new vios AT vs facelifted Mazda3 (entry level)

[cta2]

My priority is AT... sorry but Honda is out of the picture... No old altis also (i find it too old)

New Vios AT at 765T pesos, no discounts available
Facelifted Mazda 3 at 769T pesos (30T discount from 799)

My logic tells me Toyota.... but the Mazda seems a good buy for the price...

regarding Depreciation... I think both will have similar scrap value in 4-5 years...

gasoline plus or minus naman sya... and if you factor everything... its not much (coz I dont travel that far)

what do you guys think?

[orly_andico]

The vios 1.5G AT will definitely be faster than the mazda, and better fuel economy too: 107hp, with a lighter body, vs 105hp with a pig-heavy body.

i have personal experience in the crawling demeanor of the mazda3

you'll prolly get 9-10km/L on the vios, but only 7-8km/L on the mazda3.

mas mabagal na, mas laklak pa sa gas!!!

but, unless you're talking about the all-new Yaris based vios, in my opinion the mazda3 is a much nicer car. and roomier too.

but -- the vios G has dual airbags and ABS. the entry-level mazda3 only has one airbag.

if I were going for a mazda3 i'd go for the midrange, 839K (cheaper now, down from 879K) or the midrange HATCH (dati walang midrange hatch, entry-level hatch lang) at 879K.

the midrange mazda3 is the best deal, dual airbags, ABS, digital climate control, leather... i think meron na ring HID yung midrange ngayon.

it's still slow

Focus 1.6L AT nalang kaya? discounted din yun ngayon kasi desperado si Ford for sales. The entry level Focus has 1 airbag and ABS, so at least di siya gaanong talo compared sa Vios G in the safety department. Anyway the Focus and Mazda3 are the same car (so the Focus is slow too... )

[BlueBimmer]

mz3 ako...

[kpy555]

Both are good choices, pero I heard from one Mazda3 1.6L that it consummes more gas than the 2.0L. Ewan ko lang kung totoo but I doubt.

Among the choices, I'd get the Mazda3 (if you need it badly now). But if you can still wait, get the all-new Vios coming soon.

[niky]

The Mazda3 has a better suspension, better steering and more supportive seats than the Vios. More elbow room, too.

The new Vios has a bit more legroom (paradoxically), but it's narrower. It's faster and more economical than the Mazda3, but more so on the highway. In city traffic, it's not that far off (as per Orly)... simply because Toyota's automatics suck ass. Mazda's Activematic is more responsive, but the small engine versus the big body through the mediation of that auto? You can drive economically in a Mazda3, but only by not using too much power. And since it's so slow, you tend to use more power just to get back up to speed. Easy does it and you'll be fine.

I don't like the suspension and sound insulation of the Toyota as much, and the engine sounds thrashy. But it's a decent car, anyway... comfortable enough for city use and pretty roomy.

If you're going to buy a Vios, buy the 1.3 MT. Punchy enough for traffic duties and about as fuel efficient as a Honda City (we'll know when it comes out). The AT option is just a waste of money. Seriously, if you want an automatic vehicle, you can't beat Honda's CVT.

If you're buying the Mazda3, the 2.0R is the best choice, but the 1.6 ain't bad. It's not as fuel efficient as the current Honda Civic 1.8 AT or the Toyota Corolla 1.6 AT, but it's as good as most older 1.6 ATs, despite the extra weight. And it feels like an expensive car compared to the Toyota Vios... which, despite being dressed up... is still entry-level. Of course, with the Mazda3, you'll have to be a very patient driver. Every time you pull out to overtake, you can just imagine: "vroom-vroom... ten pesos of gas... vroom vroom... twenty pesos of gas..."

[orly_andico]

pareho lang daw halos ang gas consumption ng 1.6L and 2.0L mazda3, the mazda3 2.0 does worse in traffic but better in highway.

the 1.6L engine is heavily taxed to pull that large and heavy mazda3 body. mazda's engines are already weak to begin with (1.6L 105hp, compared with say the toyota corolla which is 116hp) tapos mabigat pa kaha. the mazda3 weighs MORE than the mazda 626 which was a mid-sized car before. the mazda3 also has a longer wheelbase than the 626...

basically that's the thing. the vios is a subcompact, the mazda3 is a compact. so the mazda3 gives you more space. medyo matigas nga lang yung suspension... but then that's "zoom zoom" for you..

