Mazda 3 hatchback or Honda Jazz???

[mbeige]

i dont like non-independent rear suspension.

i vote for Mazda3 HB.

besides its more car for the money.

The rear torsion beam axle of the Jazz is still independent, the center beam just twists (kaya siya tinatawag na torsion beam) to place each wheel properly on the ground. In addition it's also a trailing arm type of suspension.

Agreed, it's not performance based, but what it lacks in performance it can carry inside.

In spite of the steering feedback of the Jazz, it is still fun to drive, specially the CVT. Very economical and if you get the VTEC engine, very responsive.

What's wrong with the steering feedback of the Jazz? IMO (we have one) it's actually well weighted and very handy dahil maliit yung size ng steering wheel. Only complaint ko sa Jazz is when you run over a bump, matagtag masyado. The front MacPherson strut doesn't handle it well.

[Mguy]

What's wrong with the steering feedback of the Jazz? IMO (we have one) it's actually well weighted and very handy dahil maliit yung size ng steering wheel. Only complaint ko sa Jazz is when you run over a bump, matagtag masyado. The front MacPherson strut doesn't handle it well.

Well, at first, you get the feel that you're just playing Playstation with the feedback sort of feels 'synthetic'. But as you drive along, it really quite comfortable and responsive. Some people are just used to the heavier feedback of power steering when turning into a corner.

True, the suspension leaves much to be desired. Just last weekend, I had a trip to a rough road in Tagaytay and I felt the front suspension rattling. But when you drive in say EDSA or the highways, tahimik nya at very smooth.

[niky]

The steering issue is just for those of us who are used to the good stuff.

The beauty of Mazda steering isn't in the weight, although it is ungodly heavy sometimes, it's in the way it transmits road conditions and tire activity to the fingertips. When I'm driving a new Honda Jazz or Civic, the only clue to the lack of front end grip when I've got the wheel turned over is the fact that the car is headed straight into the weeds instead of turning like I want it to. That's why a lot of newbie drivers (from what I've seen) put new Honda Cities into the weeds... lack of feedback and overconfidence... as the car seems to be very sharp and doing what you want it to do, when in fact, it can bite you without warning.

In a Mazda, the steering will feed those subtle cue that'll tell you when you're okay, when you're pushing it, and when you're close to going over the line. It's confidence building, and it does have some real benefits on the road. Just two blocks in a Mazda3 or a Mazda6 (sublime, that one) will show you the benefits... or even in an Accord, which has better steering than the current Jazz and Civic. In a Focus, for example, which suffers from tire-induced understeer (heavy car, bad tires), it's easy to correct mistakes because you can feel the front end giving way right away, instead of waiting for your butt and eyes to tell you you're not going in the direction you want to go.

True, once you get used to the light steering, the Jazz can be lots of fun, but that lack of communication is what makes the Jazz to me a very good car and not a great one. A very good car will make a drive exciting, a great one will make it sensual...

[miLes]

swift

[mbeige]

The steering issue is just for those of us who are used to the good stuff.

The beauty of Mazda steering isn't in the weight, although it is ungodly heavy sometimes, it's in the way it transmits road conditions and tire activity to the fingertips. When I'm driving a new Honda Jazz or Civic, the only clue to the lack of front end grip when I've got the wheel turned over is the fact that the car is headed straight into the weeds instead of turning like I want it to. That's why a lot of newbie drivers (from what I've seen) put new Honda Cities into the weeds... lack of feedback and overconfidence... as the car seems to be very sharp and doing what you want it to do, when in fact, it can bite you without warning.

In a Mazda, the steering will feed those subtle cue that'll tell you when you're okay, when you're pushing it, and when you're close to going over the line. It's confidence building, and it does have some real benefits on the road. Just two blocks in a Mazda3 or a Mazda6 (sublime, that one) will show you the benefits... or even in an Accord, which has better steering than the current Jazz and Civic. In a Focus, for example, which suffers from tire-induced understeer (heavy car, bad tires), it's easy to correct mistakes because you can feel the front end giving way right away, instead of waiting for your butt and eyes to tell you you're not going in the direction you want to go.

True, once you get used to the light steering, the Jazz can be lots of fun, but that lack of communication is what makes the Jazz to me a very good car and not a great one. A very good car will make a drive exciting, a great one will make it sensual...

Come to think of it, I don't recall feeling the road that much with the steering wheel as I'm used to with our cars here (both MB). Maybe when I fly back I'll give it a try again, but that's still in June

Then again, maybe I did feel it, maybe because of the 17's my dad put on the Jazz...?

[Bravoexo]

I upgraded to 17's on my mazda3 hatch about 13 months ago, and the responsiveness of the steering, and the road feel didn't change at all. At first I thought it was louder... but with 17's you can get a bit more grip in them. Moreso now I've got wider fronts than rears...

[Bravoexo]

But the brakes are what's impressed me from day one, on the mazda3.

[niky]

I upgraded to 17's on my mazda3 hatch about 13 months ago, and the responsiveness of the steering, and the road feel didn't change at all. At first I thought it was louder... but with 17's you can get a bit more grip in them. Moreso now I've got wider fronts than rears...

Bwahaha... hardcore, pare... if I were an insurance adjuster and I saw wider front meats on your car, I'd know you were up to something funny... ...I wanted to do the same thing, but I couldn't find the right staggered set in my size.

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*kathleentan: Tama nga sina redorange and Mguy... Try before you buy!

Too bad you missed the Honda show, they had Jazzes up for test-drive. Maybe at the next Manila Motor Show, you can try both cars and decide for yourself.

What you've got to remember as you test... will that niggling problem (sound over bumps, poor power, tinny doors, whatever) be something I'll get used to over time, or will I eventually come to hate this car? Do I love this car enough to buy it? Does the driver's seat feel like home?

Some of us can live with a tinny, stiff car, some of us don't mind a lack of power or fuel economy... but we're not you. We can only tell you what we like, but what you like is entirely up to you.

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Wag mo nang isipin kung anong mas practical... in that case, I'll tell you what I tell everyone who's looking for a practical new car. Bili ka nalang ng Crosswind... they're horrible, but they're economical and will last forever. :hysterical: ...just think about what you want, and go out and test-drive!