Honda Jazz Or Toyota Altis?

[Irish]

Hi all.

My better half wants to buy a new car here. Just a city runabout.

Any ideas... Honda Jazz or Toyota Altis?

What would deposit/repayments be?

Any preferences for banks/lending institutions?

Any feedback welcome.

Thank you.

[buadhai]

I just bought a new Toyota Soluna Vios. I think this is the car known as an "Echo" in the US. I got it primarily as a city runabout and it performs quite well in that role. I think it looks better then the Hondas, but that's certainly a matter of opinion.

The car handles well, is easy to park, is good on fuel consumption but has enough acceleration (1.5 liter engine) to get to get up to speed on the highway when necessary. The suspension is tight and the short wheelbase means that the highway ride is not as smooth as you'd get in a larger vehicle. The three speed automatic shifts smoothly.

I got the "S" model which has 4 wheel ABS breaks, a driver side air bag and fancy interior.

I paid cash, so I can't answer your questions on financing.

This is the first time I've purchased a new vehicle in over 20 years. If I had my druthers it would have been a two-year-old Corolla with a 1.8 engine.

However, there is more than one decision maker in my household....

[lopburi3]

From recent reading up on these cars believe I would go with the Honda, but perhaps in the City model which is the same basic car as the Jazz. Believe your wife would prefer the Jazz however. Seems to be very popular with younger people and that is the target.

The design is only three years old and provides more room than other cars and with the variable automatic transmission and Vtec engine is a car much above its low price tag. It should have really kicked butt here except they picked the low price engine to market it first - with the power of the Vtec it suites more customers.

As I say above is my take after reading up on them - Toyota is still the brand to beat in Thailand - but in this case I believe Honda is the better value and drive.

Most autos have their own finance provisions and the Honda site includes a full calculator function of payments. Basic I believe is 20 or 25% down for Thai and believe someone said 40% if a foreigner buying directly. There is usually no room to bargain price on new car but you can (should) request all the options you can find as included in the price.

[Tywais]

I have also been looking for a new car. Both Honda and Toyota offer their own financing in the neighborhood of 3.5 - 4 % depending on down payment and length of finacing. They will not bargain the price of the car, as Lopburi3 stated, but you can get them to throw some options in or discount the options. Toyota will give 1 year 1st class insurance but Honda doesn't (this was about 6-months ago when talking with the dealership).

One thing to be aware of is if financing the car you will need a 'guarantor' to cosign the financing agreement. He/she will need to show ID, tambien bahn, property deed or similar calateral for proof payment can be covered in case you default. Also capital purchases require both the wife/husband to sign the contract. If it is in your name maybe the wife can be the guarantor (not sure if it may be considered conflict of interest), else a friend or family member.

My list was Civic, Altas, Mazda3 in that order but now leaning toward Honda Accord (new model released with 2K engine, less expensive).

[Bilko]

I had a Hona City on hire a few Times, for a City car I thought it was great, comfortable, smoothe, quiet, and so big inside.....

And the Economy is excellent.

I am moving up-country so I bought a 4WD pick up, but I think I would go for the Honda City if I was staying in a busy place like Bkk or Pattaya.

[paulfr]

For financing be advised the 3% rate is really 6% as you are charged on the original principle for the entire life of the loan. This was at Toyota and was also true at Bangkok Bank when I sat down with a loan officer there.

I was required to put the car in my wife's name if I did not pay cash also.

Just some info for you ....

[johnh101]

I rented a Honda Jazz last time I was there and will not do so again.

It probably has the worst field of vision of any car I have ever driven.

[terdsak_12]

I've got a Jazz for my missus, great city car.

[chodi]

I'm not questioning what has been said above, but I will share my story. Last week I walked into a local Toyota dealer in Pattaya and ordered a new Vios for myself. I was asked to present a work permit for financing. When I explained that I have lived here for years on a retirement visa, they said I needed 50% down. I put the fifty percent down and allowed them to copy my savings account books for local accounts. I told them I wanted the car in my name alone and they said no problem. My Thai wife signed as the Thai guaranty person and we were done. I do own a home here for many years and had to show that paper. This went right through Toyota financing at 2.9% actual rate for 36 months. The entire thing was approved in 24 hours. I did have to give them a letter of residence from immigration, but that is easy enough. In all my experience was very simple and I got what I wanted. They also discounted the new car and threw in some of the options. I could not ask for better or faster service. My only guess is that this was easy because I have been legally married to my wife for more than ten years and I had the bank books to show that they were at no risk with this small payment of 6800 Baht per month. I have also lived here for more than five years.

[sabaijai]

I bought a Honda Jazz shortly after they came out here in Thailand, after hearing it was the best-selling car in Japan last year. I've been very happy with it. Small enough to be very easy to park but amazingly roomy on the inside. I'm 185cm (6'1") tall and don't feel at all cramped driving it. Fuel economy is excellent.

