Small car with manual transmission, what are the options?

[IMHO]

Just buy a jazz Gk manual and slap a 70K baht turbo on it...

555

I don't think I've ever seen a car so overwhelmed by the power the engine makes

I think the poor 195's were taking a pounding. It doesn't look like a sustainable amount of power either. Something would break in short time. There is another video of one with 300hp running 12's at the track. That's nuts.

The only question is, what goes first? gearbox, clutch, CV joints, driveshafts, block, head, piston, crankshaft or valves?

[bearpolar]

at that speed i think the wheels are ready to fly off and the seat fall under the car

cartoon style

[brling]

Honda City Base Model.

Thanks, Ace of Pop, 125 bhp and the price means I will definitely take a long look at it.

It's 117HP, same as the jazz. Still, it's good enough to get you around.

I think the early / first Jazz was 125 HP.

[DavisH]

Honda City Base Model.

Thanks, Ace of Pop, 125 bhp and the price means I will definitely take a long look at it.

It's 117HP, same as the jazz. Still, it's good enough to get you around.

I think the early / first Jazz was 125 HP.

First vtec was 110HP, then was increased to 120HP, now back to 117HP on the new jazz with updated engine. 125HP is the 1.6 ford fiesta.

[bearpolar]

with so many farangs saying the almera is a street racer with 89hp, the jazz can probably race with ferrari's at 117hp

[Dmaxdan]

I bought a "SonicLT" nearly 4 years ago and have never regretted the decision. Manual transmission works really well, although with 4 up and the A/c going flat chat you have to work 3rd and 2nd gear on some hills! With the A/c off and just with two people it goes like a little rocket, as good as some V8's I've owned!

It was a slug when I first bought it, ate petrol and had firm thoughts of setting it on fire for the insurance! Chev came out with a new chip and WOW! what a difference! THB 600,000 is a good deal!

Do Chevrolet still sell the Sonic? It seems to have disappeared from their website.

[kartman]

I bought a "SonicLT" nearly 4 years ago and have never regretted the decision. Manual transmission works really well, although with 4 up and the A/c going flat chat you have to work 3rd and 2nd gear on some hills! With the A/c off and just with two people it goes like a little rocket, as good as some V8's I've owned!

It was a slug when I first bought it, ate petrol and had firm thoughts of setting it on fire for the insurance! Chev came out with a new chip and WOW! what a difference! THB 600,000 is a good deal!

Do Chevrolet still sell the Sonic? It seems to have disappeared from their website.

Chevrolet did say some time back that they were binning it here.

[DavisH]

with so many farangs saying the almera is a street racer with 89hp, the jazz can probably race with ferrari's at 117hp

I think the problem lies with the drivers more than the car itself. Most buy it to save fuel and even some had changed it to lpg lol. They just don't drive it as fast as the rest of us would like. I think its 79HP also. 12HP short of a swift. My swift goes ok and I usually give it a caning sometimes. No problems keeping up with traffic (provided they don't wanna race me I would have got an MT for more sanook.

[ardokano]

Why on earth would anybody want a manual car in 2016.

People who like to drive - that is who. People who want to sit back and turn the steering wheel buy autos

Really? I have a V6 Toyota car and I love to be able to drive quickly with one foot on or near the brake pedal and the other working the accelerator. I reckon I can drive quicker around the roads than a manual!

But, then again, I do have some other attributes when it comes to driving.

1 talking about transmission not about engine .u

2. V6 Toyota its not model so nothing to say.

3. If you can't drive fast on manual it not mean another can't.

4. And last in topic talk about new car price near 600k in Thailand. So all car in manual be faster than same in automat.

[DavisH]

Why on earth would anybody want a manual car in 2016.

People who like to drive - that is who. People who want to sit back and turn the steering wheel buy autos

Really? I have a V6 Toyota car and I love to be able to drive quickly with one foot on or near the brake pedal and the other working the accelerator. I reckon I can drive quicker around the roads than a manual!

But, then again, I do have some other attributes when it comes to driving.

1 talking about transmission not about engine .u

2. V6 Toyota its not model so nothing to say.

3. If you can't drive fast on manual it not mean another can't.

4. And last in topic talk about new car price near 600k in Thailand. So all car in manual be faster than same in automat.

