Which car to buy?

[Gary A]

Based on nothing except looks, I'd buy a Suzuki. The Honda Jazz is fugly as are some small Toyota models.

[IMHO]

From the little information I have and AFIK the CX 3 will have up to 6 airbags, depending on the version.

Which other safety features have been taken out?

I don't know, and as we will be getting something in the future I am very interested in this subject.

I can pretty much guarantee we won't get AWD CX-3's like other markets get - outside of that, anything else is just speculation until Mazda TH launch it...

[sometimewoodworker]

From the little information I have and AFIK the CX 3 will have up to 6 airbags, depending on the version.

Which other safety features have been taken out?

I don't know, and as we will be getting something in the future I am very interested in this subject.

I can pretty much guarantee we won't get AWD CX-3's like other markets get - outside of that, anything else is just speculation until Mazda TH launch it...

While AWD is a nice option. It is an option and so hardly counts as a striped down version, just maybe not available in Thailand.

Also as an option also doesn't count as a safety feature that's has been taken out for the Thai market.

I would like the AWD option myself. However as you say everything is just speculation until Mazda TH launchs it and we find what exactly is, or isn't available.

[umbanda]

Thinking in safety, and on the 1 mill range, a AWD drive is a very good option. The best car for the money in that range and AWD is the Subaru show in the picture for 998K...discounted from 1350000 when introduced last year.

The only concern will be the service in Thailand, and the resale value. Subarus are not very popular in Thailand, but have a very good reputation in Japan, and do not sell better in the US because are more expensive than Toyotas and Hondas.

A AWD Honda will be my option over 900K. I do not know if available in the HRV model, my favorite. Very good looking sport SUV.

Edited October 27, 2015 by umbanda

[IMHO]

Thinking in safety, and on the 1 mill range, a AWD drive is a very good option. The best car for the money in that range and AWD is the Subaru show in the picture for 998K...discounted from 1350000 when introduced last year.

The only concern will be the service in Thailand, and the resale value. Subarus are not very popular in Thailand, but have a very good reputation in Japan, and do not sell better in the US because are more expensive than Toyotas and Hondas.

A AWD Honda will be my option over 900K. I do not know if available in the HRV model, my favorite. Very good looking sport SUV.

subaru xt.jpg

Honda HRV.jpg

None of the mini-SUV's (HR-V, Juke, Ecosport) are available in TH with AWD.

[Ace of Pop]

They do have seats though,thats nice.

[Jitar]

Thinking in safety, and on the 1 mill range, a AWD drive is a very good option. The best car for the money in that range and AWD is the Subaru show in the picture for 998K...discounted from 1350000 when introduced last year.

The only concern will be the service in Thailand, and the resale value. Subarus are not very popular in Thailand, but have a very good reputation in Japan, and do not sell better in the US because are more expensive than Toyotas and Hondas.

A AWD Honda will be my option over 900K. I do not know if available in the HRV model, my favorite. Very good looking sport SUV.

subaru xt.jpg

Honda HRV.jpg

None of the mini-SUV's (HR-V, Juke, Ecosport) are available in TH with AWD.

The Forester in the picture is also 1.7M THB.

The 998 THB model is the base XV.

Both have seats Ace!

Edited October 27, 2015 by Jitar

[sotsira]

Around 600K the best buy will be a 2015 Honda Jazz or City 1.5 for a small car, roomy and powerful.

Good resale value and many good used ones on the market.

The 2015 Ford Fiesta sedan 4 doors automatic 1.5 still selling for under 500K. But service and resale value are not very good.

The 2015 Nissan Almera 1.2 for about 500K may be a good buy for the money, but resale value in Nissan is not so good like Honda and Toyota.

The Toyota Yaris 1.2 for about 550K is a nice car, but is not competition to the Honda Jazz, in space and power.

Over 750K there are a lot of good options, if you wants to spend that kind of money.

Be away of imported cars if you wants to be free of service troubles, and to pay more expensive insurance....but...sometimes... taking a risk in an imported second hand car can be very exciting experience..... if lucky. Even a 15 years old Mercedes Benz, Audi, or BMW, easy to find for under 400K, can beat easily a top of the line 2015 Honda or Toyota in every aspect.

I still missing my 2000 Mercedes Benz 300 CD diesel station wagon I had in the US.....and very difficult to find here.

Nobody will sell a good one. I sold mine for $8,000 in 2010...to move here.

mercedes2.jpg

If you find one..let me know.

Great answer thanks. What options you would choose from the 800k-1X00k range? After some thinking I've come to decision to buy safer car even if it costs more. The fact is that driving in Thailand is quite dangerous and extra safety might be worth it. Since the Mazda 2/3 are stripped down models in Thailand, those are out of the question.

If you stick with Honda or Toyota you won't go far wrong.

You also need to decide whether to buy new or used as that reflects what's available at different

price levels.

If new, i would choose from the following, depending on your budget :-

Toyota Yaris 500k-600k

Honda City 600k-700k,

Toyota Corolla Altis 800-900k,

Honda HRV 900k -1M

Honda CRV 1.2M-1.5M

Fortuner 1.2M-1.6M

[IMHO]

If you stick with Honda or Toyota you won't go far wrong.

You also need to decide whether to buy new or used as that reflects what's available at different

price levels.