EDIT: to add to niky's comments. the mazda3/ford focus is considered to have THE BEST suspension of ANY compact front-wheel drive car. End of story. So if you're after responsive steering, that might count.. yun nga lang the 1.6L mazda3 is let down by its piss poor engine and throttle response..

Another thing: never tried a G-spec Vios, but I have had the misfortune of riding in an (Avis rent-a-car, very new) E-spec Vios 1.3L. Gads. Low rent talaga. The mouse fur roof can scratch your fingers! it's REALLY NOISY on the highway (either the tires, or poor NVH, or both). BUT... the Vios doors slam better than the Mazda3. for some reason tunog lata talaga doors ng Mazda3. If that bothers you, the Ford Focus 1.6L is the same car (more or less..) but cheaper and with more-solid doors. Kinda looks grand-daddy-ish though.

[niky]

The 1.5 Vios has decent sound insulation, but it's still noisier. The new Mazda3 also has softer springs. It's not as rigidly controlled as the old Mazda3 (which is bad if you're a boy-racer), but it's still 100% better than any non-Mazda/Ford compact on the market right now.

And the funny thing... A Toyota will understeer no matter how sticky the tires you put on it (found this out at the World of Toyota, where I had a chance to drive a "G" on low-profile Potenzas), whereas a Mazda3 will turn in beautifully on the crappiest rubber known to man.

True, the "3" is a questionable value in terms of economy and resale compared to the Vios... but for the same price, you're buying more luxury and solidity. That's got to count for something.

[orly_andico]

The 1.5 Vios has decent sound insulation, but it's still noisier. The new Mazda3 also has softer springs. It's not as rigidly controlled as the old Mazda3 (which is bad if you're a boy-racer), but it's still 100% better than any non-Mazda/Ford compact on the market right now.

Niky, you mean the facelifted one?
Haven't seen very many of those on the streets yet.

The pre-facelift is really firm. Everyone here in the office (for some reason Oracle people are buying Mazda3's in droves) is complaining about it, vis-a-vis Honda and Toyota. But for me it's fine. Not fantastic (the FD Civic is cushy by comparison) but I like it not leaning in turns.

True, the "3" is a questionable value in terms of economy and resale compared to the Vios... but for the same price, you're buying more luxury and solidity. That's got to count for something.

It's a matter of priorities. The 3 gives you more room and luxury, at the expense of worse resale and fuel consumption. If all you want is reliable AT transport, then the Jazz 1.3 CVT cannot be beat by ANYTHING.

Makes me wonder why the OP doesn't like the Jazz.. it sure beats the Vios in the practicality department (even the Mazda3 hatch cannot swallow a FRIDGE, but the Jazz can...)

[niky]

Yup. The facelift. My cousin is an old "3" owner and he doesn't like the ride on the new one... but everybody else loves it. I'm a fence-sitter. I love that buttoned down feeling, but I think it's okay enough... kinda like the Focus, actually.

RE: basta wag Honda: Some people tend that way. Somehow "common" is a bad thing... ...I was talking to a buyer the other day, and he was looking for a college car for his son. I told him, straight out: The Jazz is the best college car you can buy.

He said: It's automatically out of the picture. His son doesn't want one because both of his older sisters have Jazzes already. :hysterical:

[cta2]

wow!... a lot replied

New Vios (I mean the new body), you can already order in any toyota dealer... the price I got is the official price.

Mazda 3 is the facelifted one (entry level)... yes it might be slow... but it really feels better inside, out... does not look cheap... even if its the entry level (at least for me)

I can not stretch any more money and my priority is the Automatic... so out of the question lower end Vios (coz no AT... actually a 1.3AT is my choice kung meron)... sorry no Honda City/Jazz for me... and no old-new altis... which I know are good value

Automatic to be used by wife, driver/kids and most likely for my color coding...

Medyo hati ang replies... actually pati ako

Maintenance - plus or minus, I can tolerate... basta Japanese level pricing (No Euro price)... same with the Gasoline... Im not buying any 6cylinder car anyway...


765T pesos VS 769T pesos... sobrang dikit!