Nissan or Suzuki

[kptravel]

Hi

We are looking to buy a family car at the expo.

We are undecided about either Nissan Almera or Suzuki Ciaz.

Almera has positive reviews ,Suzuki has some bad reports about the steering not self realigning and some people had issues with suspension when driving over bumps etc.

Does anybody have any knowledge of either of these cars?

Thanks

[petermik]

I,ve had a manual gearbox Almera for 10 months now and done 35,000 kms (many trips down to southern Thailand because of a house build project) and I personally find it an excellent car,on my run down there 945kms at a speed of around 110 kms/hour (when I can) I,m getting 20.8 kms/litre of fuel which is 58 miles/gallon.

Usually just the two of us as passengers plus plenty of luggage,I cannot comment upon a fully laden car but I will find out next week when 4 of us go down to Krabi in it.

I have no experience of the Suzuki but I will take a look at one shortly as well as the Mitsubishi Attrage as I am also looking to change.....all depends if the deal I,m offered is good or not if not perfectly happy with my Almera

[br12stol]

Please look at Mazda 2 4 door sedan superior in every aspect, see the reviews

[CP3]

How about between Vios and Almera? City driving and occasionally high way..Which one is better value

[lovelomsak]

I have driven the Almera for 3 years now. I get 20 kilometers to the litre consistantly. Quite a few of my wifes friends have bought one also since i got mine all are happy with their purchase. I see the ads for he suzuki I feel it is comparable but know nothing about it sorry. If I was to buy again I would go Nissan. The only problem I found was in the trunk. They use a light cheap press board under the carpet. after a few years it bends and sloops to the center. Not to strong.Still is servicible but can see the center bending inward.

I would stay away from Vios.

Edited December 6, 2015 by lovelomsak

[DavisH]

I have driven the Almera for 3 years now. I get 20 kilometers to the litre consistantly. Quite a few of my wifes friends have bought one also since i got mine all are happy with their purchase. I see the ads for he suzuki I feel it is comparable but know nothing about it sorry. If I was to buy again I would go Nissan. The only problem I found was in the trunk. They use a light cheap press board under the carpet. after a few years it bends and sloops to the center. Not to strong.Still is servicible but can see the center bending inward.

I would stay away from Vios.

You get 20 km/l in Bangkok? Where do you drive? I have a swift and can just manage that on the highway. Around Nonthaburi it would be 13-17 km/l. Never has issues like others mentioned here. I did put on michelin pilot sport 3 tires onto my swift though. Much stronger and better braking and driving feel. The eco tires are a bit thin and flimsy in my opinion (economy is marginally better with them, though).

The ciaz would be a good buy as it is large like a honda city, and larger than the other eco cars. No problems with suzuki service, as yet. However, the ciaz costs a bit more than the other eco sedans, but I feel it's better kitted out - leather seats, etc.

[Broken Record]

One of the Family bought an Almera, it's surprisingly big inside, I'd go for the Nissan, good value car.

[SpokaneAl]

We have owned an Almera for three years or so now and have no complaints. As other have mentioned the back seat is huge. I don't like the fact that the motor shuts off every time we stop, but I just hit the override button each time I start it and that fixes that. You do need to be careful when pulling out in traffic because not a heck of a lot happens when you floor the gas pedal. Again, just be careful and you will be fine. It does maintain speed out in traffic and in highways. I have always used the E20 gas, as recommended, and again, no complaints.

[realenglish1]

Hands Down Nissan has better After Purchase service More Nissan Dealers then Suzuki.

Today most cars a built to last a good while Nissan and Suzuki both have good reputations

What you need to look at is After you Purchase the car what type of support do you get

I would think Nissan has a better network then Suzuki does

For my money I would go with the one that is the strongest in the marketplace with a good infrastructure

Edited December 6, 2015 by realenglish1

[Mousehound]

Both are good cars. I prefer Suzuki having had several over the years. But I think Nissan are just as good. I feel that the Toyotas are not the value - or quality they once were. My last one being a 2.4 Camry Altise and it was OK but after 140k was going to cost more to bring up to standard than the car was worth. But, an Echo we had was outstanding - 385k and only a reconditioned alternator and the rear wheel bearings needing to be done. Mazda are a nice car but I find the others are more durable but I do high mileage - 50K km per year. My personal choice is to ensure that whatever car I have I will now not buy one with a belt. Because of my high mileage the cost of changing the belt really adds up. Just got a Suzuki - an Indian made car by Maruti. It is great in the city and as cheap as chips to run. But small inside.

