You have just earned your driving licence and are looking to buy an honest little saloon that’s functional, frugal and perhaps a bit fun to drive, too. The three contenders we’ve gathered here – The Toyota Vios, Nissan Almera and Honda City should be on your shortlist, because they not only fulfil the aforementioned criteria, but they’re also evenly matched to boot. Each one is a trusted Japanese make, assembled in Thailand and powered by a robust 1.5-litre 4-cylinder engine.
The most established saloon in this segment is the Toyota Vios, now in its third generation. Compared to past Vioses, this current model has a more stylish design and more logical cockpit layout, with the instrument cluster now in front of the steering wheel instead of at the centre of the dashboard. The Vios also promises to be cheap to run, which should appeal to buyers on a tight budget.
The newest player in this segment is the Honda City, which is sleeker and larger than before. Apart from offering more interior space, the latest City of Bangkok is also well equipped and promises nicer fit-and-finish than its fellow Thai-made rivals.
Ready for some motoring “Muay Thai” in this story is the Nissan Almera, which replaced the brand’s Sunny and Latio saloons on our island. Although the oldest contender here, its blend of spaciousness and efficiency has proven to be a hit – the Almera was Singapore’s best-selling Japanese subcompact saloon in the first quarter of this year.
Which of these three smiley saloons will make a newbie driver the happiest? Let this band of smiles start playing. 
The Nissan Almera has the plushest seats and is the easiest to drive, but its static-prone hi-fi unit and surprisingly thirsty engine are likely to elicit more frowns than smiles. But it remains an attractive proposition for first-time car buyers thanks to its asking price, which at press time is some $9000 and $11,000 lower than the Vios and City respectively. That’s a lot of petrol and Thai food for the driver on a shoestring.
The Toyota Vios appeals to keen drivers with its spicy “Tom Yum” drivetrain, well-sorted steering and extremely effective air-conditioning. But despite the improvements to its proven design, the saloon seems more basic and less useful than its two competitors in this comparison. Still, for motorists who want a “safe” choice, the Vios is the way to go.
The new City may be more relaxed than the Vios and less agile than the Almera, but its numerous amenities, comfortable ride and refined, efficient powertrain are impressive. New drivers who choose to be Honda “Cityzens” will be saying thanks to Thailand and wearing big smiles.
SPECIFICATIONS
Honda City 1.5 (A)
DRIVETRAIN
TYPE Inline-4, 16-valves
CAPACITY 1497cc
BORE X STROKE 73mm x 89.4mm
COMPRESSION RATIO 10.3:1
MAX POWER 120bhp at 6600rpm
MAX TORQUE 145Nm at 4600rpm
POWER TO WEIGHT 108.9bhp per tonne
GEARBOX CVT with
7-speed override
DRIVEN WHEELS Front
PERFORMANCE
0-100KM/H 11 seconds
TOP SPEED 192km/h
CONSUMPTION 17.5km/L (combined)
CO2 EMISSION 135g/km
SUSPENSION
FRONT MacPherson struts,
coil springs
REAR Torsion beam,
coil springs
BRAKES
FRONT / REAR Ventilated discs / Drums
TYRES
TYPE Bridgestone
Turanza ER370
SIZE 185/55 R16
SAFETY
AIRBAGS 2
TRACTION CONTROL ABS with VSA
MEASUREMENTS
LENGTH 4442mm
WIDTH 1694mm
HEIGHT 1477mm
WHEELBASE 2600mm
KERB WEIGHT 1102kg
TURNING CIRCLE 10.6m
BUYING IT
PRICE INCL. COE $114,999
(after $10k CEVS rebate)
WARRANTY 5 years/unlimited km
WE SAY
+ “Cheapest” mileage, comfiest ride, coolest infotainment
– Highest listed price, manual air-con controls, least nimble handling
* BEST OF THE THREE IN COMFORT
SPECIFICATIONS
Nissan Almera 1.5 (A)
DRIVETRAIN
TYPE Inline-4, 16-valves
CAPACITY 1498cc
BORE X STROKE 78mm x 78.4mm
COMPRESSION RATIO 10.1:1
MAX POWER 99bhp at 6000rpm
MAX TORQUE 134Nm at 4000rpm
POWER TO WEIGHT 95.2bhp per tonne
GEARBOX 4-speed automatic
DRIVEN WHEELS Front
PERFORMANCE
0-100KM/H 13.3 seconds
TOP SPEED 175km/h
CONSUMPTION 14.9km/L (combined)
CO2 EMISSION 159g/km
SUSPENSION
FRONT MacPherson struts,
coil springs
REAR Torsion beam,
coil springs
BRAKES
FRONT / REAR Ventilated discs / Drums
TYRES
TYPE Bridgestone B250
SIZE 185/65 R15
SAFETY
AIRBAGS 2
TRACTION CONTROL ABS
MEASUREMENTS
LENGTH 4455mm
WIDTH 1695mm
HEIGHT 1515mm
WHEELBASE 2590mm
KERB WEIGHT 1040kg
TURNING CIRCLE 10.4m
BUYING IT
PRICE INCL. COE $103,800
(after $5k CEVS rebate)
WARRANTY 5 years/unlimited km
WE SAY
+ Most affordable, softest seating surfaces, effortless steering
– Smallest boot, laid-back performance, relative thirst for fuel
* BEST OF THE THREE IN DRIVER-FRIENDLINESS
SPECIFICATIONS
Toyota Vios 1.5 (A)
DRIVETRAIN
TYPE Inline-4, 16-valves
CAPACITY 1497cc
BORE X STROKE 74mm x 84.7mm
COMPRESSION RATIO 10.5:1
MAX POWER 107bhp at 6000rpm
MAX TORQUE 141Nm at 4200rpm
POWER TO WEIGHT 100.9bhp per tonne
GEARBOX 4-speed automatic
DRIVEN WHEELS Front
PERFORMANCE
0-100KM/H 12 seconds
TOP SPEED 170km/h
CONSUMPTION 15.9km/L (combined)
CO2 EMISSION 147g/km
SUSPENSION
FRONT MacPherson struts,
coil springs
REAR Torsion beam,
coil springs
BRAKES
FRONT / REAR Ventilated discs / Discs
TYRES
TYPE Dunlop
SP Sport 2030
SIZE 185/60 R15
SAFETY
AIRBAGS 2
TRACTION CONTROL ABS
MEASUREMENTS
LENGTH 4410mm
WIDTH 1700mm
HEIGHT 1475mm
WHEELBASE 2550mm
KERB WEIGHT 1060kg
TURNING CIRCLE 10.2m
BUYING IT
PRICE INCL. COE $112,888
(after $5k CEVS rebate)
WARRANTY 5 years/unlimited km
WE SAY
+ Most energetic performance, peppy gearbox, freezing air-con
– Least practical cabin, noisy powertrain, no keyless functions
* BEST OF THE THREE IN SPORTINESS
Check out the latest Toyota Vios
Find out more about the Honda City
The Nissan Almera is no longer available, but you can always check out the Nissan Note
