Vios G AT, Honda City VX, Altis G MT and Elantra E MT

[JayPi.23]

Not considering the Accent CRDi? If gas mileage is a primary consideration, this is the one to have. It still wins in total fuel cost even if any of the abovementioned models actually manage to match it in terms of km/L. Which Fortuner variant do you have? If it's the 2.5, you may find your daily fuel costs higher if you opt for the 1.5/1.6 gasoline sedans.

Among the choices, I'd go for the Altis. Similar fuel consumption as most 1.5L subcompacts whole having more space and a more upscale look. Resale value is rock solid and you will never have problems with parts and maintenance.

Hi, I'd rather pick the Vios over the Accent. For me, looks better, more features and might be cheaper to maintain. It's a 2010 2.5 G AT. I'm looking for the best valued vehicle that I can afford. Thanks!

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Not considering the Accent CRDi? If gas mileage is a primary consideration, this is the one to have. It still wins in total fuel cost even if any of the abovementioned models actually manage to match it in terms of km/L. Which Fortuner variant do you have? If it's the 2.5, you may find your daily fuel costs higher if you opt for the 1.5/1.6 gasoline sedans.

Among the choices, I'd go for the Altis. Similar fuel consumption as most 1.5L subcompacts whole having more space and a more upscale look. Resale value is rock solid and you will never have problems with parts and maintenance.

Hi, I'd rather pick the Vios over the Accent. For me, looks better, more features and might be cheaper to maintain. It's a 2010 2.5 G AT. I'm looking for the best valued vehicle that I can afford. Thanks!

[JayPi.23]

I was in my 20s back when grunge bands ruled the airwaves and folks outside of UP just came to appreciate the music of Eraserheads. The music of Red Hot Chili Peppers still get my blood pumped up and it makes my daily ride with my little-engine-that-could less boring. Test drive the Fiesta Ecoboost and you will be surprised how much its small turbo engine can deliver. If you're the type who prefers a responsive car and a sporty drive, no other car priced below 1M can deliver a better package than this neat hatchback from Ford. If only the Fiesta ST is available here, I wonder how much more fun it can deliver with its more powerful 1.6L turbo engine (197hp).



For a 1M budget and a good choice for an all-around family car, it will be a toss-up between the base Mazda3, Altis 1.6V, or the Sylphy 1.8V. Mazda3 for its looks and new technology, Sylphy for its space and creature comforts, while the Altis 1.6V is an all-around performer but neither of them could provide a sport-oriented drive. The Focus 1.6L Trend is a decent choice and it has the goods but it does not offer much for its price (998k) and it is a bit overweight. I'd like to include the Honda Civic 1.8S as it offers a decent power-to-weight ratio (lightest car among the compacts) and acceptable FC but it looks bare inside compared to the initial 3 options. The Civic FB (2012-onwards) has lost its sporty character compared to the older Civic FD (2006-2011). The Lancer GT-A is now sold at less than 1M but it is an old platform (7 years old) but it's a good bargain as it was priced at 1.2M before. The Lancer GT-A has aged well and its looks still has that presence of a sporty compact.

Just go out to the different dealers and check out the models. Take the cars for a test drive and then choose. The right choice will be the one that makes you enjoy driving it everyday.

I'm not into hatchbacks. Apologies but I need a more matured looking car (not sure how to put it in words). So far the Altis is the most balanced for me in terms of looks. Can use it any occasion plus the confidence because of its brand name. I haven't tried the Mazda 3, is it really costly to maintain? Might also consider the Civic since I'll be going to several dealerships by next week. Thanks for the suggestions

[jut703]

Thanks Jut! I cannot answer that for now but based on what you've pointed, Altis will be a better pick. I may not be needing those added features that the City has except for the reverse camera which is very helpful in parking at night. This will be my first choice for now. Any known issues with the current Altis? I know that there is this "warranty" but just making sure.

Lastly, your thoughts / insight with the Kia Forte? Vs. the Altis, what I can think of is the resale value later on. I normally buy a new vehicle after 4 to 5 yrs of ownership.

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Thanks Jut! I cannot answer that for now but based on what you've pointed, Altis will be a better pick. I may not be needing those added features that the City has except for the reverse camera which is very helpful in parking at night. This will be my first choice for now. Any known issues with the current Altis? I know that there is this "warranty" but just making sure.

Lastly, your thoughts / insight with the Kia Forte? Vs. the Altis, what I can think of is the resale value later on. I normally buy a new vehicle after 4 to 5 yrs of ownership.

You can always add front and rear parking sensors as a cheap upgrade for the Altis (mine came free from the dealership, complete with a 1 year warranty).

There aren't any widespread issues with the Altis, despite being out for over a year now, and with tens of thousands of owners.

Personally though, I've had instances wherein my aircon takes a long time (several seconds to a few minutes) before the compressor turns on and pumps out cool air. It happens whenever I leave my car in hot open parking. Not sure if it's a defect, but I've raised it during my 5000 km PMS, and Toyota Global City gladly took note of it and committed that if the problem persists and becomes chronic, they will fix it under warranty, absolutely free of charge. I'm not too worried about it, since 99% of the time the aircon works very well and is actually very chilly.

