Elantra 1.8 or Honda Jazz 1.5 EX AT or Ford Focus Sport 5dr or OTHERS

[RazorWolf]

Thank you for the quick responses! I feel that I've chosen the right car forum.

First off, toss out the Chevy Cruze 1.8L A/T from your list. It's slow to accelerate and pretty much "dead" to drive....

The Ford Focus 2.0L ...your brand new car will be last year's model in a matter of months.

Honda Jazz 1.5 "Special Edition" is a good choice.... Downside is the relatively high price ...

*ghosthunter
- Thanks for the Chevy Cruze and Ford Focus comment. If you didn't let me know, I wouldn't have had any idea that the Cruze was like that. I'll check out the Honda City 1.5L, Mitsubishi Lancer EX and Toyota Corolla as well. I actually created my un-educated list based on the threads I read here. Now I'm a little more enlightened.

IIRC, the Ford Focus 2.0 TDCi is now under 1 million after discounts (originally at 1.126M)....

.... No final word on when the updated Duratorq diesel will reach the new Focus, but I'm betting it'll take at least a year.

... Reliable?
... it is.

... Fuel efficient?
Definitely....

Comfortable?
... not the most comfortable in its class, but you wouldn't call it awful....

... Good legroom?
... not the class leader, but definitely not tight....

... the Focus TDCi's trump card is still the fact that it's one of the best handling cars in the segment, and it's one of the only cars that you can drive around like a maniac all day yet still end up using little fuel....

Oh, I like its rather timeless design too: ...

*jut703
- Wow! Less than 1M for the Ford Focus Diesel variant. Do I have to "ask" Ford to get discounts or is it automatic? I mean, are there qualifications to get the discounts?

- Quick question, what's a "Duratorq" Diesel? Is that an engine or the name of the model?

Hi RazorWolf! Welcome to Tsikot forums....

.... i am very familiar with your daily route since i'm from the area of Alabang and studied before at Lasalle Canlubang....

Jazz
- Better Fuel Consumption (FC) in short trips (Alabang - Sta. Rosa)
- More Fun to drive
- Ride is more on the stiff side but still comfortable
- Kinda expensive for a subcompact car at 899k (Japan CBU) (857k for the Thai)
- Have the punch for a 1.5L engine
- Lots of cargo space especially when rear seats are folded
- Head room is not a problem because of high ceiling
- Hard to get discounts from dealers since it is already standard (but can still squeeze in some freebies depends on how you talk to your SA)
- No problem on parts...

...Elantra
- Huge body
- Good legroom
- Have those sound system goodies
- Softer ride compared to the Jazz
- Also have a punch for a 1.8L
- Better for long driving because it is more comfortable...

.... i'm still not sold with Korean Cars but dont get me wrong, they have been really improving for the past generations that it is already a close competitors of the Japanese branded cars.

I'd say if you are more on the comfort and a luxury feel, i'd go for the Elantra. If you are looking for a machine that is fun to drive and a "utility like" vehicle, go with the Jazz....

... Also you may want to take a look on the Altis ...

... due to my needs and wants, i chose the Jazz....

HTH! Cheers!

*sabawballs
- Thank you for the welcome, Sir. I'm feeling overwhelmed by the suggestions and info I need to absorb. But I know it's worth it. And I'm pretty much an everyday Alabang/Laguna traveller. Cheers! to you as well!!

- About the Thai and Japan JAZZ, aside from the country, is there a major difference? I added the Jazz to the list because it was suggested to me by one of my officemates. He absolutely loves that car as I'm pretty sure you are as well.

- The Elantra, I mainly put at the top of my list because of the CAR OF THE YEAR awards it got in Europe, America and here in the Philippines. To be honest, since I'm a newbie to cars, the Hyundai brand is not really one of those brands that I initially aspired to buy. The usual suggestions are Japan cars so I do know how you feel about you Korean Cars comment. But after reading the posts and suggestions from this forum, boy, was I wrong about judging before first asking people in-the-know. I'm still considering this, but hopefully, I will get more info from the resident CAR EXPERTS here before I take the plunge.

