I’m currently planning on buying a car and I’ve narrowed down my choices to either the new Honda City or the Toyota VIOS. I’m not a car expert so I’ll try to use this blog to get some much needed advice! If there are any car experts out there reading this blog, PLEASE HELP ME OUT. Here are the specs and pictures of the two cars that I’m picking from.
TOYOTA VIOS 1.3 M/T J
CHASSIS
Transmission Type M/T
Suspension Front McPherson Strut with Stabilizer
Suspension Rear Torsion Beam
Brakes Front 14″ Discs
Brakes Rear Drums
Tires Size 175/65R14H
Wheels Size 14″ SteelENGINE
Model 2NZ-FE
Type VVT-i, 4 Cylinder In-Line DOHC 16V EFI
Displacement cc 1,298
Bore and stroke mm 75.0 x 73.5
Max Output (EEC NET) 85HP/6,000 rpm
Max Torque (EEC NET) 122Nm/4,000 rpm
Fuel Supply System EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection)
Fuel Tank Capacity 42
Catalytic Converter WithDIMENSION
Curb Weight Front 620-650
Curb Weight Rear 400-425
Curb Weight Total 1020-1075
Gross Vehicle Weight 1,485
Overall Length 4300
Overall Width 1700
Overall Height 1460
Wheelbase 2550
Tread Front 1470
Tread Rear 1460
Min. Ground Clearance 150
Min. Turning Radius 4.9
The VIOS is actually really nice. Based on the reviews I’ve read over the internet, it’s really fuel efficient and maintenance won’t be expensive since it’s a Toyota. The design is also sleek and fashionable. It’s also actually very affordable at a price tag of just PHP 575,000. That’s a very low cash out for the DP (15%) and the monthly amortization wouldn’t hurt too much. The only thing I don’t like with this one is that I keep seeing too many VIOS units around especially since Taxi companies and local police forces use them as their staple car. This can also be a good thing – it means that the VIOS is MATIBAY.
HONDA CITY 1.3 LI
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE CAR SPECS
The HONDA CITY is also a good buy at the same price as the VIOS (575,000). The pros for this one is the resale value (I think). Most of the people I’ve talked to keep on telling me that Honda cars sell high even if they’re already second hand.
I’m going to test drive both this weekend and hopefully make a decision by next week. If you have any input, comments, suggestions, violent reactions, please go ahead and leave a comment. Just don’t suggest buying second hand because I would really prefer to buy a brand new one.
After I buy the car, I’ll write a basic guide on Car Financing through banks. It will be very simple and easy to understand. I’m sure that a lot of you are wondering about the mechanics of loans like this one.
Thanks in advance to everyone who’s going to help me out!
EDIT: I BOUGHT A CAR ALREADY! CLICK HERE TO READ THE POST.
markkennethbalicanta on December 4, 2008
consider these
Toyota – cheap and easy to find parts
Honda – high resale value
klanton on December 4, 2008
kung ako sa inyo bumili nalang kayo ng ferrari! para sakay agad ang lahat ng mga pokpok! awwwww! ang sarap talaga makipag sex sa loob ng ferrari!
Waukster Online Top 8 Posts for 2008 | Waukster Online on December 26, 2008
[...] Honda City vs Toyota VIOS Here’s another popular post. I made this when I was trying to decide on which car to buy. I [...]
andy on December 28, 2008
I got my vios 1.3 E 2009.. Sobrang tipid nga sya ( 13km/L .. Sa mga nagbigay ng substantial comments earlier, Thanks sa inyong lahat.. lalo na kay Waukster ang may Akda ng lahat ng ito.. hehehe
To : Brandon
Correct ka jan Bro.. Dapat sa mga PinOy practical na, lalo na ngayong panahon ng CRISIS..
