How I Choose my Blue Durian

Click to read on

During the initial phrase, i considered a few cars, outlook not too important, just not too ah pek can already... i dun really like too sporty also ... hehe
so my criteria are:-

1) within my allocated budget (less than 60k, this is the calculated sum which i can comfortably afford and still can have some savings every mth)

2) Looks Ok

3) Fuel Efficient

4) Spacious (means small cars are out hehe)


So these are my shortlisted "durians"
(i must confess, i din know abt the Kia Cerato forte during this stage if i knew i would have included into my shortlist but anyway i still have no regrets for my durian haha)


1)Suzuki SX4 Hatch (the sedan just too ugly)


2)Honda Civic (best performance and looks but too ex)


3)Honda City

4)Hyundai Avante


5)Mitsubishi Lancer EX

6) Aveo

7) Nissan Latio

Others that considered but no shortlisted:
Toyota corolla - too ah pek
Toyota Vios - too small and noisy, not in same class
Honda jazz - Too "cute" for me
Suzuki swift - Too "cute" for me

Pros and Cons of 1-7
1) SX4 - Sporty outlook, spacious interior but the price tag of $49.5K don't seem to justify it's interior and performance

2) Honda Civic - Nice looking,spacious and good performance (best among the durians) but too ex cos of the "honda tag"

3) Honda City - Average performance, looks too "fierce" for me, interior abit on the cramp side if 3 person sit at the back, average interior furnishing, don't justify it's 55k pricetag

4) Avante - basic Auto model less than 40k, spacious interior, outside looks classy, interior furnishing nice (for me, dun have so many buttons to make me blur, just like me simple and efficient), FC touted to be good (from forums and reviews), reliablity suspected (oldest model is just 2 yrs old), "Kimchi" branding, engine still lacks slightly behind Jap technology

5) Lancer EX 1.5 - Nice outlooks, very sporty, interior not bad, heard 1.5EX quite laggy but hey it's a sushi brand - $56k

6) Aveo - cheapest of the lot, spacious interior, outlook so-so, but heard FC suffers due to the heavy body, daewoo technology suspected

7) Latio - Tested and proven to be very fuel efficient, outlooks quite ugly, looks like tank, interior is high quality, alot of legroom but cramp when 3 person sits side by side at the rear, $51k


At the end, considering that all the Jap makes are already at the peak of their price (cos the branding already there) while Koreans are trying to play catchup (like last time Japs chase the Europeans), i feel that the Avante is really value-for-$$ and so i am beting my $$ on them...
1 wk into the ride and 400k, I have no regrets, let alot of my frens sit in all, all positive comments, even better than their Jap cars... Hope i can drive it as long as i possibly can