In this round of CarSifu shootouts, we have rustled up three sedans for examination - the Mazda2 sedan, Volkswagen Vento and Honda City. We have also tossed in the Renault Clio GT Line hatchback into the ring to give a twist to the competition and make it more intriguing.
The Vento and Clio share a common thread in that both have a downsized 1.2-litre turbocharged engines with torquey servings. In contrast, the Mazda2 and City are sedans with 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engines.
The Vento and City are locally assembled, while the Mazda2 and Clio GT Line are imported from Thailand and Europe respectively.
Volkswagen Vento 1.2L TSI Highline
This locally-assembled 1.2-litre turbocharged Vento TSI sedan in Highline trim will set you back RM94,461 (excluding insurance).
A five-year warranty with unlimited mileage and mobility guarantee is offered, and it is the most powerful car in its class with 175Nm of torque. Power is transferred via the lightning-quick 7-speed direct shift gearbox (DSG), and it runs on wide, low profile tyres sized 215/45 R16.
What this means is a very rewarding driver’s car, and you get to have lots of thrills on twisty roads and high-speed cruising on open highways. The kit level here is more than decent although there are no leather seats, touchscreen display or reverse camera.
You get a big 454-litre boot, four airbags, electronic stability control (ESC), hill hold control, one-touch powered side windows, and rear air-conditioning vents. The roomy cabin has more than enough rear leg and head room for 1.7-m adults.
For those who want a car that combines family practicality and lots of driving fun, the Vento TSI sedan is tough to beat in the sub-RM100,000 car segment.
Mazda2 sedan
The Mazda2 model featured in this shootout has been in the Malaysian market for almost two years, having been launched in early 2015.
This B-segment vehicle, available in either a sedan or hatchback, proves that when you get the design right, it does not get marred by time and it still looks good today as it did when it was launched. Mazda’s Kodo design language combined with its SkyActiv technology - the Japanese marque’s hollistic approach to making its vehicles more efficient - makes the Mazda2 a stand out compared to its competitors.
It has a naturally aspirated 1.5litre SkyActiv-G four-cylinder petrol engine with direct injection which outputs 114hp at 6,000rpm and 148Nm of torque at 4,000rpm mated to a slick 6-speed SkyaActiv-Drive automatic transmission. It also features the idling stop system, i-stop.
The interior is decked leather seats and is feature packed with automatic climate control, paddle shifters and heads-up display, Mazda Connect system with seven-inch touchscreen and Commander Control system, six speakers, reverse camera, keyless entry with push-start button, tilt and telescopic steering. The minimalist and compact design of the dashboard finishes it off with a touch of elegance.
Safety-wise it comes with two airbags, anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, traction control, dynamic stability control, and all-round disc brakes.
This year, the Mazda2 gets LED headlights with signature LED DRLs to make it even more stunning to look at.
The review unit however, comes with the halogen headlights. While the difference between the LED headlights and halogen is significant, you forget about aesthetics once you are behind the wheel.
The Mazda2 was obviously made for those who enjoy driving. The acceleration is smooth and punchy. The handling is impressive especially around corners. The steering is sharp and responsive and, eventhough it comes with electric power steering (EPS), there is more feedback compared to the other cars. The Mazda 2 is just a fun car to drive and you will want to drive it more once you had the taste of it.
Price starts from RM85,000 and comes with a three year manufacture warranty or 100,000km whichever comes first and three years free maintenance or 60,000km whichever comes first.
Honda City 1.5L V Grade
This is the top-grade Honda City which costs RM92,000 on-the-road, and has a five-year warranty with unlimited mileage. It’s not hard to see why it is such a popular buy, with its high equipment level.
You get a class-leading six airbags, vehicle stability assist (VSA), hill start assist, rear air-conditioning vents, smart entry with push-start ignition, touch panel automatic air-conditioning, two USB sockets and three power sockets for your gadgets, and eight cup holders.
There is also a seven-inch display audio system with MirrorLink function, mated to eight speakers (the most in its segment). The City also has a class-leading 536-litre boot, which can fit three large suitcases or four small ones, golf bags and a baby pram.
It’s also a very nippy car, with a 1.5-litre SOHC i-VTEC engine that punches out 120PS and 145Nm of torque.
Power delivery from the continuous variable transmission (CVT) is smooth and responsive, and the City is also easy on the driver with an electric power steering.
Regarding maintenance over 60 months (5 years) or 100,000km, according to the Honda Malaysia website, it will come close to RM3,600.
Renault Clio GT Line
The Clio GT Line was a last-minute entry into the shootout.
Although a hatchback, it shares a similar trait with the Vento. Both sport a 1.2-litre turbocharged engine, but the Clio spews more horses and more torque, producing 120hp at 4,900rpm and 190Nm at 2,000rpm. In addition, the French hatch gets a 6-speed dual clutch automatic transmission while the German sedan has a 7-speed dual clutch.
Launched in Malaysia last October, the Clio GT Line shares platform with the Renault Captur compact SUV.
Its looks appeal, appearing almost as sassy as the Clio R.S. 200, with a decent-sized boot space and plenty of cubby holes. The cabin is a pleasant place to be in especially from the driving position. The interior offers high comfort levels, more so in front.
At the back, you sit higher and headroom is limiting if you are tall but legroom and elbow room are fine if only two persons are in the back bench. The dash doesn’t have too many buttons to deal with, which is a good thing – so that you can focus on the business of driving.
But with a less powerful engine, the driving fun is also knocked down a few pegs. It’s not the hot hatch you envision but certainly the looks is there plus a fair bit of driving fun once you plant the car in its power band. The drivetrain is not as responsive in standard auto mode but is more lively when placed in manual sequential mode.
Being fully imported, the Clio is the priciest of the lot at RM118,000 while the rest are sub-RM100K. Renault tries to soften the impact with a generous amount of kit such as a keyless system, cruise control and speed limiter, a 7-inch touchscreen with navigation, automatic wipers and headlights, automatic climate control as well as electronic stability control with anti-slip control, anti-lock braking and emergency brake assist.
This Clio also gets the Renault Bass Reflex stereo system, which to our less than audiophilic ears, sounded normal without being particularly a standout feature.
The Clio is backed by a 5-year manufacturer’s warranty with unlimited mileage. It is available in blue, white or black; red is a RM5,000 option.
VERDICT
While both the 1.2-litre turbocharged German and French cars deliver high levels of driving joy, we liked the Vento more as it has a more ferocious nature despite being outclassed in the power department by the Clio GT Line.
This is due to the Vento’s DSG having a Sport mode, which translates into quicker acceleration and powertrain
response.
The Clio GT Line’s 6-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox lacks a Sport mode, although you can manually control gear shifts via a Tiptronic mode.
However, the naturally aspirated 1.5-litre Japanese cars here are no slouches in performance either. — GEORGE WONG, THOMAS HUONG and RIZAL JOHAN