LAunching nga pala ng HOnda CITY 2009 sa JAn 7 tingnan nyo rin. Yung mga d pa nakakabili…
HAPPY NEW YEAR GUYS
kEbz on January 13, 2009
kUng aQ sAu,i’lL tAke f0r h0nDa,bc0z aNg TOYOTA VIOS kC aY,mAdaliNg mAg fAde aNg cOlor aT mAdAli dIn xIa mAyuPi aNg kAha,tXaka aNg h0nDa kApag bInilI m0 nG bRand nEw,mAtagal bUmabA aNg pResYo,,kUnwAri bInili moh nG 600k,tp0s iBe2nta moh dIn,hAlos hIndi bUmababa aNg price nG hondA kAhit sEconD hAnd,eH aNg t0yota hAlos tAon tAon nAgpa2lit ng m0del,eH anG mGa h0nDa lUxury dIn xIa..
Shaider on January 31, 2009
sir wauks.. totoo po ang high resale value even sa insurance or comprehensive mataas ang appraisal nila pra sa Honda…I own a Honda city 2002 lxi and Nissan’s Grand Livinia…CITY’s have a very reasonable gas mileage around 15 to 17kms per liter all stock no tweaks po sa makina yan kahit muff system wala stock talaga…kung ako sau try looking into the new city model 2009 maganda exterior as well as interior even the gear lever nsa steering wheel na….ang maganda sa Vios common ang parts nya and mga taong eksperto sa kanya..well not to say wala din addict sa mga honda
maraboo on March 11, 2009
Was just googling and I happened to stumble on your page. The comments really helped (Thanks thanks!) But I’m still undecided mainly because of the “mode of payment” I will be going through.
I am entitled to get a company car: 30% of my limit, P582,000, will be deducted from my salary on a monthly basis for the next 5 years. If I decide however to get a unit which is priced higher than my limit, I have to add a “top up,” which will also be deducted on a monthly basis from my salary.
Though with regard to maintenance, I don’t think I have to worry much. I drive in the city only: mainly from office to house (20 minutes max) and the company will also pay for “Type 1″ maintenance (I guess those which do not include major overhauls).
For fuel efficiency, I don’t think I should worry about this too since I will be given a gas card.
Now I’m torn between getting a:
1. CITY 1.3 A M/T (P668,000) OR CITY 1.3 S M/T (P708,000); OR
2. CITY 1.3 A M/T (P668,000) OR VIOS 1.3 E M/T (P654,000)
because I’m also thinking about the long-term implications to my salary.
Hope I get promoted in the future para naman hindi ako masyadong magsisi if ever I choose the higher-priced model.
My mind was really set on getting a VIOS but when I saw the new City, my eyes literally popped out from their sockets. It’s just so manly! (Struggling to find a word right now 
)
Anyway, goodluck sakin!
Zechs on April 8, 2009
NISSAN SKYLINE! kung halang kaluluwa mo sir wauks
transformers on April 9, 2009
I’ll go for honda city kasi pag nag vios ka baka sabihin lang sayo ng tao na taxi driver ka kaya ill go for honda na kasi pag binenta mo yan ng secondhand di ka masyado mag sisisi dyan sir waulks, pero kung gusto mo japanese rin, mitsubishi ka na lang o kaya kia rio, 690,000 lang sir wauks.
rageboy on April 9, 2009
Kia? Di ba korean car to? .. peace ..
maharlika on April 10, 2009
hi everyone.. was just looking at reviews for toyota vios and came up to this one.. i dont understand why we filipinos is so into our image and all that.. just because toyota is used as taxis in our country, i mean its so right! if you go to other countries, benz is just also a cab!
man i still go for toyota!
transformers on April 11, 2009
korean car ang kia.
yeye on April 12, 2009
City na lang. Cheap yung Vios eh at nakasasawa na, wala ng dating. Minsan pa ay ginagamit na lang ang Vios sa “taxi”. Ang Honda bawal i=pang Taxi eh. At mas maganda pa ang motor ng Honda sa Toyota.
heyhey on April 12, 2009
so… you(maharlika) are trying not to be Filipino by using that words? And as you write these, you are generalizing that all Filipinos think the same. And about the Mercedes thing, do you really think it’s a big deal? Why, do you think Filipinos cannot buy even one? And who likes a car being one of the model cars of taxis anyway?…And the Honda’s motors are better than the Toyota one. You can even ask if the better car would be an Accord or a Camry. Expect that the answer would be Accord even if you ask a foreigner.
transformers on April 12, 2009
KUng ako sayo, honda city na ako,ganda kaya ng honda.
transformers on April 12, 2009
at ang honda city 1.3 ay power windows, ang vois 1.3j hindi naman pero eang vios e power windows.
bebe on April 15, 2009
FYI the toyota vios 2009 model cannot be made taxi anymore since there was an advise from Toyota to LTO not to make this as a taxi.