At the end of the day most of these small cars are pretty good value as this end of the market is very competitive. Much better value than the expensive models. As suggested above the choice might come down to who has the better and most convenient dealership.

[nong38]

All the reviews I have seen say that the Nissan Almeria is a better car and cheaper. 20km to the litre is good, then comes down to if you like the look of it, its a personal thing whether you do or dont.

[bazza40]

I have driven the Almera for 3 years now. I get 20 kilometers to the litre consistantly. Quite a few of my wifes friends have bought one also since i got mine all are happy with their purchase. I see the ads for he suzuki I feel it is comparable but know nothing about it sorry. If I was to buy again I would go Nissan. The only problem I found was in the trunk. They use a light cheap press board under the carpet. after a few years it bends and sloops to the center. Not to strong.Still is servicible but can see the center bending inward.

I would stay away from Vios.

Do you have a particular reason for staying away from Vios?

[bazza40]

One thing in favour of Nissans is their engines seem to be very durable. There are a number of the old Nissan Sunnys running around Chiang Mai with 350K - 400K on the odometer.

[nong38]

bazza 40. I have heard the same thing that the Nissan engines are very strong. We have an old I think 17 years old NV pick up with 160k on the clock but its still got some poke in it and its been very reliable.

Looking at the type of cars mentioned above I would be looking at either a Nissan Almera or Honda City rather than the Ciaz or Vios but the Almera seems a lot less expensive, then comes down to the looks and if you think the City is worth the extra. If I were buying today the Almera would be in the front position.

A test drive will help with the decision.

Edited December 6, 2015 by nong38

[JaseTheBass]

The Swift is a much nicer car to drive. The Almera is the worst car I have driven in the last 20 years or so - simply awful.

[bazza40]

The Swift is a much nicer car to drive. The Almera is the worst car I have driven in the last 20 years or so - simply awful.

Awful in what way? If I remember correctly, you are a large SUV groupie - perhaps that flavours your perspective of smaller vehicles.

[petermik]

The Swift is a much nicer car to drive. The Almera is the worst car I have driven in the last 20 years or so - simply awful.

[sirineou]

A lot of people talked about Nssan engines being strong, I dont know what this means, The are a lot of different Nissan engines,

I am not saying that the are not good engines, am sure they are, just saying that the Almera has a different engine than a pickup

And am making this point because the problem have with the Almera is the engine.Not that it is a bad engine, but that it is underpowered.

I am not a car person, I dont even know what size engine is in any of our cars, all I care is that they get up and go, and our Corolla, Camry and Civic get up and go. I don't own a car in Thailand because I only spend a few months there, I sold out pickup there when we moved back to the US.

I rent, and when there last, I rented an Almera for a couple of months.

Also we like to spend a lot of time with family, we all go together everywhere

The Almera was Ok looking, had plenty of room in it, but with a lot of people in it, it could not get out of it's own way. If it was only me and my wife I would certainly buy it, but if you need more, DONT

[bazza40]

A lot of people talked about Nssan engines being strong, I dont know what this means, The are a lot of different Nissan engines,

I am not saying that the are not good engines, am sure they are, just saying that the Almera has a different engine than a pickup

And am making this point because the problem have with the Almera is the engine.Not that it is a bad engine, but that it is underpowered.

I am not a car person, I dont even know what size engine is in any of our cars, all I care is that they get up and go, and our Corolla, Camry and Civic get up and go. I don't own a car in Thailand because I only spend a few months there, I sold out pickup there when we moved back to the US.

I rent, and when there last, I rented an Almera for a couple of months.

Also we like to spend a lot of time with family, we all go together everywhere

The Almera was Ok looking, had plenty of room in it, but with a lot of people in it, it could not get out of it's own way. If it was only me and my wife I would certainly buy it, but if you need more, DONT

Your point is valid. The Almera is sold in Thailand with a 1.3 litre engine, and in Australia with a 1.5 litre engine. Don't know what goes to the US.

The common expression in Australia for underpowered vehicles, originated by motoring journalist Peter Wherrett, is: " Wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding".

[lorbhaim]

I oun Almera.

I wrote on it a post.

