Suzuki Celerio MT vs Mitsu Mirage GLS MT vs Honda Brio MT

[homer jay]

Hi, helping out a friend here and would like to hear your thoughts on this. He wants to buy himself a new car and rid himself of the headaches that his old car is giving him now. His basic criteria (in order of importance) are as follows:

1) 600k Budget (preferably less but can stretch maybe 20k more if necessary)
2) Fuel-efficient MANUAL transmission
3) Safety is a must, so ABS and airbags are a necessity
4) Reliability, parts availability, and low-cost of maintenance
5) The roomier, the better (normally has 1 other passenger, but sometimes will need to carry 5 people, him included)

From his criteria, I did my research and tried narrowing down the best options and these three were the best that I can come up: Mirage GLS, Brio S, and the Celerio. Feel free to add any other car options if you have better suggestions.

1) For budget, obviously the Celerio wins here, it is about P100k cheaper from the next cheapest option. The Mirage is most expensive but it has some very nifty stuff (start/stop, nice wheels and rubber (potenzas), only one with console box/armrests for the driver, Navi HU)
2) fuel efficiency, I read that Celerio and Mirage are the best here with Celerio being a little less thirsty? Not sure with the FC of the Brio but it does have the a good power/weight ratio so it must be okay with fuel economy also since manual tranny naman.
3) I guess the Celerio loses out here because from what I have read it is the only one without EBD of the three.
4) Not sure on the parts availability of the Brio and Celerio, but I would guess availability and ease of ownership would be a win for the Mirage... not too familiar lang with PM costs of each.
5) Have yet to check the actual units, but reviews say Brio and Celerio are really spacious... however, dimension-wise, Mirage is the longest of the three, as well as the longest wheelbase. Celerio seems to be the shortest and narrowest at 3600 x 1600mm from the outside dimensions -- but they say that the design is "Jazz-like" in terms of interior space maximization.

I was kinda leaning on the Celerio for him, seems to be the best bang-for-the-buck of the bunch IMO... but he seems to be a little apprehensive of the Suzuki badge. Wanted to know what you guys think...

Thanks.

[washburn]

Suzuki swift, underrated car more bang for the buck

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[WallyWest]

Suzuki swift, underrated car more bang for the buck

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Suzuki Swift is nice indeed but one of the posted requirements is it has to be spacious. Medyo cramped ang rear seats ng Swift.

Tinapatalk gamit cellphone

[homer jay]

Interesting choice on the Swift 1.2, mukhang maganda nga features nya, but what is the actual fc on that? Medyo mabigat kasi yung kaha ng swift at 960kgs curb, and the engine is even less powerful than the Brio so i don't think fc will be that good. #2 kasi sa considerations nya ang fc.

[sir_jayson]

How about the Vios J MT? It is a bit higher than the 600K budget, SRP is at 630K (not sure of current discount). Consumption is definitely higher (would play from 8 to 10kms/l for city depending on the traffic) compared to Celerio / Mirage. For safety, I think the J model has airbag but doesn't have ABS. But consider the structure / body design of Vios. I believe that it is still safer compared to the two other vehicle. Reliability and space, absolutely Vios.

But if I'm going to chose between the two, I'd pick the Mirage.

[dr. d]

give the wigo a thought.
1. the base model lists at 473K.
2. my AT wigo gives 8-9 km/li in the metro, "without resorting to tricks"... the MT should be thriftier.
3. mine has abs, and airbags yata.. i have to check..
4. it's a toyota! it's also an older design engine devoid of modern electronics, but was (i think) small engine of the year sometime back, when it was using daihatsu's name.
5. the rear seats have an unbelievably large passenger space. but i find the front seats, "just adequate".
it's a good personal car that can challenge the tricycle's maneuverability thru tight spaces, if that's the type of traffic you have to go thru..

happy hunting.

[homer jay]

Thanks sir_jayson. I was actually asking my friend to wait for the mmc of the vios and possibly stretch his budget a little more. ABS is necessary for him, and the price level of 740k for the E trim is already far out of budget. But it seems that toyota may change their J packages (not the base "for taxi" J, but the higher trim) to already include ABS as evidenced in the Avanza. Probably, this will increase J prices to about 660-670k, but it may be a good deal as we may finally already get a new dual-vvti engine for the vios. Pero for now, until he sees that daw, parang mas leaning sya towards the small hatches -- for better fc din daw kasi.

