7-Seater MPV

[Spring]

  On 11/10/2015 at 5:55 PM, dsman said:

hi

 

biante shares the same engine as the mazda 5. as such, can be sluggish if you have load. i am currently driving an old mazda5. definitely can sit 7 adults.

 

u should also consider citroen grand picasso. very spacious. that was my second choice before i ended up buying a 7 seater suv last weekend. they have both petrol and diesel.

 

kah motors odyssey for 8 seater comes with fabric seats, fyi

I understand they now offer leather seats for the 8 seater unlike previously.

[Victor68]

Thanks bros for all the comments. Of course I will have to make the final decision. All comments are good, especially those who have owned certain car and willing to give their personal experiences.

 

True, the Mobilio, Wish and Sienta are very similar to my Stream. Of the 3, I prefer Wish due to the interior finishes and size. The only set back is that this Wish looks very much like to old Wish and is at $124K as of yesterday.

 

Odyssey will be perfect but I am not ready to throw $152K yet simply because I still have 2 more years to wait. Although I drive the Stream, I don't get to sit at the 3rd row. From my experience in show car units, I find many of the MPV like  Mitsubishi Outlander and citroen grand Picasso do not have the leg room (Not enough clearance from seat to floor board). People with long legs will have problem, unlike Sienta which is a normal seat.

 

I also agree that most times, I hardly have 2 persons in the car. The 7-seater is more for occasional convenient so that we don't have to drive 2 cars. Anyway, most days, the 3rd row seats are folded and act as a booth. It is no different from a saloon car. Maybe just the look.

 

Biante and Mazda 5 same engine? Any Biante owner here care to share their experiences?

 

Thank you again.

[Hondatoyota]

Hi All Bros , I am also looking at mpv. Any recommendation for mpv, I drive around 130km per day. Full size mpv is definitely out as over my budget. Not sure which mpv is more fuel efficient as I travel a lot. Thanks.

[Lycanthrope]

look at  chevrolet Orlando , 1.4 turbo charged , spacy and should be around your budget

[Blacksnow]

  On 11/11/2015 at 12:19 AM, Hondatoyota said:

Hi All Bros , I am also looking at mpv. Any recommendation for mpv, I drive around 130km per day. Full size mpv is definitely out as over my budget. Not sure which mpv is more fuel efficient as I travel a lot. Thanks.

out of curiosity, why do you drive 130km a day?

[Atrecord]

  On 11/10/2015 at 1:47 PM, Vinceng said:

Mazda 5 gives the best bang-for-buck at $119,800.

 

Sharing the same 2l engine as the Mazda 6, it sits 7 full sized adults with ease. Last row seats can accommodate adults, unlike some competitors like the Kia Carens.

 

Adequate power when fully loaded. Spare parts easily available at 3rd party workshops, unlike some makes like Subaru.

 

Spacious interior as a full sized MPV, rather than trying to be a mini MPV that struggles to accommodate 7 adults.

 

True blue Japanese, assembled in Japan, and not Thailand.

 

Only set back is the dated interior and exterior looks, which if you can close an eye, you can't go wrong with the Mazda 5.

 

But of course if you have a deep pocket, the sky's the limit. There are many other better models around. You just need to pay more.

 

Actually the Mazda 5 is NOT a full-sized MPV. Like the Wish, Stream, Lafesta (no new model here), the Mazda 5 is a mid-sized MPV. I went to check it out in 2005 when sourcing for a MPV after the arrival of my 2nd kid, which made the Corolla G9 too cramped for 2 child seats.

 

The Mazda 5 was more responsive (2.0) than Wish (1.8), but space-wise, sorry, it lost out hands-down. 

 

Maybe I'm biased, as that is set in my mind, so I've not even bothered to look at the current Mazda 5. I'm actually also looking for a replacement for my Wish (we settled for it eventually) which will expire in 2 mth. When I was at Mazda showroom, i checked out Mazda 8 and Biante, but gave Mazda 5 a miss.