Have you considered a Soul or Sportage? You seem like a big guy who goes out of town a lot so I think you may need a car with higher ground clearance and bigger space.

Looking at your planned destinations, a sedan probably won't cut it. Especially on road trips where roads could get a little rough.

*Verbl Kint
- I'm not that into going out of town, although I want to have that as an option. Mostly, I'll be using the car for my daily office/home route of Alabang to Sta.Rosa.

- I actually read the Kia Soul and it is a practical ride. Especially for 5'10", "big boned" () men like me. And being a practical person, I'm not really biased on the design as long as it will meet my commuting needs.

- The Sportage? When I looked around, the Automatic versions are over 1 Million, so it's a little out of my budget unless there are discounts to make it less the 1 M. I'm a little hesitatant to get Manual versions because, I'm still going to learn how to drive (yeah, yeah, pathetic, I know). So, I'm afraid that I'll wreck the thing before the warranty is done.

[Verbl Kint]

*Verbl Kint
- I'm not that into going out of town, although I want to have that as an option. Mostly, I'll be using the car for my daily office/home route of Alabang to Sta.Rosa.

- I actually read the Kia Soul and it is a practical ride. Especially for 5'10", "big boned" () men like me. And being a practical person, I'm not really biased on the design as long as it will meet my commuting needs.

- The Sportage? When I looked around, the Automatic versions are over 1 Million, so it's a little out of my budget unless there are discounts to make it less the 1 M. I'm a little hesitatant to get Manual versions because, I'm still going to learn how to drive (yeah, yeah, pathetic, I know). So, I'm afraid that I'll wreck the thing before the warranty is done.

Since it's your first car and you're mostly doing highway driving. I would suggest you get a manual. Warranties for both are for 5 years or 100,000 kms. Believe me, driving a manual on the highway will be quite pleasurable after you get the hang of it.

I would suggest you test-drive both.

[sabawballs]

Thank you for the quick responses! I feel that I've chosen the right car forum.
*sabawballs
- Thank you for the welcome, Sir. I'm feeling overwhelmed by the suggestions and info I need to absorb. But I know it's worth it. And I'm pretty much an everyday Alabang/Laguna traveller. Cheers! to you as well!!

- About the Thai and Japan JAZZ, aside from the country, is there a major difference? I added the Jazz to the list because it was suggested to me by one of my officemates. He absolutely loves that car as I'm pretty sure you are as well.

- The Elantra, I mainly put at the top of my list because of the CAR OF THE YEAR awards it got in Europe, America and here in the Philippines. To be honest, since I'm a newbie to cars, the Hyundai brand is not really one of those brands that I initially aspired to buy. The usual suggestions are Japan cars so I do know how you feel about you Korean Cars comment. But after reading the posts and suggestions from this forum, boy, was I wrong about judging before first asking people in-the-know. I'm still considering this, but hopefully, I will get more info from the resident CAR EXPERTS here before I take the plunge.

Well same here regarding on your thought on Hyundai brand because before i was surrounded by Honda's ever since and i still have that perception of it being more superior in terms of quality. But today's generation is different. Different brands offers already great quality or at par with the Hondas so might as well look into them.

I'll state some differences of Japan And Thai models for the Jazz.

Japan
- 899k
- Audio and Cruise controls on the steering wheel
- Leather wrapped steering wheel
- Adjustable Light Focus for the headlamps
- A/C Cooler top glove box
- Vanity mirror on the driver's sun visor :lol:
- Looks like the 1.3 variant. Only difference is that it has a different set of mags, fog lights and corner lights on the side mirrors
- Power folding side mirrors
- Push button switch if you want the air coming in from the outside or recycle
- 3 head rests on the rear plus the seatbelt for the middle passenger is coming from the roof (Japan style)
- Comes with trunk privacy cover

Thai
- 857k
- More sportier look because of the RS body kits
- Rear Disc Brakes

So if you like the more aggressive look, go for the Thai or does not need those extra goodies that the Japan offers. But with that price differences, you can't modify your Thai unit to have the features of the Japan.