[homer jay]

Thanks dr. d... also gave the wigo a thought, but it didn't crack the top 3 variants to consider for him. Price is definitely good at 520k (with a T badge pa). However, downpoints for him are: 1) that reviews are saying it isn't as economical as the other hatches; 2) it is not an originally designed car by toyota, but rather a Daihatsu that was just rebadged to Toyota -- so the toyota reliability is a question there; and 3) and although the space is indeed roomy at the back seat, it isn't as flexibly designed unlike the others. Rear seats does not fold flat to the floor, and it is a single bench fold (no 60:40 folding in case you want to sit 3 ppl and still carry big things).

[WallyWest]

Thanks dr. d... also gave the wigo a thought, but it didn't crack the top 3 variants to consider for him. Price is definitely good at 520k (with a T badge pa). However, downpoints for him are: 1) that reviews are saying it isn't as economical as the other hatches; 2) it is not an originally designed car by toyota, but rather a Daihatsu that was just rebadged to Toyota -- so the toyota reliability is a question there; and 3) and although the space is indeed roomy at the back seat, it isn't as flexibly designed unlike the others. Rear seats does not fold flat to the floor, and it is a single bench fold (no 60:40 folding in case you want to sit 3 ppl and still carry big things).

-Sounds like he wants the Mirage GLS rear seats.
-Mirage has ABS and EBD
-MIVEC and electric steering keeps FC low.
-Rear seats are roomy enough although the rear suspension bottoms out even with just 1 adult passenger.
- new model is coming out so expect discounts from dealers.
- cable type ang clutch from what I've heard. Heard some stories of the cable breaking.

Tapatalked

[homer jay]

...the 60:40 thing naman isn't an absolute necessity for him, but I believe 60:40 folding is both present sa Mirage and the Celerio. Wala doon sa Brio, but the Brio does fold flat so space can be maximized as well (lesser flexibility nga lang).

I (or my family rather) had personal expierences already in owning a toyota, honda, mitsu, and hyundai... so I am sort of familiar with the ownership experience on 2 of 3 brands being considered (just toyota and honda only for myself though). I haven't though with Suzuki, but had considered before getting an Ertiga. How is the owning experience of a Suzuki? Does anyone here know where they make the Celerios sold here? Is it made in India ba?

[Walter]

One really can't be too picky if on a budget.

[homer jay]

Hi Walter, true in a sense... but I believe you are missing the point here.

P600k is not easy money for every one and most consider these cases to be one of the most significant purchases in their lives. Thereby, one would want to maximize the VALUE of their purchase by setting some criteria that are realistic before doing the actual purchase. I believe that the criteria that was set is realistic for that price level that is why I was helping him out to get the best out of his money. Obviously, there are pros and cons with each choice (and the reason why I asked guys here for their inputs and tried to lay-out his criteria clearly, and see if we may have missed out on a better option).

[dreamur]

Cheap, good quality, plenty of features - pick 2 and what is left is not.

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[homer jay]

Cheap, good quality, plenty of features - pick 2 and what is left is not.

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Hey dreamur, interesting... this seems to be good advice.

But what should be the result if he picks two?

a) cheap with full of features = Mirage(?)
b) cheap with good quality = Celerio (?)
c) good quality with full of features = Brio (?)

[dreamur]

Hey dreamur, interesting... this seems to be good advice.

But what should be the result if he picks two?

a) cheap with full of features = Mirage(?)
b) cheap with good quality = Celerio (?)
c) good quality with full of features = Brio (?)

I would go for the Brio. Peace of mind comes with a price.

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[Flipo]

Mura ang maintenance ng Suzuki as I owned one.

Punta ka sa respective thread ng Suzuki Celerio and Ertiga at doon na rin sa FB nila

[kris_13]

Mura ang maintenance ng Suzuki as I owned one.