Kupret on April 21, 2009
Basahin mo yung comment ni “DarkVenom”, yung ang comment ng taong may positive thinking, its not about what people thinks its about how much money you can save at the end of the day. Buti ka nga may kotse yung ibang tao naglalakad, so go for VIOS. I’ll assure you 100% saving in gas… tipirin mo yung pera and buy a house!
Kaysa puro porma ka, wala ka naman naiipun…
jeff on April 27, 2009
Yan ang hirap sa mga filipino mayayabang even na kahit hindi kayang makabili ng auto kahit second hand lakas mang asar lakas mag comment about vios are for taxi kaya nga gingawang taxi kasi low maintenance at matibay unlike city ayaw ipa taxi kc malalaman na hindi pala matibay at isa pa mahal ang parts, kaya nga naglabas ng city ang honda un ang affordable nilang model, do you think ba afford ng masa ang mag ka car??? alisin na natin masyado ang maging mayabang kaya walang asenso ang filipinas lahat karamihan ng tao dito masyadong colonial mentality, kahit hindi afford pipilitin makapagmayabang lang!
Happy Birthday Waukster (the Car)! | Waukster Online on April 27, 2009
[...] biggest purchases of my life. I decided to invest in a brand new car. I was torn between buying a Honda City or getting myself a Toyota VIOS. At the end of the day, my affinity with the style, elegance, and class of the Honda brand made me [...]
diego on April 28, 2009
Elegance for a ordinary sedan? if you want to choose elegant car purchase a sports car or luxury sedan, vios and the city is compact ordinary pasenger sedan, what happen to you all peeps!
Erwin on April 28, 2009
Honda CIVIC,CIVIC HYBRID,INSIGHT at ODYSSEY. Eh Taxi din naman sa States,Europe and CANADA ah. Police patrol car pa nga..hehehe Southeast asia lng ung law pero allowed sa other continents maging taxi ung honda.
It doesn’t matter naman kung pan taxi ung car model ko. basta pan private use and better than HONDA CITY… MY VIOS!hehehe
Adi on May 27, 2009
Ung HONDA pang TAXI&PULIS car lang din naman. Go to LONDON and you will find out. Southeast asia lang naman cila PA-Class and PA-Private.hehehe
eric on May 27, 2009
0915-4112815, if your going to study both of vehicles i might consider on toyota coz of availability of parts and reliability that proven the world…you can contact me for the unit and financing terms.
remon dulay on June 13, 2009
kakatuwa naman mga comment dito, actually have the same problem din, VIOS 1.5G or City 1.3S (A/T)…hindi ko rin alam ang pipiliin ko sa 2 model, pero hindi yun ang mas problema ko, meron pa mas mabigat ako problema..is kung practical bang bumili(financing) ako ng BRAND NEW na VIOS 1.5 (2009 model) or mag fifinancing na lang ako ng VIOS 1.5 na year 2006 model..
pag nag financing ako ng 2009 model (5 years to pay)..after 5 years ang value ng kotse ko nasa 1.1 million na, kaya lang mababa kko na lang sya ma ebebenta.
unlike kung 2006 model..nasa 450,000 pesos lang ang price…
Jon2 on July 12, 2009
IMHO, mas magandang choice yung bagong Honda Jazz 2009 kesa sa dalawang choices na ito.
But alas, nabili mo na yung Honda City. 2008 model pa ata.
Yung Honda Jazz 2009 madaming expert car reviewers na sinasabi ito ang best subcompact that money can buy. Madalas makikita mo Honda Jazz sa Top 10 ng mga car reviewers sa Internet o magazines.