I don't have the visibility problem mentioned, seems like there's plenty of glass. I've driven cars with a lot worse visibility, that's for sure - all Mercedes, for example.

I test-drove a Soluna before deciding on the Jazz, though the Jazz handled better but both are good inexpensive vehicles.

[meadish_sweetball]

My personal favourite is the Altis, but you will most likely be pleased whichever option you finally decide on. It is my understanding that repairs are slightly cheaper for Toyota than Honda, but that Honda may have the edge when it comes to that elusive trait sometimes described as 'driving experience'.

[barryofthailand]

Chodi,

We are also looking at the Toyota Vios S model, But want some extras like a spoiler, step plate which fits on the bottom where you would step into the car. Also a stainless steel Turbo cover which covers the tail pipe, and gold trim in fron and in back instead if silver. We obtained price quotes for about 660,000 baht, with 50% down payment of 9600 baht for 36 months. We visited both dealers in Pattaya with a slight difference in price and service. One dealer said we would have to put a 3500 baht deposit for the red plate. I asked her why, and she said to be sure we returned it. I told her if we did not return it how would we get the permanant plate. She could not answer. They also said i would have to purchase the insurance from them for the first year. I told them i have my own insurance. She said cannot use your own insurance company the first year. Now i know they get a huge commision on the sales of insurance, and do not give the entire 3500 baht back for the red plate deposit. They tried to tell my wife thier are two types of red plates. One is the original that comes with the book which is the title for the car, and which cost 3500 baht, and the other is a copy which does not come with a book and is free. What was your experience in these matters if i may ask?

Barry

[lopburi3]

There are real red plates and there are those that are not real. The non legal type will draw police fines at every road stop. The problem is that most dealers do not keep enough red plates on hand (it costs them money) so you do have a lot of non legal red plates on the road.

[Diggerbasher]

I always thought a dealership had a pool of red plates,not initially car specific.

[raro]

I have a Jazz V-Tec since six months and clocked already 30k with it. Very versatile, good acceleration and almost 180 top speed. Fuel consumption about 8 l/100km - had it already down to less than7 but it's no mmore fun driving...visin is indeed a minus, especially to the rear. Bumped it already twice, not seeing what was behind me when backing up.

Financing was no problem, as I got it on company, just one thing: on a 20% downpayment they make a thorough background check, on 25% just a routine check.

...and avoid the Honda dealer in Pattaya...

[Belfastboy]

my sister in law owns a Honda Jazz....very light, as soon as the trucks zoom past this wee car u feel like you are about to lift off.....

stick to the toyota mate, although thais seem to have a dislike to toyotas...an image thing i think, mainly because all the taxis are toyotas....

in my pennies worth i think that thats the best reason to choose toyota, if the guys who are using them 24/7 in bkk traffic recommend them well thats a sure sign....

[barryofthailand]

My friends wife said she did not want a toyota because all the taxi's are toyotas

[Dylan]

I have read that Toyota is replacing the Altis with an upgraded model at the end of 2005. Can anyone confirm this? If so, do you have any idea what changes will be incorporated into the revised model?

[Plus+]

I read that the new Altis will be out sometime next year. New Civic will come out first - there was a preview in last week's Bangkok Post, and I feel a little disappointed - I was expecting a lot better specs.

That brings me to Vtec - I think it's somewhat overrated. People talk about it like it's a head above the rest but look at the facts - 1.5l Vios 109 hp, 1.5l City/Jazz Vtec - 110 hp. Is that what people mention with the air of reverence? A measly ONE extra horse power?

New Civic will have a new 1.8l Vtec engine that "perform like 2l engine with a fuel consumption of a 1.5l". Wow, 140hp - comparing to 135hp for five year old Toyota's 1.8l used in Altis. Torque is actually lower - 164 vs 171 for Toyota, and that is in the most useful rpm range - upto 4000. What's all the exitement?

It's a marketing gimmic - it has more power (but only if you drive at over 5000 rpm where Toyota's torque dips sharply but Honda's stays up and so Honda shows higher power), it saves fuel like a 1.5l (because it drives like 1.5l until you rev it up).

New design is also a big let down - we won't get that hot hatchback they will sell in Europe, we'll get City's headlamps on an uninspiring sedan body that looks like, er, old Altis?

There must be a reason (never mentioned bu Honda fans) why Vios consistently, for three years, outsells any Honda model - Jazz, vtec whatever. I saw the stats for the first couple of months of this year. Honda - City+Jazz+Civic+Accord combined - 7100 cars sold. Vios alone - 6900 sold.

Model by model, Civic is the most competitive Honda model. Considering that a lot of Altises are sold as taxis it's even possible that Civic outsells Altis to the general public. Jazz/City vs Vios is no contest.