If new, i would choose from the following, depending on your budget :-

Toyota Yaris 500k-600k

Honda City 600k-700k,

Toyota Corolla Altis 800-900k,

Honda HRV 900k -1M

Honda CRV 1.2M-1.5M

Fortuner 1.2M-1.6M

You'll have to excuse me, I'm in a bit of a cheeky mood today... so don't take this personally

I'd take a Jazz or City over the Yaris in a heartbeat - the smartest extra 100K you'll ever spend if looking at this level.

The Civic (which you didn't include) is a tough buy right now considering there's a new 1.5L turbo model next year, which significantly lifts the bar.

The Altis is possibly the most boring car on the road today - if considering this, do yourself a favor and test drive the Mazda3, or wait for the next gen Civic.

HR-V - not much to say - it's a competent drive with good design, and without any direct competition - go for it.

CR-V - At this price it's a pretty average car - one for the Honda fans only - try the X-Trail and CX-5.

Fortuner - completely outclassed by the Everest, but both of them look expensive compared to the PJS.

All IMHO of course

Edited October 27, 2015 by IMHO

[JaseTheBass]

They do have seats though,thats nice.

Barely. The Ecosport's seats are even smaller than the Fiesta's. I perch on them rather than sit 'in' them.

[DavisH]

From the little information I have and AFIK the CX 3 will have up to 6 airbags, depending on the version.

Which other safety features have been taken out?

I don't know, and as we will be getting something in the future I am very interested in this subject.

I can pretty much guarantee we won't get AWD CX-3's like other markets get - outside of that, anything else is just speculation until Mazda TH launch it...

From the local photos I saw it's very low to the ground, prob 160-170 cm clearance. It' won't be much better on flooded roads than a mazda 2. Ya definately no awd for Thailand.

[Ace of Pop]

I note the Top Honda HR -V with AWD is Circa 24 K. U.S.D $ and that relates to about 800 Bht.. Here its 1Mi Bhtl for one with no AWD,its main selling point , and many features are left off. At least IMHO only got the top Wheels left of his top Ford. That aint a Thai Tax prob, its the Greedy Bean Swine at Honda Thailand.

[DavisH]

From the little information I have and AFIK the CX 3 will have up to 6 airbags, depending on the version.

Which other safety features have been taken out?

I don't know, and as we will be getting something in the future I am very interested in this subject.

I can pretty much guarantee we won't get AWD CX-3's like other markets get - outside of that, anything else is just speculation until Mazda TH launch it...

From the local photos I saw it's very low to the ground, prob 160-170 cm clearance. It' won't be much better on flooded roads than a mazda 2. Ya definately no awd for Thailand.

my bad...i mean't mm.

[sometimewoodworker]

Just a FYI

It looks as if the CX-3 will be released on November the 10th and maybe AWD will be the only option not available yet.

I'm trying to see if our contact can get anything more definite. We got the link under from the contact.

http://community.headlightmag.com/index.php?topic=46914.0

Edited October 27, 2015 by sometimewoodworker

[IMHO]

Just a FYI

It looks as if the CX-3 will be released on November the 10th and maybe AWD will be the only option not available yet.

I'm trying to see if our contact can get anything more definite. We got the link under from the contact.

http://community.headlightmag.com/index.php?topic=46914.0

Tha Bangkok Post ran an article a couple of days ago with some more details.

[sometimewoodworker]

Just a FYI

It looks as if the CX-3 will be released on November the 10th and maybe AWD will be the only option not available yet.

I'm trying to see if our contact can get anything more definite. We got the link under from the contact.

http://community.headlightmag.com/index.php?topic=46914.0

Tha Bangkok Post ran an article a couple of days ago with some more details.

It looks as if that article maybe behind a paywall as I can only see one with virtually no information dated 27th

[Ks45672]

Mazda and Ford are the same just with different badges.

You are prepared to spend nearly 1 mil on a Ford Focus but only 500,000 on a Toyota.

Do a lot of research on vehicles built in Thailand before you commit.

He's not looking for a truck. No current Mazda saloon car made here is based on a Ford.

Still both Ford and Mazda are built with the same low quality parts.

I know. It's amazing that 3 out of their 5 vehicles lead their classes (4 when the new Focus becomes available) considering they're built from such poor quality parts.

It's the power of advertising. How do you think Microsoft has been selling an absolutely crap operating system for years?

Lack of competition.... For anyone non technical there is basically nothing else.....

Try getting an elderly relative to use some obscure Linux distro

Macbook is easy enough but cost double a comparable spec windows laptop and

[IMHO]

Mazda and Ford are the same just with different badges.

You are prepared to spend nearly 1 mil on a Ford Focus but only 500,000 on a Toyota.

Do a lot of research on vehicles built in Thailand before you commit.

He's not looking for a truck. No current Mazda saloon car made here is based on a Ford.

Still both Ford and Mazda are built with the same low quality parts.

I know. It's amazing that 3 out of their 5 vehicles lead their classes (4 when the new Focus becomes available) considering they're built from such poor quality parts.

It's the power of advertising. How do you think Microsoft has been selling an absolutely crap operating system for years?

Lack of competition.... For anyone non technical there is basically nothing else.....

Try getting an elderly relative to use some obscure Linux distro

Macbook is easy enough but cost double a comparable spec windows laptop and

We're well off topic, but MS Windows isn't the most popular desktop OS because of lack of competition - it's because of lack of control - they made it available to run on generic hardware, and for the longest time did a very poor job of licensing control. The number of people that pieced together a cheap generic computer with a dodgy version of Windows must be simply staggering.... and must make the MS accountants cry rivers every time they get updated stats