Honda Jazz ang binili ko. Yung 2009 model 1.5L. No regrets whatsoever
Renzo on July 21, 2009
It All boils down to the streets !! Kung Sino ang pinaka maraming brand na nakikita nyo ayun ang Panalo! Toyota Vios It’s everywhere It means to say kahit sabihin nyo na pang masa .Durability, acceptability is everywhere in the streets. Hindi naman bibili ang mga pinoy na ayaw nila. Kaya the verdict VIOS is the best subcompact car for pinoy’s.Come to think of it normally resale value is high pag maraming bumibili ng ganun brand diba.
marisol ong on July 31, 2009
nakakapraning talaga pumili between honda and vios! kasi ang nakakapraning e, WALA KONG PAMBILI….joke…
sweety girl on July 31, 2009
umasakit na din ang ulo ko kakapili between honda or toyota, as a girl i like HONDA syempre prestige daw..but my husband choice is TOYOTA VIOS or ALTIS…gusto ata niyang mag part time driver e….at least di siya mambababae pag naka honda…ang hirap talaga pumili…kasi mahirap magkaroon ng chance na makabili ng cash tapos magsisisi ka after buying your choice… in fact we do research bago kami bibili….mag part time driver siya pede din kaya mag toyota kami
khai on August 11, 2009
Hi guys…..looking for well maintained honda city auto. Yr from 2004-2006 model….preferable with new facelift….looking forward to hear good news from you guys…call me at 0132123212
chaw…….
Blueray12 on August 25, 2009
Lets start being logical and quit being emotional
What’s the basis of comparison?.
Price – Vios is slightly cheaper I guess
fuel economy…how much does vios and city deliver KM/L whatever the figure is its almost even.
Power – City has more power output no question about that.
Resale value – almost even but a little ege in favor of Honda
Cost of replacement parts _ definitely Toyota has the edge but this is not an important factor for me. I buy to use and not to re sell.
Maintenance Cost – almost even. actually depends on how you drive the unit
Taxi car – Who cares.this is not a factor.
Looks..beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Some say vios looks matures other says City looks more sporty. OH
So.Which one should I buy? I’ll buy a car based on factors above which are more important to me.i.e. power, price,looks, fuel economy, So I choose Honda City..You wanna argue with that? No Problem then buy the car you want. Peace.
seagoat on September 15, 2009
wala ako pera para bumili ng sasakyan, mag taxi nalang ako. wala pa problema sa maintennance araw makasakay akong vios, or any car…walang sakit sa ulo na iisipin. Your budget to buy a car prepare it for taxi in ten years. Di ba mas economical ang mag taxi? you have free driver, maintnenance, parking space, car wash, everything. TAXI NALANG TAYO MGA BRO… in five years since I am working here in Makati nagtataxi na ako. Get the number of taxi company then call them when you go out anywhere. Magpasundo ka sa office mo sa taxi. 300 pesos/day X 30 = 9000 x 12 X 10 = P1,080,000, di ba okay lang? tRY IT MGA BRO…
gem on September 26, 2009
How come the price is just the same? where did u buy your Honda? thanks!
“The HONDA CITY is also a good buy at the same price as the VIOS (575,000)”
grendel on October 9, 2009
All these years I’ve always dreamed of having my own Honda City. I have no money yet so ipon muna… and when the time came when I have enough money to buy one, I had a chance to stumble upon a Toyota Vios S model. Wow! that’s got to be the nicest car I have ever seen… so in the end I went for the Vios. City is just a fantasy pero sa Vios na inlove talaga ako …
jan yang on November 16, 2009
Aside from other brands, i have also owned both new hondas and toyotas from 1990s onwards. From 94 & 96Accords, 04City 1 model, 06Newest Civic, 95Corona, 99Corolla, o3Altis, 09Newest Altis, 06Vios, 07New Vios. What I can safely say is that, it is true, the engine of the Honda is very nice, powerful kahit the City. BUT when it reaches around 60,000km or so, water pump breaks, engine throttle has problems needs cleaning, windows jam(20,000km+), suspension needs some repair especially if its automatic(50,000km+). engine support more or less gives around 30,000km. As for the toyota, its electrical system is weak, bulbs always die. Especially the brake light bulbs, but that’s about it. Both maintenance prices of both at CASA are not expensive. Sometimes, cheaper than Petron, Shell, etc. The reason why petron, shell seems cheap is that, they use