[jut703]

- Wow! Less than 1M for the Ford Focus Diesel variant. Do I have to "ask" Ford to get discounts or is it automatic? I mean, are there qualifications to get the discounts?

According to SG on another thread, the Focus diesel is still actually a tad over 1M at 1.015M. But consider this - it's a diesel compact that's more fuel efficient than any other compact, even the 1.6L Altis and Elantra, which are the most fuel efficient gas compacts.

Assuming that the Focus TDCi gets 10 km/L in the city while the Altis and Elantra get 9 km/L in the same conditions, that gas is at 48 pesos while diesel is at 39, and that you travel an annual mileage of about 15,000 KM:

Focus: (15,000 KM) / (10 km/L) * 39 Php/L = Php 58,500 per year
Altis: (15,000 KM) / (9 km/L) * 48 Php/L = Php 80,000 per year

That's an annual savings of 21,500. In about 2 years, you'd actually end up saving more if you got a Focus TDCi at 1.015M than an Altis 1.6V at 960k.

Also take note that the Focus TDCi is not only more fuel efficient, but it's much faster too.

Quick question, what's a "Duratorq" Diesel? Is that an engine or the name of the model?

Duratorq is just Ford's monicker for their diesel engine. It's the engine in the Focus TDCi that makes 136 hp and a whopping 340 Nm of torque (other compacts only have 170-200 Nm of torque). In case you might be wondering, torque is the engine's "pulling power" - basically it's a measure of how able the engine is in pulling the weight of the car and its passengers. Lots of torque in a car makes for easier overtaking maneuvers.

About the Thai and Japan JAZZ, aside from the country, is there a major difference? I added the Jazz to the list because it was suggested to me by one of my officemates. He absolutely loves that car as I'm pretty sure you are as well.

The JDM Jazz is more expensive and its features have been compared to the Thai model in a prior post. Personally I prefer the Thai Jazz because I find the extra features of the JDM Jazz to be mostly fluff - I can honestly live without them and invest the extra 40k on something else.

[bayen]

According to SG on another thread, the Focus diesel is still actually a tad over 1M at 1.015M. But consider this - it's a diesel compact that's more fuel efficient than any other compact, even the 1.6L Altis and Elantra, which are the most fuel efficient gas compacts.

Assuming that the Focus TDCi gets 10 km/L in the city while the Altis and Elantra get 9 km/L in the same conditions, that gas is at 48 pesos while diesel is at 39, and that you travel an annual mileage of about 15,000 KM:

Focus: (15,000 KM) / (10 km/L) * 39 Php/L = Php 58,500 per year
Altis: (15,000 KM) / (9 km/L) * 48 Php/L = Php 80,000 per year

That's an annual savings of 21,500. In about 2 years, you'd actually end up saving more if you got a Focus TDCi at 1.015M than an Altis 1.6V at 960k.

Also take note that the Focus TDCi is not only more fuel efficient, but it's much faster too.



Duratorq is just Ford's monicker for their diesel engine. It's the engine in the Focus TDCi that makes 136 hp and a whopping 340 Nm of torque (other compacts only have 170-200 Nm of torque). In case you might be wondering, torque is the engine's "pulling power" - basically it's a measure of how able the engine is in pulling the weight of the car and its passengers. Lots of torque in a car makes for easier overtaking maneuvers.