4. the DSG in the focus is slightly faster than the manual equivalent when it was tested in overseas markets. Regular autos will be slower.

[ardokano]

Why on earth would anybody want a manual car in 2016.

People who like to drive - that is who. People who want to sit back and turn the steering wheel buy autos

Really? I have a V6 Toyota car and I love to be able to drive quickly with one foot on or near the brake pedal and the other working the accelerator. I reckon I can drive quicker around the roads than a manual!

But, then again, I do have some other attributes when it comes to driving.

1 talking about transmission not about engine .u

2. V6 Toyota its not model so nothing to say.

3. If you can't drive fast on manual it not mean another can't.

4. And last in topic talk about new car price near 600k in Thailand. So all car in manual be faster than same in automat.

4. the DSG in the focus is slightly faster than the manual equivalent when it was tested in overseas markets. Regular autos will be slower.

Focus DSG 600k??and its not rwaly small car as OP say.

Yes DSG work fast.but cant say its be faster manual its simular;) ofcouse if you can use manual. In Mountaine road(and not only) I am sure about this is(try it in Thailand)

even can be faster manual.

But DSG I like. Only need care about this is transmission. Its not realy long life and strong.

[kanook]

Criminal that the new Mazda 2 is not available with a manual transmission, The 1.3 is very well designed (test drove it twice) and would be my pick in this class if they offered it with a manual transmission. Could not arrange a drive in a MT Swift or Jazz/City but the MT Mirage, and March are,not surprisingly, better than their CVT equivalents. Have visited every Suzuki, Mazda, Mitsu and Nissan as well as most of the Honda dealers in CM/Lamphun and Chiang Rai.

Thanks to everyone for their input

[DavisH]

Criminal that the new Mazda 2 is not available with a manual transmission, The 1.3 is very well designed (test drove it twice) and would be my pick in this class if they offered it with a manual transmission. Could not arrange a drive in a MT Swift or Jazz/City but the MT Mirage, and March are,not surprisingly, better than their CVT equivalents. Have visited every Suzuki, Mazda, Mitsu and Nissan as well as most of the Honda dealers in CM/Lamphun and Chiang Rai.

Thanks to everyone for their input

The mirage MT is the quickest (11.85 sec, 0-100) of the bunch because it's the lightest (about 100Kg less than a swift) - and quicker than the mazda 2 auto petrol.

The suzuki ciaz also has a manual version (12.5 sec) vs swift mt (12.3 sec). The cvt's are 2.3 second slower to 100. All data from headlightmag.com

[kanook]

Criminal that the new Mazda 2 is not available with a manual transmission, The 1.3 is very well designed (test drove it twice) and would be my pick in this class if they offered it with a manual transmission. Could not arrange a drive in a MT Swift or Jazz/City but the MT Mirage, and March are,not surprisingly, better than their CVT equivalents. Have visited every Suzuki, Mazda, Mitsu and Nissan as well as most of the Honda dealers in CM/Lamphun and Chiang Rai.

Thanks to everyone for their input

The mirage MT is the quickest (11.85 sec, 0-100) of the bunch because it's the lightest (about 100Kg less than a swift) - and quicker than the mazda 2 auto petrol.

The suzuki ciaz also has a manual version (12.5 sec) vs swift mt (12.3 sec). The cvt's are 2.3 second slower to 100. All data from headlightmag.com

You and I are on the same wavelength, Davis. I printed out the sheet from headlightmag before I tested the cars and showed the mazda salesmen the results when they started spewing B.S about the 'skyactiv' CVT being better and faster than a manual. Interesting reading the testers comments concerning the mirage, he was genuinely surprised that the mirage was faster than other cars in the eco class. (Mazda 2 1.5 is very expensive and I don't count that version in the same class as the other eco cars)

[DavisH]

Criminal that the new Mazda 2 is not available with a manual transmission, The 1.3 is very well designed (test drove it twice) and would be my pick in this class if they offered it with a manual transmission. Could not arrange a drive in a MT Swift or Jazz/City but the MT Mirage, and March are,not surprisingly, better than their CVT equivalents. Have visited every Suzuki, Mazda, Mitsu and Nissan as well as most of the Honda dealers in CM/Lamphun and Chiang Rai.