replacement parts, but if you just add the labor part, mas mura sa CASA di pa madumi gaya sa gas station, at kailangan mo pa bantayan. I believe the Honda is more superior than the toyota when new, but it isn’t just designed for the Philippine environment. The windows jam, and the engine throttle needs cleaning/replace because othe the pollution, suspension parts give because of the potholes. In the end, If you earn around P50,000/month buy a vios. If below that, and you really want a car, Hyundai Getz nalang quite nice interior, very spacious and reliable(i have 08 getz 1.1) Only buy a honda if you are earning more, because of those issues. Beyond the middle class, the rich do not even think much of the fortuner, much more mga vios and city. They are all the same. Buy one where you can save money most so you can buy a real porma car like a LAND CRUISER or AUDI or whatever in the future. Anyways, ang porma, nasa tao yan, wala sa kotse. toyotas are also very nice and tough. Hindi maporma ang CITY. its better to drive a humble toyota and live in Greenhills, or Forbes, or Valle Verde than have a City and live in Sikatuna, Gagalangin, Singalong, Proj.8 etc. This all stems from most Filipinos’ insecurity, and gusto ipakita na umansenso na sila (ex. mga OFW na pag-uwi puro ginto sa katawan). Kahit nga GETZ ok lang, kung nagtitipid ka. 5 years pa warranty. Lets change this attitude. Hindi tayo aasenso. Tama yung isang nag.blog. Ang panget ng mga comments, ayaw ng vios kasi taxi, police car, pero nagpapaservice naman sa tabi-tabi or 2nd hand ang bibilhin. kaya ayaw ng Honda gawin service cars nila, kasi alam nila mahina suspension, not meant for Philippine roads. Sinong company ba ang may ayaw ng more sales?
enzo on November 21, 2009
vios kasi hindi lang naman pangtaxi and yung mga ginagawang taxi ay yung j. meron din e g at s. city is good din at sa looks. marami rin agad na nabibilis na parts ng toyota.. pero bakit ka naman maghahanap ng parts kung hindi masisira di ba.
almost parehas lang yung capacity ng engine nila pero yung pagkakalagay mas mababa yung sa city, meaning mas aabutan agad ng tubig.. pero d mo naman kailngan mataas na engine kung hindi mo naman idadaan sa baha d ba..
vios=reliability
looks= so so
engine placement= mas mataas kesa city
city=reliability
looks= elegant
engine placement= mababa
vios=city
but i’ll go for vios coz here in the ph merong VCP o
Vios Club of the Philippines
they’ll help you modify your car, maintain it. di ko pa sure kung meron din for city..
so it’ll be your choice pa rin..
goodluck
tankero on December 5, 2009
Kahit anong car basta kaya mong bilhin at satisfied ka thats all. its not big deal if its toyota or honda basta meron ka. If you like the car buy and enjoy pag nag sawa palitan mo ulit… tapos.
buboy lacson on December 10, 2009
yybang nyo,wla kayo sa mtorcycle ko..mtipid na mtpid tlga sa gas,hehe..
ex on December 15, 2009
no offense to buboy lacson, but i think motorcycles are for no-brainers.. people who cannot follow simple traffic rules.. people who don’t care about their safety.. ung big bikes siguro pwede pa, kasi iilan lang me kaya bumili, ung may magagandang trabaho lang, pang-recreation lang nila pa ginagamit, which proves na matitino sila.. bihira, if not never, ako nakakita ng naka-big bike na wala at least a helmet, sila pa ung matino sa daan..
city-vios na.. my uncle has these cars, a 2009 vios g 1.5 m/t, and a 2009 city 1.5 e.. he lend the cars to my father to look after for two months while he was out of the country.. he didn’t bother so i drove them.. i drove them both to school, and my first impression was that they are almost identical.. ride comfort is quite the same, plastics inside.. then the city start edging ahead. i noticed that the dials are better in the city, the center console looks better, exterior is much more luxurious, the steering wheel is more grippy, engine is better, the lot.. i did not like the automatic gearbox, however, but if you put it in sport and use the paddle shifters (when it first came out, i was like “paddle shifters? on a 1.5?”), it’s great.. i’d even say that the city has a wee bit better fuel economy.. i took my friends out in both cars on several occasions, and they too prefer the city.. and in the morning when i walk up the garage, i always find myself opening the doors of the city rather than the vios.. it’s just… more fun and exciting to drive, somehow..
