XR4 Fiesta or Honda Jazz?

[carazy]

It might look good with stripes in the ad's but if you actually drove one around with stripes.. You know that everyone in every other car would be thinking "What a total wanker"

[hotgemini]

Okay, so I'm looking at a small car for a daily driver at the moment. The fiesta looks like it might get a guernsey at this stage and it looks like I've convinced the minister for finance that the XR4 is a goodlittlething™.

Anyone got any person experiences with them yet, gotta go look at a swift/jazz still. Didn't like the yaris, hated the gay centre dash thing and the interior looks like someone collected the parts out of a tamiya model car kit. Probably looking at base yaris, base swift, base jazz, base fiesta or XR4, which is a bit strange I admit but the interior is nicer the 'sports' model is actually a sports model not like the lame duck YR-X and Swift Sports.

[timtx5]

I dont.

the more i think about it, the less likely i am to ever own another honda.

i know 2 people with hyundai getz'z who have had a lot less probs than my jazz.... AND my jazz is Jap made, not thai like the new ones.

Im sure your afore mentioned driving style has got to have a LOT to do with quality problems surely? Hasnt it had a little bingle too?

What problems has it had?

[ashxmax]

Okay, so I'm looking at a small car for a daily driver at the moment. The fiesta looks like it might get a guernsey at this stage and it looks like I've convinced the minister for finance that the XR4 is a goodlittlething™.

Anyone got any person experiences with them yet, gotta go look at a swift/jazz still. Didn't like the yaris, hated the gay centre dash thing and the interior looks like someone collected the parts out of a tamiya model car kit. Probably looking at base yaris, base swift, base jazz, base fiesta or XR4, which is a bit strange I admit but the interior is nicer the 'sports' model is actually a sports model not like the lame duck YR-X and Swift Sports.

I am also in this situation at the moment. Im looking at the 20k region for something fairly new. My experience...

Jazz - I have driven at vti 2006 model 5 speeder Originally purchased for 20K onroad. Owned by a friend. Routinely gets 6.5l/100km in all suburban traffic. Gets in the very low 5s on the highway even with 3 passengers and their weekend luggage. Does all this with a revvy 81kw available (im guessing the 1.3 lite base would be quite dull.. 20kw less with <5% better fuel economy). I was very impressed with the performance, NVH and versatility. It was used with much success in my latest house move. Very versatile inside. Interior plastics were slightly dissapointing. Overall not a "sporty car".

Base Fiesta - I have been a passanger in a base 2 door. 20 Mins of flowing traffic on the M4 and the noise became very hard to bear. At all speeds the engine sounded coarse.

Colt Ralliart - I have no real world experience but MY6.5 examples do come up on carsales/carpoint for 20k (10k under retail) with less than 10k Klms. Dealers were offering 25k on road for "demonstrators" with approx 100klms on the clock. Sure it will be noisier than the Jazz and probably feel cheaper inside but it will absolutely shit all over it in performance and handling. Combined economy is listed at 6.7L/100km on 95 octane. (the Jazz is listed at 6.1 with 30kw less). Realistically they will probably do 7.5 at a minimum driven sedately in traffic but the point still stands. Mitsubishi 5/10 warranty is a big bonus too.

Polo Gti - I drove an example only weeks ago with less than 100klms on the clock (apparently they "loosen up" quite noticably). Torque everywhere with excellent refinement. Reportedly on par with Colt in terms of performance with much better noise control and ride comfort. Typical VW in that respect. I noticed the good ride quality immediately. Used prices have not seemed to plummet like the colt, $25k still for 06 models. Apart from limited rear room (speaking from a father's perspective) it did everything very well. Some might see it as being a bit clinical and slightly boring in that respect.

An 03 Astra Turbo was another option in my books. Bigger power than all mentioned and reportedly able to get 8.5ish/100km in heavy traffic. Makes torques everywhere also. About $20k for one with 50k klms. Interior quality is shite in all directions but with good room in the back for adults. After driving two with 100k klms im not sure that all the rumours about crappy build and realiability are true. Both seemed very tight. Much, much More so than the similar year Vectra my mother owns.

That's where im up to with my current search for a new daily...

[smellytofu]

runout mazda 2 FTW.

Huh? Why would you consider that ugly piece a crap?

As above. Jazz (w/ CVT) if you're after cheerful driving. XR4 if you want cheerful fun driving.

[Captiva Fan]

Base Fiesta - I have been a passanger in a base 2 door. 20 Mins of flowing traffic on the M4 and the noise became very hard to bear. At all speeds the engine sounded coarse.

Just one point to make here; the XR4 has a completely different powertrain to all the other Fiestas. As you're looking at Polo GTI's, that means you're looking at prices over what the XR4 costs; so don't write-off the XR4 on the basis of the non-Mazda-sourced 1.6 in the other Fiestas.
I suspect road-noise-based NVH would be the same, though, maybe even worse 'cos of wider lower-profile tyres.

[DrNick]

For the money (~$20k), the Ralliart Colt does look good. Plus side over some of the others is that is has 4/5 doors.

S

[6000SUX]

My mate was the driver of the the Ralliart Colt at a dealer launch at Wakefield Park. He said it was a ball of fun to drive and the dealers were lining up to get a ride in the Colt rather than in the Evo 9 that was there. The Evo was obviously quicker but just not as much fun.

[Nafe]

Was that the "special" Colt that they gave to all the mags to drive which was different in spec to the one you could buy? Different shocks/springs in it from memory. I always thought that was a bit dodge.

[6000SUX]

Was that the "special" Colt that they gave to all the mags to drive which was different in spec to the one you could buy? Different shocks/springs in it from memory. I always thought that was a bit dodge.

No it was a stocker used at the official dealer launch AFAIK. Apparently the gearbox (Getrag?) is pretty nice and you can chuck the car around at all sorts of crazy angles and get away with it.

[tinkerbell]

wife has had a MANUAL* 1.5l Jazz for over 48'000km.

some cunt stole the antenna.

apart from that - the car is flawless, (once you fit proper tyres on it)

has been redlined since 200km mark,

can be filled to the brim with boxes, uses about 6 litres of petrol for every 100km it travels,

fucking sweet for parking, is kinda zippy when empty and feels fairly safe and understeery on the limit (once you fit proper tyres)



* dont get an auto!

[rj_astra]

If you want the best all round car... get the Polo Gti.

I just did a 3000km roadtrip through Victoria and the average trip economy was 8.5l/100km. You may not think that too good except the temps were in the high 30s/40s the entire trip (A/C on 100&#37; of time) and the roads travelled were The Alpine Way, Omeo Highway and Refton Spur etc (with a Golf GTi, MX5 SP and NC)

Freeway economy was closer to 7-7.5l/100km in 38C heat.

[AlexinPerth]

is pretty nice and you can chuck the car around at all sorts of crazy angles and get away with it.

I drove one last year at Wanneroo (dealer track day thing), and had the same experience. The stability control just takes care of it all for you.

The driving position is quite high, that was the the biggest negative for me.

Alex.

[rj_astra]

Anyone see the new FIAT Punto Sport model?

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...2573CA000D674B

[matlennon]

take the i30 diesel for a spin. Its a spritely little car and decent fuel and certainly drives well.