 

BTW, as my younger kid is now 10 yr old, I'm resigned to having to bite the bullet to get a full-sized MPV, as it's likely that he'll be taller than me (i'm 1.8 m) before the next car expires (assuming that i drive it for 10 yr too).  

 

So if TS is in same situation as me, then I won't recommend Mazda 5, as I doubt the space would have improved much from 2005 model. Besides, they have Mazda 8 so the product differentiation must be obvious else nobody would buy it 

 

But of course, if the kids are still young, and space is not a big consideration, then that changes the equation significantly and Mazda 5 could well be a good choice.

[Limwsv]

  On 11/11/2015 at 12:13 AM, Victor68 said:

Thanks bros for all the comments. Of course I will have to make the final decision. All comments are good, especially those who have owned certain car and willing to give their personal experiences.

 

True, the Mobilio, Wish and Sienta are very similar to my Stream. Of the 3, I prefer Wish due to the interior finishes and size. The only set back is that this Wish looks very much like to old Wish and is at $124K as of yesterday.

 

Odyssey will be perfect but I am not ready to throw $152K yet simply because I still have 2 more years to wait. Although I drive the Stream, I don't get to sit at the 3rd row. From my experience in show car units, I find many of the MPV like  Mitsubishi Outlander and citroen grand Picasso do not have the leg room (Not enough clearance from seat to floor board). People with long legs will have problem, unlike Sienta which is a normal seat.

 

I also agree that most times, I hardly have 2 persons in the car. The 7-seater is more for occasional convenient so that we don't have to drive 2 cars. Anyway, most days, the 3rd row seats are folded and act as a booth. It is no different from a saloon car. Maybe just the look.

 

Biante and Mazda 5 same engine? Any Biante owner here care to share their experiences?

 

Thank you again.

 

OT answer.  You are off the block too early.

 

Unless your Stream is already giving you problem, you should come back and ask this questions about which MPV to look at around Mar 2017.  There will be a lot more models at cheaper price then.  By then COE should have gone down to about 42K.

 

If you buy now, you are trading in a depreciation of 6K - 7K /year for a depreciation of 11K - 12K per year.  

[Atrecord]

  On 11/10/2015 at 2:53 PM, Abhi_boatclub said:

OK, just my opinion based on my preferences. Odyssey would be a good bet, if it fits your budget. The 8 seater version EX-S is around 152k. The third row is spacious, the sliding doors are very useful. The second row has three seats, even when I put two child seats, someone can sit in the middle. The third row is quite comfortable. The new engine is fuel efficient and the 7 speed CVT transmission is neat. All in all, after looking at many full size MPV, this one fits my need the best. You will need to check your preferences as advised by others and then make the final call.

 

The EX-V model is higher end, with 2nd row as 2 Ottoman cradle seats and leather furnishings. Some gimmicks like Park assist and multi cam view, blind spot warning etc are added. However I prefer have a 3 seater 2nd row, which gives me the choice to carry an extra adult or fold the last row down and lug around things. Again... Subjective choices based on each ones needs I guess...

 

I currently have a 2007 Odyssey, very happy with it and will upgrade next year to the EX-S when the COE drops hopefully ☺

 

All quite true.

 

I would get the Ody too, except that there's one thing that doesn't tick the list...

 

Just one thing, but I can't compromise on it - the third row seat is a bench and cannot be 'one side up, one side down'.

 

If you get the 7 seater (EX-V), and if you need significant luggage space beyond what is offered when the 3rd row is up, that means you have to fold down the 3rd row altogether, leaving you with effectively a 4-seater only...

 

Family liked Ody a lot, and it's quite new so technology, connectivity, features, etc. are all good. If only the 3rd row is split seat, I'll probably no need to still be undecided 

[Atrecord]

  On 11/11/2015 at 12:13 AM, Victor68 said:

Thanks bros for all the comments. Of course I will have to make the final decision. All comments are good, especially those who have owned certain car and willing to give their personal experiences.