i fell in love with the city so much that i bought my own (with a little help from my parents, of course).. a 1.3 s with a proper manual (the clutch pedal, i think, is even softer than the vios’).. sure, it doesn’t give the power of the 1.5s but it still is good.. a few tweaks and it’ll be just as good..
i have nothing against toyota.. in fact, the best car i own is a toyota.. a starlet (gives me the chills just typing it!).. modified.. took me about three years to make it as good as it is now (bought it scrap,chassis only, so it is dirt cheap).. my own time, my own sweat, my own blood.. but it hell is worth it.. mock my starlet and i’ll come round your house and smack you in the face!
macoy on January 3, 2010
whew… Hirap nun ah
asa on January 7, 2010
bumili kau kung may pera kayo tapos!
toff on January 12, 2010
I have driven both the City and the Vios, and i have to say that I am impressed with both cars. However, given a choice, there is no question that I would rather pick the Vios over the City for these reasons:
The Vios has been the number 1 selling compact sedan in its category since its introduction and with good reasons. As far as fuel efficeincy is concerned, the Vios takes the bag. Toyota’s engines produce more low end grunt which makes the car move effortlessly compared to Honda’s VTEC engines which need more revs to produce power. As the City may rev farther, the Vios would prove more adequeate especially with the kind of environment that we have. Besides, both cars would still sail by the motorway quickly.
Design-wise, it would be a toss-up on what you would prefer. The City being more proggressive-looking may look more hip than the Vios. Of course, this is not to say that the Vios does not look good, especially with the newly introduced Vios S variant which stands with 17? alloys and a ducktail spoiler. So as far as image is concerned, the Vios is still at par with the City.
In terms of durability, Toyota have nothing to prove anymore. I have one ridden on an old “big body” Corolla which had already clocked a whopping 996,000++km on the odometer and the car still proved to be reliable. With the old Toyota’s still running on our hostile roads, it is without a doubt that the Vios would give you endless reliablitly.
In the end though, both are equally good cars and it is just a matter of what one prefers. It is true that Filipinos are image conscious, and that somehow we have given labels to particular automotive manufacturers. At the end of the day though, we should think about it that perhaps it is a curse more than anything else.
Len on January 22, 2010
Masyado makitid utak ng karamihan pilipino. pulpul na katwiran na hindi pwede ipang taxi ang honda kaya luxury kuno… pero para sakin kahit vios kotse mo kung wala ka naman taxi sign sa ibabaw panu ka pagkakamalang driver lang. “Crab mentality” ika nga… sa totoo lang dagdag pogi points pa nga na pwede taxi mga toyota or like services sa airport etc. kasi it means they are tough enough to be used ng sobra sobra sa daan… in other countries taxi lang din benz, bmw, skoda, and other more high end cars… it basically means na pag ginagawang taxi ang isang sasakyan ibig sabihin sobrang reliable nito… “Hinahamon ko honda city na yan” gawin nyo pang taxi tignan natin kung kakayanin nyan” another thing 5 speed a/t ng city para mas tipid daw but still 4 speed a/t of vios is much efficient than this.
Best description ko would be “Toyota Vios is for people who are wise enough and don’t have this crab mentality in his/ her mind”
“Honda City for those porma feeling persons”
DJCHACHA on January 29, 2010
hi there. mukhang nakapagdecide na yung tao so no need na para mag-away. sayang lang i wasn’t able to share earlier para you would have chosen the “best”.
first time buyer ako and super nahirapan din akong mamili between toyota and honda kaya what i did is ask the opinion nung mga tao na sanay at may alam sa cars. lahat sila halos sinabing VIOS ang bilhin ko kasi super practical
and now i’m enjoying it
biruin niyo 500pesos ko for 5 days? manila to qc everyday. tipid diba?
and to those people saying na pang”taxi” ang VIOS, well smile lang ang sagot ko sa kanila. at least ako i know na yung pera ko may pinuntahan at worth it yun
spartan on February 3, 2010
i like both but i leaned towards the new model of city.