Thanks to everyone for their input

The mirage MT is the quickest (11.85 sec, 0-100) of the bunch because it's the lightest (about 100Kg less than a swift) - and quicker than the mazda 2 auto petrol.

The suzuki ciaz also has a manual version (12.5 sec) vs swift mt (12.3 sec). The cvt's are 2.3 second slower to 100. All data from headlightmag.com

You and I are on the same wavelength, Davis. I printed out the sheet from headlightmag before I tested the cars and showed the mazda salesmen the results when they started spewing B.S about the 'skyactiv' CVT being better and faster than a manual. Interesting reading the testers comments concerning the mirage, he was genuinely surprised that the mirage was faster than other cars in the eco class. (Mazda 2 1.5 is very expensive and I don't count that version in the same class as the other eco cars)

I think the mazda 2 auto is a 6 speed (not cvt). And it's also a 1.2 petrol version too. The diesel is 1.5L. The benefit of those mazdas is that they have better fuel economy than all the others - but they are also quite bit more expensive in top trim. I have the swift cvt and it's plenty for around town. A manual is quicker but a pain around where I live, and you have to live with less equipment in the car. Lots of boy racers buy the manuals and the swift has very good cornering ability as stock. When I saw the back seat in the old mirage I was really put off if it. They seem to have improved the newer one though.

[frankphuket]

Firstly, I do not think it is questionable if a manual car is more engaging or fun to drive, it just is...but with conditions...like road, traffic, etc.

I definitely prefer manuals but in Bangkok I would not want one. On nice open roads it is just fun to 'be in control of the stick'.

I own a manual Mini Cooper and a manual Citroen DS3 here in Thailand. If the OP can find a DS3 then I would highly recommend it. With the detuned Mini Cooper S engine and around 156 turbo charged hp it is a nice swift drive, still comfy and decent manual easy to shift gearbox. They are very rare though.

New, I think only Honda Jazz and City are worth while considering....stay out of the eco market if you want a bit of driving pleasure. Hondas engine is quite nice, but the auto box isn't in my opinion so with manual that would be pretty swift lil car

[jerome2]

For space and trunk almera is the best... automatic maybe slow but manual no

[JaseTheBass]

For space and trunk almera is the best... automatic maybe slow but manual no

But remember that the Almera is a poorly built, tin can, DELETED

[Henryford]

I have driven several automatics here and they are all crap. Floor the accelerator and they think about it for a few seconds, then they accelerate slightly and then immediately drop into a higher gear with no revs. My rev counter has a 6500 rpm limit but i can rarely get it to go over 3000. No fun at all compared to a manual where YOU control the engine/acceleration. But as i live in Pattaya and average 12 mph between traffic lights i don't suppose it matters.

[bearpolar]

This is something i dont understand with automatics, when i had a manual back home (std hyundai 1.8 engine) i would mostly drive at 2500-3500rpm and i was getting 12km/l in city

now if i use an automatic on sports mod here which does the same, you get way worse.

[DavisH]

I have driven several automatics here and they are all crap. Floor the accelerator and they think about it for a few seconds, then they accelerate slightly and then immediately drop into a higher gear with no revs. My rev counter has a 6500 rpm limit but i can rarely get it to go over 3000. No fun at all compared to a manual where YOU control the engine/acceleration. But as i live in Pattaya and average 12 mph between traffic lights i don't suppose it matters.

I don;t know which car you are talking about but my honda auto will easily redline (6500+, with a 6800 redline). CVT's tend to rev up to 5000 rpm when you floor it, but they can still be made to redline if needed.

[JaseTheBass]

I have driven several automatics here and they are all crap. Floor the accelerator and they think about it for a few seconds, then they accelerate slightly and then immediately drop into a higher gear with no revs. My rev counter has a 6500 rpm limit but i can rarely get it to go over 3000. No fun at all compared to a manual where YOU control the engine/acceleration. But as i live in Pattaya and average 12 mph between traffic lights i don't suppose it matters.

It reminds me of a guy I met in Burriram fresh off the boat. He'd just bought a new Fortuna and it was the first automatic he'd ever owned. He complained that it was so slow and dangerous he couldn't overtake anything. We had to show him that it needed flooring for the transmission to kickdown and hold.