 

True, the Mobilio, Wish and Sienta are very similar to my Stream. Of the 3, I prefer Wish due to the interior finishes and size. The only set back is that this Wish looks very much like to old Wish and is at $124K as of yesterday.

 

Odyssey will be perfect but I am not ready to throw $152K yet simply because I still have 2 more years to wait. Although I drive the Stream, I don't get to sit at the 3rd row. From my experience in show car units, I find many of the MPV like  Mitsubishi Outlander and citroen grand Picasso do not have the leg room (Not enough clearance from seat to floor board). People with long legs will have problem, unlike Sienta which is a normal seat.

 

I also agree that most times, I hardly have 2 persons in the car. The 7-seater is more for occasional convenient so that we don't have to drive 2 cars. Anyway, most days, the 3rd row seats are folded and act as a booth. It is no different from a saloon car. Maybe just the look.

 

Biante and Mazda 5 same engine? Any Biante owner here care to share their experiences?

 

Thank you again.

 

How many people do you need to fetch during your 'occasional convenient' moments, may I ask, and how tall and old are these people?

 

Don't mean to intrude (if you are not comfortable revealing), but these i feel are important factors.

 

If budget is a critical constraint, then no need to think too far. But if you can afford 2 cars (or did you mean the second car is not yours?), then I think you're fortunate in that you have more options.

 

If your consideration is to let the passengers have some level of comfort, both when sitting, and getting in/out of the 3rd row, then I would suggest you need to go for full-sized MPVs. If the ones likely to sit on 3rd row are children in mid-primary and upwards, my guess is that they might grow up in no time and then start complaining got limited space. This is what's happening to me. When we got the wish, my daughter was just 2 and in child seat. Now she's prob approaching 1.7 m… Everytime when in 3rd row, always complain  

 

If the 3rd row passengers are adults, then size/age is key. I have probably checked out all the MPVs and 7-seater SUVs available in the last year (except for Proton Exora, Grand Voyager and Audi Q9?), and when getting out of 3rd row of Zafira and Grand Scenic, I sprained my back (albeit mildly and recovered after maybe an hour plus some stretching)! The rest of the conti MPVs (except Sharan) like only marginally better (maybe cos marginally taller), but third row, as you pointed out, are like squatting instead of sitting 

 

Outlander is also not more spacious than my current Wish, according to my family who sits in 2nd/3rd row (which I almost never).

 

So if you have the means (based on the above 2 cars assumption), I suggest checking out the bigger MPVs:

- Estima (bit dated)

- Toyota triplets

- Nissan Serena

- Honda Stepwagon

 

I've not included Biante and Odyssey as these have bench instead of split seat for 3rd row, which I think is very inflexible. I needed this option until recently, when I had to occasionally ferry my grandmother on wheelchair… With my folks around 80, I think realistically might need again some years down the road… Besides, split seats is very convenient when doing heavy shopping.

[Atrecord]

  On 11/11/2015 at 12:19 AM, Hondatoyota said:

Hi All Bros , I am also looking at mpv. Any recommendation for mpv, I drive around 130km per day. Full size mpv is definitely out as over my budget. Not sure which mpv is more fuel efficient as I travel a lot. Thanks.

 

Wish was the most fuel-efficient, decent, affordable MPV for a few years. But in the last few years heard Touran is even more efficient (reliability is another matter). 

Now the conti diesel MPVs declare that they can do above 20 km/l, but haven't heard any owner verifying (instead read that they are notoriously grossly over-declared).

The Toyota triplets owners are saying they can get around 12 km/l, which is quite good for such a large vehicle. 

  On 11/11/2015 at 1:18 AM, Limwsv said:

OT answer.  You are off the block too early.

 

Unless your Stream is already giving you problem, you should come back and ask this questions about which MPV to look at around Mar 2017.  There will be a lot more models at cheaper price then.  By then COE should have gone down to about 42K.

