Help choose a sub-compact car

[ledifni]

Hi,

My sister is looking for a sub-compact car, it will be her first car and my father can spend an amount that can go for a brand new car(I think max is 800K).

Here are the choices:

a. Honda Jazz
b. Honda City
c. Toyota Yaris
d. Toyota Vios
e. Suzuki Swift
f. Mazda2
g. etc, basta same price range and form.

My sister really likes hatchback, and she's gonna use it for work, and maybe I can borrow it sometimes. She's looking for M/T, and must be fuel efficient.

She doesn't like the size of Alto, i10, and celerio.

Let us help her choose a car that gives the best value for money.

Thanks.

Please add pros and cons for each car. And the SAs we can contact for good deals.

[LucasVN]

My Choices:

1. Jazz - large interior but pricey and too many in road..
2. Swift - Cute, Fun to Drive, Free 2 years Service but limited compartment
3. Mazda 2 - New, nice exterior but cheap quality plastic inside, no trip meter, pricey (no free lto/insurance/chattel) No M/T yet..

:D

[renzo_d10]

Since your sis loves hatchbacks, take the Honda City and the Toyota Vios out from the list.

So, it's now down to 4 namely, the Honda Jazz the Toyota Yaris the Suzuki Swift and the Mazda 2.

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The Honda Jazz is large enough to sit a total of 5 people inside the cabin with an ample space for the baggage. It's pretty fast too, I remember a GE keeping up with me at the speed of 120kph. However, downside on the part of the Jazz is it's hefty price. 842k for it's TOTL variant and 720k for the 1.3S M/T.

Cute, like what others are saying. Yes, it is cute really, but with the price attached to it question is, is it really worth buying and just consider the line " Style Comes At A Price ". That still depends on the buyer.

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The Toyota Yaris. Pretty cheap for it's features and it's large displacement ( 1.5L ). It's pretty much of a big sub-compact too, comparable to the Honda Jazz. The only thing that makes the Jazz more " hit " than this is because the Yaris still carries it's old look, it just received a few refinements on it's tailights, grilles etc.

Great thing to consider, too. The old-looking style won't be much of a problem since there is always a RS kit available, that's if you wanna be unique from the others. Nevertheless, the Yaris is a pretty good vehicle to consider of.

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Suzuki Swift. Classic styling, as they say. Yes, it's true actually ... it's looks still gets me even though it was released years back. Priced fair for a sub-compact, nothing great really and afaik, it never received any refinements since before except for the additional M/T in their Swift line-up.

The Swift really is great. But with it's short span of warranty plus it's crappy after-sales service would you still take the chance in owning a classic vehicle like the Swift ? Or rather would you opt for a newer one that offers a swift and superb after sales service ? Your car, your choice.

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Mazda 2. Honestly, I like the styling. It's really stunning especially if seen in blue color. I`ve got nothing much to say about it since it was just released last month, I think. But, for me with the price of 795k for a 1.5L and with an A/T transmission already it's also a worth the look vehicle.

[ledifni]

Actually, my sis is leaning to a black(if there is) yaris m/t.. no problem for me here, i like yaris and the color

what i like about jazz is the space(i don't like its price), and if we go for the jazz, we might only get the 1.3 only.. BTW, is there M/T for 1.5 jazz?

, and about the mazda 2 is the looks, too bad there's no m/t here..

but we are still open for ideas..

i actually like the swift too(the looks and performance), but my sis don't like it.. and i heard bad stuffs about suzuki service, etc...

[renzo_d10]

The 1.3S Jazz isn't that slow. It's speed is still superb, I`ve seen several 1.3S Jazzes raging MM streets, some of them go fast through the stretch of the expressways.

AFAIK there is a coming M/T MZ 2 but there's no date yet. But surely, there will be. And from what I have read in topgear.com.ph the MZ 2 sedan will be released here too soon.

If you really want the styling of the MZ2 which is, undoubtedly great better wait for it or yet settle in at their current A/T Mazda 2.

[biglang_liko]

The choices are pretty much evenly matched, and are all good-looking subcompacts. That being the case, I'd go for the newest model, just to be the first to have one, so I'd pick the Mazda 2. On a more practical note, the Mazda 2 would still be "new" a couple of years from now, while all the other cars you mentioned would most likely have been replaced by newer/facelifted models by then (except probably for the City which is also relatively new).

[tsupermario]

imho you won't go wrong with the jazz or the yaris. your sis should know though that a black car is hard to maintain

[daimengrui]

Mazda 2, Jazz is way overpriced... wait for the M/T its coming

[tidus1203]

Yaris for practicality and Mazda 2 if you prefer style. Jazz if you like both and have money to burn!

[aejhayl17]

how about kia rio and hyundai accent? any comments about this cars?

[ledifni]

imho you won't go wrong with the jazz or the yaris. your sis should know though that a black car is hard to maintain

Stupid question: why is a black car hard to maintain? what color is easy to maintain?

BTW, is the M/T mazda2 and ford fiesta worth the wait?

i actually think ford fiesta is out of budget(hula ko lang naman po ito), but its still good to know, how much would it be? and is it diesel? has m/t variant?

any ideas?

[renzo_d10]

Black is hard to maintain since even a single scratch can be easily seen. And, black looks great if it's shiny, so for you to maintain it's shininess you should really exert effort in going to your favorable car wash shops and into your wax parlors often.

The easiest color to maintain for me is, silver. Which is afaik, isn't available in the Mazda 2 & The Toyota Yaris' color lineup.

[tidus1203]

how about kia rio and hyundai accent? any comments about this cars?

Hyundai Accent dull but very fuel efficient. The most fuel efficient in its class. 20km/L very achievable. Even in heavy traffic 16km/L is achievable. Can't do that with gasoline sub-compacts!

[tidus1203]

The easiest color to maintain for me is, silver. Which is afaik, isn't available in the Mazda 2 & The Toyota Yaris' color lineup.

Wrong. There is a silver Yaris called Medium Silver Metallic.

http://www.toyota.com.ph/cars/new_ca...6tmp/color.asp

[biglang_liko]

Black is hard to maintain since even a single scratch can be easily seen. And, black looks great if it's shiny, so for you to maintain it's shininess you should really exert effort in going to your favorable car wash shops and into your wax parlors often.

+1 on this. All our cars are black and maganda talaga pag shiny, kaso kahit bagong linis at dalawang araw lang naka stock sa garahe, obvious na yung dust build-up. At pag d mo pinunasan yun, at pumarada ka sa mall, may sira ulong susulatan ng daliri yung car mo ng "linisin mo ako".

[dr. d]

i know it's a personal preference of hatch over sedan. but... sedans have the obvious advantage in having a secure cargo compartment, compared to hatches. plus, sedans offer additional passenger protection in case of rear end smash-ups.
go vios!
and silver and beige are our maintenance-free colors. (maintenance-free colors: never clean, never dirty, never shiny enough...)

[blue_gambit]

honda jazz 1.5 a/t in white

[tidus1203]

i know it's a personal preference of hatch over sedan. but... sedans have the obvious advantage in having a secure cargo compartment, compared to hatches. plus, sedans offer additional passenger protection in case of rear end smash-ups.
go vios!
and silver and beige are our maintenance-free colors. (maintenance-free colors: never clean, never dirty, never shiny enough...)

A hatch has also a secure cargo space as long as the hatch door is locked! Meron din namang mga cargo cover to stop prying eyes from seeing what's inside. A hatch is also more flexible than sedans. The rear seat can be folded now that's even more cargo space. And a Vios? Ughhh... TAXI!!!!!