they operate in different segments, but deep within, they
know that when anyone, in any part of the globe, wants a reliable, comfortable, thoughtful sedan, it is either the Corolla or the Civic. This war is between them, and them alone, and in the process other enemies simply cannot match up and fall by the wayside. In India, the Civic kept moving from strength to strength, as its arch-rival was getting older and somewhat unfit for what can be billed as a fight between true equals. The Civic, like a true samurai, endured the wait for a battle-ready contender for a long time, and now, with the new Corolla Altis, Toyota has finally empowered its warrior. The two rivals have been itching for a fight, and so the latest iteration of the legendary war unfolds in the country.
INNER STRENGTH
Know the smallest things and the biggest things, the shallowest things and the deepest things. From one thing, know ten thousand things. When you attain the Way of Strategy there will not be one thing you cannot see.
326
What was applicable to the exteriors of the Corolla Altis, applies on the inside as well. It is an area that anyone would be instantly at peace with and in a state of familiarity. There is nothing inside that will jar the viewer, a zone of serenity, if you please. It is a well thought-out place, with decent quality of plastics in different shades to remove monotony. Of course, the faux wood is not to everyone's liking though it would be considered luxurious by many. The multi-function, leather-clad steering wheel too has faux wood inserts, which don't endear themselves to us. The controls for the stereo and the airconditioning look as if they can take a bit of hard use, but the overall layout will take some time getting used to. The Altis has also several nooks and crannies to store irregular stuff. The rest of the car is what you'd expect from Toyota, with the quality of materials or design making the grade. And the Altis is rich in useful features, like an auto-dimming mirror, split rear seats, HID headlamps with washers etc.
In keeping with its path-breaking nature, the Civic's dash is from the future.
If it was primarily designed with a hybrid powertrain in mind, we wouldn't be surprised. The speedometer is essentially a display that throws large digits, the tachometer has pride of place in the centre and the two-level dashboard with an altogether different sort of plastic finish means the Civic has distanced itself from every other car, not just in its own category. Its single-most attractive feature of course remains the steering wheel. It is the sign of the true warrior, who does not shy from the fact that he is one. Sporty, great to hold and gorgeous to look at, it is almost like the katana.
Thus, both cars have divergent ideas of what appeals. The Altis is for everyone, from the chauffeur to the owner and everyone in between plus it is pretty loaded too, while the Civic is meant for the driver-owner. And the latter are people we respect.