If you could have your choice, which compact car would you opt for in the city? Would it be the "City" or are you a Toyota person? I like the look of the Jazz a lot, but it's not as small as some of the the other urban options out there. Also, the Cooper Minis look fantastic, but 2+mil for a 20k USD car? You'd have to be mad! Also, I've heard they have reliability issues. Stock Vios and Yaris look so bloody boring, but they can look quite sharp if pour enough money into them, and Toyota's always (used to be?) a safe bet. I personally never really trusted Mazdas to last, but the M3 sure does look good!

I've got a 4-door Vigo which I loved when I lived down South, and I still like the thing a ton but parking and traffic would be so much more pleasant if it were about 5 feet shorter.

What about you - what would you choose, balancing looks, cost and city drivability?

What about the Nissan March? It's a new choice, but apparently a very popular one at the moment... See the recent thread about this car.

Always rent a vigo or honda city......jazz is too low. but worry about scratches ...we live in the jungle.

Last time the guy we used asked us to use a Fortuna (same £) which was great but you need a working BP oil well to run the thing.

Couple of years ago rented a Isuzu p/u which although a bit slow i found solid.chunky,comfy,big wheels (as said live in Jungle) and not bad fuel wise..all personal choice. ...but would buy one day..

5 feet too long, but cut 2,5 feet off your Vigo. Everything behind the rear axle, and a shortenend box like the towtrucks

Balancing looks, cost and handling, the new Nissan Micra, the 'March', signals the direction things are headed. Toyota and Honda will release similar A-segment cars, they are compact cars for city use and would be my choice for an economical, easy-to-park car.

Based on my experience of driving in Bangkok, however, I think the roads are shocking and A-segment cars (March) aren't wise or safe.

With larger chassis and more comfortable rides, B-segment offerings Jazz/City/Yaris/Vios/Aveo/Tida/Persona all have very similar price ranges, fuel consumption and identical 3-year 100,000km warranties.

For proven reliability, Honda's V-Tec engines in the Jazz have never had a warranty claim made against them according to www.honda.com. They frequently top reliability tables and most problems concern the suspesion.

I saw the post about the Nissan March and I just simply don't like the way it looks.

Haha... that might actually look cool, katabeachbum.

And I really think I agree with ausiiebebe, the ultra-compacts are just too small. A Jazz still looks like the best option out there to me!

Can anyone save me a search and tell me what fuel economy the Jazz gets realistically?

Can anyone save me a search and tell me what fuel economy the Jazz gets realistically?

I have a new Jazz, well it's about 10 months old, and when I drive from bangkok to pattaya via the Motorway I get about 18 Kpl, at least according to the on-board calculator. Around the city (Bangkok) 14.

Toyota Aygo?

I have a Chevy Optera with NGV. I drive to Bangkok from Khon Kaen for under 200 Bt. It gets less arround town in traffic. I am a big guy and fit in it better than the Jazz or other cars. I love the NGV. The oil never gets dirty. At the 10,000 km change it still looked almost new. I know that has to be good for engine longevity. At 20,000 km when they changed the plugs they looked beautiful also.

.02

Always rent a vigo or honda city......jazz is too low. but worry about scratches ...we live in the jungle.

Last time the guy we used asked us to use a Fortuna (same £) which was great but you need a working BP oil well to run the thing.

Couple of years ago rented a Isuzu p/u which although a bit slow i found solid.chunky,comfy,big wheels (as said live in Jungle) and not bad fuel wise..all personal choice. ...but would buy one day..

I found the Fortuner 3.0 Diesel cost about 25% more in fuel to cover a journey than a Honda Jazz. The Honda Jazz was about 20% more in fuel than the Vios or Yaris, but was much perkier. The Jazz really does have a great engine and despite the shape it hugs the road well. Its fun to drive where the Vios and Yaris aren't

Honda Jazz for city use. Have had one for 18 months without a problem or complaint. Plenty of room for my large frame. Surprising how fast the little bugger is on the open road, could use a tad more power for the mountains though.

Very happy with my Jazz for city driving.

Especially making U-turns.

Nissan March.

Its cheap, fuel efficient. All that one needs to use around the city.

for a hatchback the Nissan Tiida, outside simular size as Jazz, inside much more space then a Jazz.

for a sedan the Honda City.

i have had the yaris and the jazz... They are both really good but the jazz was in a league of its own... Sure i swapped it for my new vigo, but if i went to live in the urban jungle like you... I would be back in a jazz faster then i would buy a sandwich from seven...

Fuel consumption is really good if you do not have a happy foot while driving like me...

I had a Jazz, the previous model and loved it. But after 3 accidents in 3 weeks, my Missus decided that this car was jinxed and we had to sell it.

Oh well, I got a Volkswagen Golf GTI. Lousy mileage bot Oh the Fun to drive it! Best gearbox I have ever driven.

Anyway, mileage depends much more on your driving style than on the car. On my AUDI I get about 6.8 liters per 100 km, my better half about 8 l/100km.

Suzuki Swift would be my choice

coz theyre not as common as the Toyota or Honda but just as reliable

and look and drive well

sports model a nice car

How about the Proton Neo?

Never heard if it before but saw one on the road the other day and was stricken by its looks enough to have a poke around on the Internet.

http://www.protonthailand.com/index.php?ac...neo〈=en

http://media.paultan.org/img/Proton_Satria..._R3_1_Large.jpg

Handling by Lotus, prices from 499k.

May consider it further Mrs looking to upgrade car in 6-12 months.

Of coarse she wants a Jazz but showed her a pic of the Proton on the net and she seemed interested.

Anyone have more input on this?

The Golf GTI or WRX are the best if price is less of an issue, but they are not really 'mimi' sized, if price is an issue I prefer the look of the Mazda 2.

The Mini is positioned a tad too feminine (pretty boys included) in Thailand and the car is priced on looks here, not engine or BHP etc. The mini has been up-branded in Thailand as being more special than it actually is when compared to the Jazz et al in qualative terms.

Where are the Polo GTI's the Clio Cup's the 206 GTI's??

Why do the importers here feed us such dross when the mini has shown with stunning clarity that there is a market for small expensive cars!!