Punta ka sa respective thread ng Suzuki Celerio and Ertiga at doon na rin sa FB nila

Speaking of fuel efficiency. My Celerio MT gives me 15kms/Liter city driving. Sulit na rin for an entry level car.

Ok din ang hatak at dulo. Twice ko na nadala sa Baguio.

[ice15]

2) it is not an originally designed car by toyota, but rather a Daihatsu that was just rebadged to Toyota -- so the toyota reliability is a question there;

The Avanza was also designed by Daihatsu and made in Indonesia.
Toyota Avanza - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Of the 3 cars you mentioned...

Only the Celerio and Mirage are "global cars" the Brio is also only available in select regions.

If you'll base the purchase on "reviews" alone... Then the Celerio wins. Mirage has really bad reviews (Europe, Australia, and North America) Top Gear (UK) added it on its list of "The worst cars you can buy right now."

I suggest you test drive all 3 cars... I've been driving for the longest time and ABS is nice to have, but you can live without it! Vios J (630k?) is really a good choice.

If you plan to keep the car for more than 5 years (I personally wouldn't bring the car to the dealer's service center when the warranty ends)... Then the Mirage or anything from Toyota is an excellent choice since you're assured of parts availability from those third party auto-supply.

[niky]

At the time it was released, the Mirage was realistically the only game in town. The Celerio was too small, the Picanto and i10 were too expensive (comparatively) and were also small. Granted, the Mirage has sucky steering and a loose (overly soft) suspension, but it was unbeatable in terms of space and economy for the price.

When the Wigo came along, it was still the Mirage with the win. The Wigo MT is merely acceptable in terms of economy, while the AT is a full rung below all the other cars. And build quality is worse than the already tinny and noisy Mirage. The engine is also very rough and unrefined.

The new Celerio changed the equation when it came out. It's got the economy, the quality and the driving dynamics to shame both the Wigo and the Mirage, and the space matches them, too. It also comes fully equipped with alloy wheels, ABS and airbags at just 507k. If you want to spend the bare minimum within the price range, that's it. Want a touchscreen? Just buy one down the road.

The Swift actually sells better. According to a sales rep I talked to, people seem to love the porma, even though the Swift is actually less spacious and practical than the Celerio. But the Celerio's new, rather conservative looks, seem to be hurting it compared to the Swift (that also means you can get discounts and low amortization rates from the dealers, though)

Fuel economy of the Swift is actually pretty good, not Celerio/Mirage league, but getting there. And the 1.2 liter engine is a nice unit. Not as zingy as the Hyundai/Kia 1.2 or Honda 1.3, but more economical. Interior quality is also nice. If you like driving, the Swift is more satisfying to drive than either. Just have to put up with the tiny back seat and trunk.

-

If you're a segurista, though, the Honda Brio is the better option. Economy is somewhat lower (but owners claim it will still crack into the mid-20s on the highway), but you get a lot of power, and Honda seems to have overbuilt the Brio compared to the others in the class. I'm betting it will prove less troublesome in terms of maintenance in the long run... reliable four-cylinder engine that doesn't need valve adjustment, with a smoother idle and more power, to boot. Multi-fan cooling system, full width radiator. Everything else for the money is single fan, with a half-sized radiator. Even the sedans.

The Brio is expensive because Honda spent a lot on mechanicals... and that 100ps engine . So if you value that, it's a good choice. But mind you, it is smaller inside than the others. The back seat is liveable, perhaps a bit better than the Swift, but the trunk is criminally tiny.

-

Wild card: Vios 1.3: Within striking distance of the price range, huge interior, acceptable driving dynamics and ride (not as soft as the old Vios, so you can actually load up the rear seat without it sagging this time around), pogi looks. Fuel economy not as good as these guys... more similar to 1.6 liter compacts (it has a tough time cracking 20 km/l on the highway)... but parts are plentiful, and it should last you a while. Still don't like the carried over single fan set-up from the Gen.2, which seemed to struggle in hot traffic, especially with the automatic transmission (the tranny cooler is attached to the radiator). But with a manual and the new engine tuning, should not be a problem.

-

Hope this helps, at hindi lang pampagulo.

[keithdb]

Very nice summary Niky. This is a big help.

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