Nissan Almera Vs Toyota Vios Vs Mitsubishi Mirage Vs Honda City Vs Mazda 2, 1,200 cc AT. Made in Thailand

Bottom line

Pros: Roomy – 9.5 Roomiest in this class. Lot of leg and head room. Big trunk. Price – Best value for money. Economy – 9.5 out of 10. Best KM/L in class. Power - 9 out of 10. This was my main concern about Almera. 4 Passengers, luggage on mountains at north Thailand roads, Very well. Driving, 9 out of 10. Comfort 8 out of 10. Safety 9 out of 10. Reliability 10 out of 10.

for more visit:

http://lorberboim.com/?p=6024

[nong38]

The Almera is a 1.2, 3 cylinder engine it does I admit sound as if it might be a bit under powered compared to the 1.4 Ciaz and the 1.5 of the Vios and City but then you must also consider what sort of performance you are looking for. On Thailand's roads I would have thought you roll along all day at 100-120kph in any of those cars, the larger engines might be a bit quicker in the acceleration but otherwise the 1.2 would be fine unless you are in a mountainous region.

As far as the Nissan reputation for strong engines is concerned I take that to mean they will last a long time rather than pumping out excess BHP.

In the end we all have our favourites and you cannot compare larger cars like the Civic, Corolla or Camry with the much smaller Almera, has to be a like for like. The City is a good car to drive, but then again depends what you want, I am happy to go along at 100kph with 4 and luggage and return 21kpl, the days of my younger slightly faster days are behind me now.

Its easy to spend other peoples money, its the purchaser who has the final say, sit in the cars and see if they fit you, do what you want, fits the bill and it drives well for you, on a personal note the Almera is not a good looking car, to me, but its drag co-efficient is .29 which is not bad for fuel efficiency and I dont know what the competitions drag factor is, have not seen it published so I assume if it were better they would publish it.

Edited December 6, 2015 by nong38

[sirineou]

A lot of people talked about Nssan engines being strong, I dont know what this means, The are a lot of different Nissan engines,

I am not saying that the are not good engines, am sure they are, just saying that the Almera has a different engine than a pickup

And am making this point because the problem have with the Almera is the engine.Not that it is a bad engine, but that it is underpowered.

I am not a car person, I dont even know what size engine is in any of our cars, all I care is that they get up and go, and our Corolla, Camry and Civic get up and go. I don't own a car in Thailand because I only spend a few months there, I sold out pickup there when we moved back to the US.

I rent, and when there last, I rented an Almera for a couple of months.

Also we like to spend a lot of time with family, we all go together everywhere

The Almera was Ok looking, had plenty of room in it, but with a lot of people in it, it could not get out of it's own way. If it was only me and my wife I would certainly buy it, but if you need more, DONT

Your point is valid. The Almera is sold in Thailand with a 1.3 litre engine, and in Australia with a 1.5 litre engine. Don't know what goes to the US.

The common expression in Australia for underpowered vehicles, originated by motoring journalist Peter Wherrett, is: " Wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding".

Here in the US it is sold with 1,6L engine , and it is a fine vehicle for the money( a little less than 430,000 baht auto trany ) it also comes in a smart looking Hatchback (five door) name the Note for a little more money.

At 109 hp in the US adequate for it's weight to power ratio but at 79 BHP in Thailand ??? I dont know I guess it all depends ones needs.

[TheCruncher]

I have driven the Almera for 3 years now. I get 20 kilometers to the litre consistantly. Quite a few of my wifes friends have bought one also since i got mine all are happy with their purchase. I see the ads for he suzuki I feel it is comparable but know nothing about it sorry. If I was to buy again I would go Nissan. The only problem I found was in the trunk. They use a light cheap press board under the carpet. after a few years it bends and sloops to the center. Not to strong.Still is servicible but can see the center bending inward.

I would stay away from Vios.

Do you have a particular reason for staying away from Vios?

The only reason I can think about is that you should stay away from every Toyota.

As with most companies that have become the biggest in the world in their product, think also Samsung for instance, they start producing the biggest crap you can think about and are not value for money anymore.

[sirineou]

The Almera is a 1.2, 3 cylinder engine it does I admit sound as if it might be a bit under powered compared to the 1.4 Ciaz and the 1.5 of the Vios and City but then you must also consider what sort of performance you are looking for. On Thailand's roads I would have thought you roll along all day at 100-120kph in any of those cars, the larger engines might be a bit quicker in the acceleration but otherwise the 1.2 would be fine unless you are in a mountainous region.

As far as the Nissan reputation for strong engines is concerned I take that to mean they will last a long time rather than pumping out excess BHP.