 

If you buy now, you are trading in a depreciation of 6K - 7K /year for a depreciation of 11K - 12K per year.  

 

hmm… you might be the right person to check with then:

 

which new MPVs do you know will be launched by then? Specifically, do you know when will the new Estima be launched?

[Baal]

Hearsay clawback wont occur within the next 2years. Since u have 2 years left, just nice.  Honda also implementing those TC engines soon. 

[inlinesix]

  On 11/11/2015 at 1:18 AM, Limwsv said:

OT answer.  You are off the block too early.

 

Unless your Stream is already giving you problem, you should come back and ask this questions about which MPV to look at around Mar 2017.  There will be a lot more models at cheaper price then.  By then COE should have gone down to about 42K.

 

If you buy now, you are trading in a depreciation of 6K - 7K /year for a depreciation of 11K - 12K per year.  

 

Are you sure that COE price will go down then?

 

Not forgetting Hui Ge said Car-Lite hor.

 

[Weewee1976]

Let me share my experience in MPV sourcing as a current Stream owner and furture Mazda 5 owner. What made me chose Mazda 5 was because:

 

1. It fits within my budget of $120k.

2. 3rd row space similar to Stream but headroom higher.

3. It has a 2nd row air-con although it's blowing from the bottom.

4. Versatile 2nd row seat folding which you can store the middle seat away. To be honest, the middle seat is not very comfortable.

5. Sliding doors.

6. Relatively powerful engine and quiet interior.

7. 6AT vs CVT in most Japanese makes.

 

What made me change car now is I get back more from my current Stream compared to driving it all the way (I still got 2+ years left).

 

I suggest TS you shortlist some models that fit your budget first, then slowly find time to go physically see the cars you've shortlisted. Then shortlist again and test drive those in the final shortlist.

[MQX87511]

  On 11/10/2015 at 1:14 PM, Victor68 said:

Hi, I have not been to this site for a long while. I am now driving a Honda Stream but it has only 2 years left. it is time to look around. Hope to hear some advice here before I decide. I need to choose a brand before I can proceed, so I choose Honda since I am driving one now.

 

I have seen Toyota Sienta & Wish, Honda Mobilio & Odyssey, Renault Grand Scenic, Mazda 5 & Biante. Prices ranges from $110K to $152K.

 

Quite obviously, the more you pay the better the quality. What would you think is the closest to my current Stream? The Renault is diesel and it is reputed to have higher depreciation value and high cost for maintenance. Finishes is great for a Euro 6 engine which is very responsive. Among them, the Odyssey and Mazda Biante are impressive in look.

 

Please share your thought and experiences if any.

 

Thank you.

do you consider 7 seat SUV significantly, such as X-trail, Harrier, Outland, XC90, Q7, X5

[Baal]

  On 11/11/2015 at 2:34 AM, Davidtch said:

Are you sure that COE price will go down then?

 

Not forgetting Hui Ge said Car-Lite hor.

 

oh ya, u are right on that.  1 moment no OCS next 2 years.  Next moment car lite.  hmm.

[Baal]

If TS can accept PI, can also consider the Jade?  Stepwagon I believe using the same engine. http://www.sgcarmart.com/new_cars/newcars_overview.php?CarCode=11736

 

[Showster]

The only way to reconcile these two points will be unduly heavy usage taxes.

 

Everybody owns a car but everyone parks it at home.

 

How do you guys feel about the current petrol Touran? Does it still have gearbox issue?

 

 

 

  On 11/11/2015 at 2:49 AM, Baal said:

oh ya, u are right on that.  1 moment no OCS next 2 years.  Next moment car lite.  hmm.

 

Edited November 11, 2015 by Seohster

[Limwsv]

  On 11/11/2015 at 2:34 AM, Davidtch said:

Are you sure that COE price will go down then?

 

Not forgetting Hui Ge said Car-Lite hor.

 

 

Yes.  GPS ERP has been selected as the mechanism to carry out the car-lite plan.  Wait for announcement.