Used Car Comparisons - 2003 City vs. Rio vs. Vios

Our first article for 2013, ok I have to admit that this article was done last October but I decided to share this with you, especially that I have not heard of any publication that compares used cars. Do remember that this segment would be somewhat irregularly published, so you better wait for a month.

Car comparison: 2003 sub-compacts:

2003 was the year Meteor Garden became a hit despite being dubbed in Filipino, the Oakwood Mutiny with Antonio Trillianes IV leading it and didn’t know he would land a spot in the Senate four years later, and the SARS outbreak was widespread.

For this article, we will be featuring three sub-compact sedans that one can obtain for less than 350k and equipped with modern amenities that most buyers look at. Fuel prices are not a big concern thanks to their low displacement engines. Parking during mall sales events are no problem due to their manageable size.

Two of them are new when you buy them during that year. First is an all new nameplate to the Philippine market, which is the Toyota Vios. Smaller than the Corolla Altis, this one proved to be an instant hit. The other one is the Honda City which received a new body that was somewhat controversial. Rounding up this comparison is the Kia Rio sedan, which is available since 2001 and the oldest in the bunch. So, among the three sedans what do you think Myk will recommend for used car buyers like you scouting this category? Let’s find out and see.

Pointing system:
3 – Leads the segment in that requirement
2 – Pagbigyan ba?
1 – Needs improvement, tons of it.

Value and Costs:
Resale prices of these three are not that far behind one another, but with the Kia Rio being the oldest and the Honda City having a new design than the two, prices can vary. Pricewise, the Kia Rio falls in the range of P160,000-P185,000 due to the age of the nameplate as well as the reputation that the brand received in its early life. First gen Vioses linger in the P210,000-P350,000 while 2003 to 2008 Honda Citys can cost you P280,000-P400,000. In the field of numbers, the Rio leads.

But how would you get the most out of your money especially when the car breaks down and where to purchase these parts? The Vios has the edge on having low maintenance costs as well as parts procurement, thanks to the popularity among consumers and taxi operators which spurred the demand. Parts availability for the Honda City is widespread too, but be careful with the CVT transmission since it would be costly to operate more than an ordinary automatic tranny. While the Kia Rio has low prices, purchasing parts may not be widely available than the two due to the low popularity of this vehicle but not that scarce.

SCORE
Toyota Vios – 3
Honda City – 2
Kia Rio – 1

Exterior
Among the trio, the Kia gets our nod for having a pleasing to the eye but less offensive styling. It may have some wedges, but to quote an Edmunds review “your friends won't give you a hard time when you show up in [the Rio].” The Toyota does not get any awkward angles which get less eye sores but the design is not that original, it was adapted from the Toyota Platz and slapping in modified side panels. Said to be inspired by a dolphin, the Honda gets a low mark in styling especially that it looks bloated, but they said that there is more than looks.

SCORE
Kia Rio – 3
Toyota Vios – 2
Honda City – 1

PARTIAL SCORE
Honda City – 3
Kia Rio – 4
Toyota Vios – 5

Interior
What is weaker outside is stronger inside the Honda City, especially which the rear seats fold down to accommodate bulky cargo but it was chucked down with the new generation’s launch in 2009. Controls are placed logically and legibly, strength of the brand. Surprisingly, the Kia Rio has a simple interior with all controls (such as the climate and audio) located within the driver’s reach. Last place goes to the Toyota Vios simply due to the gauges located in the center that can be a cause of distraction and the control buttons for the air conditioning and the hazard light and the handbrake are far for the driver to reach it. All of them provide good seating for four but the City can accommodate five bodies without being squeezed. Power windows (which buyers look at) are not available in the Rio and the Vios J. Airbags? It is only standard to the high end variants of the City and the Vios.

SCORE
Honda City – 3
Toyota Vios – 2
Kia Rio – 1

PARTIAL SCORE
Honda City – 6
Kia Rio – 5
Toyota Vios – 7

Engine
The three vehicles have peppy engines which provide low to mid end power, an advantage for city driving. But among the three, only the City and the Vios has two engine options for the consumer to choose from. For this aspect, the Vios, providing a 1.3 and a 1.5 engine choices has good low end torque and thus, our pick for this segment. The City has also 1.3 and 1.5 engines but they do offer different characteristics with the 1.3 focusing on low end torque while the 1.5 emphasizes the upper range. The Rio has one sole engine choice, a 1.3 liter one while the hatchback makes do with a 1.5. The Rio does not make any slouch but becomes noisy at high speeds.

SCORE
Toyota Vios – 3
Honda City – 2
Kia Rio – 1

PARTIAL SCORE
Honda City – 8
Kia Rio – 6
Toyota Vios – 10

Driving Impressions
For this part, let’s give our nods to the City since it provides a comfortable ride and a handling that does not scream “economy car”. The Vios is a runner up here but try driving at curved roads in high speeds, the suspension is stiff and the ride is stable. We could have declared a tie for the Rio and the Toyota especially that the former exhibits a steady ride but road imperfections are transmitted to driver and you’ll feel that it lacks refinement especially they are transferred to the pedals and shifter.

SCORE
Honda City – 3
Toyota Vios – 2
Kia Rio – 1

OVERALL SCORE
Honda City – 11
Kia Rio – 7
Toyota Vios – 12

THE FINAL SAY
With just a one point difference, the Toyota Vios is one car that we could recommend to used car buyers who prioritize fuel efficiency, ease of maintenance, and affordability. The Honda City is not to be left behind especially that one can overlook the blowfish styling for the interior flexibility. At last place we see the Kia Rio, while it is affordable and offers decent space, the lack of refinement and the limited parts availability turned us off.

READ MORE:
http://myk384.blogspot.com/2012/06/used-car-of-week-honda-city-2003-2008.html
http://myk384.blogspot.com/2011/12/used-car-of-week-toyota-vios-2003-2007.html
http://www.edmunds.com/kia/rio/2002/?sub=sedan