The JDM Jazz is more expensive and its features have been compared to the Thai model in a prior post. Personally I prefer the Thai Jazz because I find the extra features of the JDM Jazz to be mostly fluff - I can honestly live without them and invest the extra 40k on something else.

very good point stated regarding the Ford Focus TDCI.
I'd go for the Ford Focus TDCI on this one mainly considering 2 factors

1. size of the car for the TS ( no offense sir) i think you'd be more comfortable in a compact car than a subcompact one. although i have a friend, also big boned, who fits perfectly in a Jazz.
2. pulling power and excellent Fuel Efficiency of the Focus. plus its freakin diesel!
id go for the hatch. for me looks better.

or you may also want to consider an XUV or SUV, with your budget a kia soul or the entry level tucson would suffice. dont expect a good fuel efficiency though.

heres my last tip, go to the dealership and do extensive test drives or at least sit inside one. believe me you will know once you have the right car. i cant explain it but in your heart you will know which car FEELS right for you. thats what happened to me 2 years back. i just knew the jazz was for me.

good luck bro and welcome to tiskot.com

[GTi]

very good point stated regarding the Ford Focus TDCI.
I'd go for the Ford Focus TDCI on this one mainly considering 2 factors

1. size of the car for the TS ( no offense sir) i think you'd be more comfortable in a compact car than a subcompact one. although i have a friend, also big boned, who fits perfectly in a Jazz.
2. pulling power and excellent Fuel Efficiency of the Focus. plus its freakin diesel!
id go for the hatch. for me looks better.

or you may also want to consider an XUV or SUV, with your budget a kia soul or the entry level tucson would suffice. dont expect a good fuel efficiency though.

heres my last tip, go to the dealership and do extensive test drives or at least sit inside one. believe me you will know once you have the right car. i cant explain it but in your heart you will know which car FEELS right for you. thats what happened to me 2 years back. i just knew the jazz was for me.

good luck bro and welcome to tiskot.com

The Focus TDCi gives massive gas savings, especially with light footed driving. But we must also consider that a sizeable chunk of that savings would go to maintenance cost- which is significantly higher than the gas powered competition. Being a diesel means strictly following the 5000km oil change interval. Amount of motor oil to be used is also significantly more. But I'd still like to have one though. Although I'm positive it can benefit with some more features like steering wheel mounted controls, cruise control, bigger rims, and perhaps a sunroof.

About the Jazz. A family friend of ours has a 2005 Jazz 1.5VTEC CVT. I've ridden it, and it really is very cavernous inside. I daresay that front legroom is comparable to our 7th gen Accord, and headroom is actually much more abundant than the Accord's. If you're inside, you would think you're in a much bigger car. It feels much like being inside a compact SUV! But he shared that his Jazz gets just around 8km/L city. Acceptable, but not exceptionally good, I should say.

[bayen]

The Focus TDCi gives massive gas savings, especially with light footed driving. But we must also consider that a sizeable chunk of that savings would go to maintenance cost- which is significantly higher than the gas powered competition. Being a diesel means strictly following the 5000km oil change interval. Amount of motor oil to be used is also significantly more. But I'd still like to have one though. Although I'm positive it can benefit with some more features like steering wheel mounted controls, cruise control, bigger rims, and perhaps a sunroof.

About the Jazz. A family friend of ours has a 2005 Jazz 1.5VTEC CVT. I've ridden it, and it really is very cavernous inside. I daresay that front legroom is comparable to our 7th gen Accord, and headroom is actually much more abundant than the Accord's. If you're inside, you would think you're in a much bigger car. It feels much like being inside a compact SUV! But he shared that his Jazz gets just around 8km/L city. Acceptable, but not exceptionally good, I should say.

cant really comment much on PMS cost for the focus tdci as i have no clue as of the moment. i have yet to check the PMS cost. true, bigger engine (2.0) more oil needed. although there would be choices for either mineral or synthetic, if strictly following the 5K interval, to save a little, mineral or semi synthetic would be okay i guess.

the jazz indeed is king when it comes to space considering that its under the subcompact category. i get the same response from friends who get to ride with me.
i get 10-11KM/L daily short drives.