In the end we all have our favourites and you cannot compare larger cars like the Civic, Corolla or Camry with the much smaller Almera, has to be a like for like. The City is a good car to drive, but then again depends what you want, I am happy to go along at 100kph with 4 and luggage and return 21kpl, the days of my younger slightly faster days are behind me now.

Its easy to spend other peoples money, its the purchaser who has the final say, sit in the cars and see if they fit you, do what you want, fits the bill and it drives well for you, on a personal note the Almera is not a good looking car, to me, but its drag co-efficient is .29 which is not bad for fuel efficiency and I dont know what the competitions drag factor is, have not seen it published so I assume if it were better they would publish it.

Very well said

I did not mean to compare the Civic, Corolla and Camry to the subject at hand, only to make the point that , like you at my age I am no longer a car enthusiast my self , and my opinion was only related to utility. Unfortunately for me I have to be back in the US for the next 3-4 years and I miss my wife's family very much, as I miss Thailand. They are wonderful people and when there, I like to spend as much time with them as possible,So consequently we are all always piling up in the car to go places all the time, and my point that if the OP is anything like me and needed to carry a little more weight than most and have the power to do it , The Almera might not be for him.

When we get back to Thailand full time, I will be buying a four door pickup truck, and if we can afford it, later on a people carrier such as the Mobilio for the wife and those family outings.

Edited December 6, 2015 by sirineou

[willr]

If your looking at highway driving,look at the Mazda 2 diesel 1.5 heaps of torque and power.beats the rest hands down.and diesel is cheaper than benzene. You go further per litre of diesel than gas or petrol.you won't regret it I a sure you.

[DavisH]

If your looking at highway driving,look at the Mazda 2 diesel 1.5 heaps of torque and power.beats the rest hands down.and diesel is cheaper than benzene. You go further per litre of diesel than gas or petrol.you won't regret it I a sure you.

It would take 5 years to recover costs, as the mazda diesel is much more expensive than the others. Lots of km would need to be clocked up. But it would be the best choice for driving in hilly areas. It's quite small inside though; much smaller than the almera/ciaz.

[DavisH]

I was given some info from a Thai car reviewer. He said that the ciaz has better suspension at all speeds and more power and acceleration. The almera has been around longer and is reliable and easier to get fixed - known problems can be fixed easily. The ciaz is a bit of an unknown quantity - the almera may be a better choice if one is not much of a risk taker.

[bazza40]

I have driven the Almera for 3 years now. I get 20 kilometers to the litre consistantly. Quite a few of my wifes friends have bought one also since i got mine all are happy with their purchase. I see the ads for he suzuki I feel it is comparable but know nothing about it sorry. If I was to buy again I would go Nissan. The only problem I found was in the trunk. They use a light cheap press board under the carpet. after a few years it bends and sloops to the center. Not to strong.Still is servicible but can see the center bending inward.

I would stay away from Vios.

Do you have a particular reason for staying away from Vios?

The only reason I can think about is that you should stay away from every Toyota.

As with most companies that have become the biggest in the world in their product, think also Samsung for instance, they start producing the biggest crap you can think about and are not value for money anymore.

I have a 2006 Vios which I bought secondhand for 240,000 baht with 83K on the odometer. It has been very reliable and with CNG fitted the fuel cost is 0.6 baht/km. Admittedly it's more suited to flat roads than in the mountains. Although I do like its agility relative to larger vehicles on winding roads.

The new Vios seems to be considerably larger, and Toyota does put relatively high prices on their vehicles. So the point about value for money is valid.

The vehicle market is so competitive poor vehicles get found out very quickly. Perhaps the best measure is the secondhand price after several years - brands such as Proton, Chery or Tata depreciate like a brick falling off a balcony.

Edited December 6, 2015 by bazza40

[ThaiWai]

I pulled the rear door handle on a Suzuki once and it fell right off in my hand. I also looked under the dash and there was nothing there. I mean all other cars have stuff under there. In the Suzuki...nothing. Strangest thing. Maybe they have changed. Do car research on car websites not visa forums.

[salim94]

I have nissan march second hand 2010 manual gear with 80000 km . with lpg . l love lpg its cost me nothing . l paid car 160000 baht . inssurance 2 for 8000 b year . its drive cool . l can bring m'y bicycle inside if u have 1 or 2 kids l think enough

Edited December 6, 2015 by salim94