The Penny Pinchers pt2
Sunday, November 30th, 2008
Toyota Vitz
First Impression
The Vitz was a rapid improvement of the Toyota Starlet it replaced in 1999, both in interior and exterior design. Its diminutive, lady-bird design belies the ample interior space that can comfortably sit four adults. This is a small, sexy, petite car that’s also very practical. The interior design is quite innovative, with the instruments congregated towards the middle of the dashboard, thus according the driver and front passenger more room. Its rear passenger seat can fold at and is detachable, according you additional space. The driver’s seating position, though not as elevated as that of the Demio gives an ample view of the road ahead, with the steering wheel and controls ergonomically positioned. The 1300CC Vitz has a maximum torque of 95Nm at 4,000 rpm and maximum output of 51.5kW at 6,000rpm. As we mentioned in a previous review, this car is no slowpoke. Its sporty sibling, the RS, can leave a 1500CC non-turbo Subaru Impreza out of breath…right to the finish line. It has attributes that are to be found in its bigger sibling, the Toyota Corolla NZE, notably the headlights and engine type. The Vitz is the best in this class in terms of fuel economy, posting 17 kilometres to the litre. Likewise, ABS and duo airbag come as standard in all the Vitz models.
Second Impression
The most apparent disadvantage with this car is that it feels really unstable at high speeds and while cornering. The steering also feels incredibly light and you can never be too sure the effect several higher knots of wind, than we are accustomed to, can have on it. The cabin also tends to be rather noisy while the engine is not nimble or responsive while driving uphill. This sluggishness is becomes worse in case you are carrying passengers.
VW Polo
First impression
Almost 40 kilometres of driving daily to and from work, I’ve come to like and detest the residual values of the VW badge…almost with equal measure. Let’s start with the looks. The 2001 Polo, the Mk3F, represent the best design of this brand name (with the exception, of course, of the BlueMotion). Its front grille and headlight positioning defy the ‘small car’ statue and you can easily mistake it for a bigger sibling at a distance. The dashboard design is quite innovative too, with soft dark blue and red interior lighting accentuating its royal feel. Its creative lighting enables you to not only adjust the intensity of the glare on the instruments panel but the length of the headlight beam too. The interior reading light is quite innovatively designed too, switched on and off by a horizontal pressing action. As with most other German cars, the Polo’s indicator switch is on the left of the steering wheel, that for the wipers on the right. Can be quite confusing at first, if you are used to driving Japanese. Headlights are activated using a separate turn knob.
When it comes to intensity of the full light beam, the Polo beats its competitors ‘wheels down.’ Powered by a 1380CC engine, it produces 126Nm of torque at 4400 rpm and 73.1 kW at 6000 rpm. 0 to 100Kph takes 10.90 seconds and flat out, it can do 180Kph
(The speedometre gauge is a tempting lie…..maximum speed 220Kph, it says).
When it comes to safety and stability, the Polo is a winner too. This particular model has four airbags – driver, front passenger and on both the front seats.
It also has all round disc brakes. The car is comfortably stable even at 180Kph, though the revs tend to be high (about 5,000rpm). This in turn makes it very thirsty. Combined, it posts about 15 kilometres to the litre. Like the Demio, the driver’s side electric window stops if it senses an obstruction while autoclose mode. This is an additional safety feature that can save you from getting hurt by the winding window.
Second Impression
The VW Polo is a relatively expensive car to maintain. Let’s put it this way; there are no cost short cuts when running this car. You cannot substitute its spare parts with a cheaper variety from Kirinyaga Road. I learnt this the hard way, fitting a Toyota oil filter at the advice of a know-it-all mechanic. Several kilometres later, the Polo was dripping oil all over the highways and parking lots. Even when well tuned, this car has a characteristic diesel-car-like engine growl which is annoying for such a small hatchback. The engine also vibrates severely soon after the car is started after having been motionless for a long period of time. The Polo’s front seats are also adjustable two ways, (sliding front and back and lumbar support), meaning that if you are short, your view of the road is gravely compromised. Drive for a long distance in it and you’ll need a backbone transplant. The rear seats are foldable only to about a 45 degree angle, thus limiting the amount of luggage you can carry in here.
Verdict
These are small cars and it’s those little things about them that matter. All three have apparent advantages and disadvantages. These are seen in pricing, performance, practicality, safety and consumption. While the Vitz has the most innovative dashboard lay-out, the VW Polo is a strong contender in aesthetics, ergonomics, safety, while the Demio’s strongest attribute is that mini-SUV cabin feel. In these times when a visit to the petrol station is bound to raise your blood sugar, the Vitz with its frugality is a reliable nurse. The Vitz is best as a town car, with relatively better resale value. The VW too is a town car but its resale value is poor. Visit the bundus with a VW and you’ll hear a little voice inside you whispering, “Break me and the share price of CMC will go up!” …It’s how expensive the spare parts can be. If you are looking for practicality, a no-frills simple car for commuting from point A to B, go for the Vitz. If image matters to you and brand association is integral to your CV, a VW Polo is the best among the three. But if you are looking for an all round car that will not leave you clicking your tongue out of frustration, then the Mazda Demio it is. It’s not by accident that its improvement, the Mazda 2, is the reigning World Car of the Year.