As for the Forte - it's not actually that old of a car. It was released globally in 2014, and we got it just a year late. I like its styling, and the 965k Forte sedan looks to be at par with the 1.014M Altis 1.6V in terms of features. The engine (shared with the Elantra) is actually good - decent power and fairly efficient. I haven't driven the Forte though so I can't comment on the handling and ride comfort yet.

Of course, the perennial problem is the brand - at the end of the day, most people still see Kia as subpar compared to Toyota. It will definitely have a lower resale value than the Altis. It will also be more difficult to source parts outside the dealership. Ultimately, if you don't mind the brand, the Forte is actually a very attractive left-field choice to the common Altis and Mazda 3.

[jut703]

I'm not into hatchbacks. Apologies but I need a more matured looking car (not sure how to put it in words). So far the Altis is the most balanced for me in terms of looks. Can use it any occasion plus the confidence because of its brand name. I haven't tried the Mazda 3, is it really costly to maintain? Might also consider the Civic since I'll be going to several dealerships by next week. Thanks for the suggestions

The Mazda 3 is the cheapest to maintain, since maintenance is FREE for the first 3 years.

I'd pass on the Civic. Their cheapest variant, the 1.8S, is 50k more expensive than the Altis G (even more once discounts are considered), with much less features. The Altis has a better ride, better looks, and better value for money. The Civic today is a far cry from the class-leading Civics of yore.

[istan]

Kia BGC has the new Forte on display (red). Check it out na lng. 2.0L engine ata.

[Kestana]

Hi! Thanks again for your suggestion but upon checking the Soul, I guess this is not for me. I liked the features that you've written but on the looks, I'm on the "hate it" side. I'm more attracted to the Kia Forte and did a quick search.. I've seen that this model was released last June? Or was it really old but was just released in PH to compete against other compacts? The pricing for the AT is at 965K (not sure how much discount) which is also within my price range. Maybe I'll include this when I hop with the dealerships.

No, the Forte is new to the Philippine market, but it's been available globally for some time now. Additionally, the Forte has the same 1.6 Gamma gas engine that my 2013 Soul has. Trust me, it doesn't reach 8 km/l in moderate traffic. Styling preference aside, the Soul with its turbo diesel engine, added ride height, cavernous cabin is still a much better buy than the Forte for around the same amount of money.

I figured you wouldn't like the Soul since you didn't want the Jazz either. I suppose you've narrowed it down to the Altis or Mazda 3. Time for a coin toss. But on a serious note, do a test drive first of your final list of cars. The truth is you really enjoy a car, wouldn't really matter what others' opinions are. Enjoyment and driving satisfaction is genuine and it's something you can only taste by driving the cars themselves.

[Geo_S]

The Mz3 costs 965k, while Yojin3 is equivalent to a 36k discount (6k per PMS twice a year for 3 years). So effectively it's like buying the car for 929k.

On the other hand, an Altis G MT costs 893k, and discounts are usually around 35k, putting it at 858k. Still a 71k difference, which is significant for me.

Of course, if we compare AT to AT, the difference is smaller - 949k for the Altis G CVT less 35k discount = 914k, or just a 15k difference with the Mz3 1.5V.

If I were getting an AT, I'd get the Mz3 over the Altis. But since I prefer manuals (getting a manual offers significant savings and better performance), I was left with no choice but to get the Altis G MT since Mazda doesn't offer the 3 with a stick shift.

Another thing against the Mz3 1.5 is that it just looks awful with the 16" rims and without the ducktail, unlike the Altis which looks pretty decent with its stock 16 inchers even without a ducktail. When I was considering the Mz3, I factored in the cost and difficulty of sourcing OEM 18" rims as well as an OEM ducktail, which really made it a pricier option.

I agree with bro Jut with the last paragraph. When I got my Mz3 few months back, the first two mods i had were the 2.0 OE 18" rims and the ductail. The 1.5 sedan looks bare in stock form. It made a lot of difference when the minor upgrades were done.

I also have the same strong considerations between the Altis 1.6G AT, 1.5VX Jazz and the Mz3 1.5V. Price difference at the time was just 10k from Altis to Mz3. Dropped the Jazz because wife doesnt want to have a subcompact car again. The clincher for me though was the Yojin3. Also, units were available at that time so I was able to reserve but had to wait for a couple of weeks as i needed to accomplish paperwork first and wait for bank's approval.

My suggestion is you consider and test drive the Mz3. So far I am happy with my choice. I do not feel it underpowered probably because I have a subcompact car before. I couldnt gripe on the interior and exterior looks of the Mz3 (aside from the 16s and ductail which is minor). Quality of the interior is also one of the best for compacts. FC is very good on long drives. You can easily average 6-7L/100km or 16km/l with an average speed of 90-100kph it could even get better if you go 80kph.

Nevertheless, it should really be a toss up between the Altis and Mz3. Goodluck sir!