MPV review
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aaron78:
I always prefer toyota. it's comparable to honda and cheaper. consider Toyota Wish, Picnic or Previa.
Hard to beat Toyota when it comes to fuel efficiency. But... but... the sales people... sigh. -
You should list out your requirements and put them in order of priority. Then you can \"score\" each model and see which one fits your requirements best. I've put down below some criteria that you may want to consider.
1st thing - what size?
When getting MPVs, one of the 1st things that needs to be decided is whether you want a comfortable 3rd row or can live with a squeezy 3rd row. That's the big difference between the luxury or full-size MPVs (Alphard, Estima, Voyager, Odyssey, etc) and the mid-sized or compact MPVs (Wish, Stream, Mazda5, Touran, Zafira, Grand Scenic etc). I find the Picnic an in-between creature, but I'm inclined to classify it as a full-size MPV.
If you travel with 6 or more on a daily basis or at least 50% of the time, you might want to consider a full-size MPV. If the back row is not frequently used, eg like for weekend trips only, then seriously consider a compact MPV. A bit squeezy, but significant savings in both upfront and running costs.
Once you've sorted out the size of the vehicle, that cuts your choices into half already. What then are your other priorities?
Other criteria to consider
Purchase price? Go with Toyota.
Fuel economy? IMO, the Japs and the Germans are generally the same. The main differentiator here is whether it is a full-size or mid-size MPV.
Driveability? IMO, go for Honda, Mazda, Touran or Zafira.
Safety? Go for the European makes. (The Japanese makes may do well in safety/crash tests too, but body not that solid).
Reliability and inexpensive servicing? IMO, any Japanese or German make would do. (Many feel that Euro cars have high parts/servicing costs, but forget to take into account the fact that Euro cars generally have much longer service intervals (15,000 km). IMO, servicing costs are comparable (if not cheaper) than the Jap makes).
Looks? That's purely personal.
Hope that helps, and happy hunting. -
anybody has experience with those mini-mpvs which are basically station wagons with seats behind e.g. freed, terios 7.
they look attractive for my needs i.e. carry 4 adults and 2 kids on weekends, <1600 cc so means lower tax and relatively more fuel efficient. -
ghostz:
my take is.... anythingy with 3 rows of seat but with only aircon duct from dash...... is.....anybody has experience with those mini-mpvs which are basically station wagons with seats behind e.g. freed, terios 7.
they look attractive for my needs i.e. carry 4 adults and 2 kids on weekends, <1600 cc so means lower tax and relatively more fuel efficient.
moreover, station wagon or mini SUV (for the case of terios) is basically work on a sedan platform/chasis, anything more than the design payload, is taxing on both the engine & chasis. -
Just checking any VW Touran owner here? Test drive this morning… pretty good and spacious!
FC can go up to 20km/litre. -
Is that the mpv that is 1500cc? We saw when we heard from hubby’s colleague. But it is not a full size mpv and the back row is only good for small kids. I usually disc the efficiency. Such will happen if we drive on expressway with no traffic.
It is important to plan ahead. If u are driving for 10 years, kids will grow up so u need to consider if it is practical. -
Touran is good, used to drive the 1.4tsi. The twin turbo will make the drive feel like a 2L and the seat arrangement is good. Though not really a full size mpv, but the last row does take adult @ 1.7m comfy when driving within Singapore. Overseas roadtrip will be subjective though.
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Anyone has any comments abt the citroen grand Picasso vs the toucan vs the peugot one? Am looking at the continental mid sized mpvs as the jap ones are a good 20 k more.
Traditional thinking is that conti cars are more problematic in our climate n spare parts more expensive?
Thanks -
Apparently the Touran is becoming an attractive choice for anyone looking for MPVs, because it is:
- powerful
- fuel efficient
- affordable
Traditionally for someone looking for a decent and affordable MPV, they will go for wish (that’s why the model flooded the market for 2-3 yr from 2005), and only when stream new model came out in (i think) 08? did it took some market share off wish. These 2 mid-size 1.8l Jap MPVs were much cheaper than continental ones (incl Touran), and they have more spacious 3rd row seats, cos they are longer. In terms of design, they are also more sleek, as Touran is more boxy, taller.
As the Jap $$ appreciated when US$ depreciated, Jap MPVs became more expensive, and Korean cars are generally more affordable, including MPVs. With VW taking back the dealership to sell direct and becoming much more aggressive in their sales strategies, all the VW cars have become more attractive. You see corolla altis owners changing to VW Jetta, etc. So the value for money proposition for wish/stream has decreased.
And then when COE skyrocketed recently, the 1.4l Touran became at least $10K cheaper than the 1.8l wish/stream, as the latter’s cat B COEs are >$23K higher than Touran’s cat A COE now…
Note though that the high-specs VW cars are known to have quite a fair bit of problems with the high-tech stuff, and the repairs will take $$ and money. But there is huge savings upfront, to cater to these needs…
I am quite sure the Touran will lose out to wish in terms of 3rd row space. In fact, i doubt any other mid-size MPVs can match it. -
Ksbird:
We have a Touran. It takes our family of 5 comfortably and we sometimes pop the 2 extra seats up for my kids' classmates or when our domestic helper goes out with us.Just checking any VW Touran owner here? Test drive this morning... pretty good and spacious!
FC can go up to 20km/litre.
The 3rd row is not very comfortable for longer journeys but we live near town and the schools, so we do not have that many long drives.
The Touran is a surprising fun car to drive and is a fantastic compromise for Dads who want a little bit of sports-car excitement once in a while but look decent enough not to attract any police siren. Quick acceleration, tight turning radius, very comfortable expressway cruising and very good all-round visibility. The vehicle size is just right for me because my condo carpark is terribly narrow and many residents have had their cars scratched by the pillars. The Touran is not much longer than an average sedan and just a little taller, but not so tall like SUVs.
The seats are very comfortable and supportive plus all the safety features are there just in case, including those curtain airbags etc. For the money, I find it hard to find a better family car given our family's needs.
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