Nairobi News

Dear Neto,

I am looking forward to buying my first car and I am interested in a nice small hatchback to help me in my work around Nairobi.

I am at a crossroads whether to buy Toyota Vitz or Mazda Demio.

I have looked at the Toyota IST but I think a good one is out of my price range.

The two cars are quite comparable in so many ways but can you kindly break down the details to help me in my choices.

I know these cars are excellent for town runabouts because of their low engine capacities however, how do they perform on open roads, highways and hills?

Miriam.
I agree with you that the two are comparable in so many aspects though the Vitz has a slight edge over the Demio.

It comes in two engine sizes: 1L and 1.3L both with vvti. That means you have more choices according to your fuel requirements, loading and driving distances.

If you care much about resale value then Toyota Vitz is the car for you.

The Mazda on the other hand is a lot better looking, particularly the new look head and tail lights. Demios also have nicely done interiors as compared to Vitz, cost less and are roomier.

More and more of these cars are seen on our roads than before and spares are not a problem.

I find Toyota engines quite reliable though I can still say the Demio engine is well done.

However, the Demio engine compartment looks slightly cramped up so it will take your mechanic more time to reach the hidden parts.

Both 1.3L models will do well on hills due to their small weight in fact the same 2NZ-FE engine fitted on older and newer Vitz models is the same engine fitted on some Toyota NZEs so I bet you power is not much of a problem.

Fuel consumption is obviously lower on the 1L model but many times I say it all depends on how you hit your gas pedal.

Send your motoring questions to nnfeatures@ke.nationmedia.com