RWD

Only in Sri Lanka would you compare these two cars!!

How is it a massive upgarade? Vezel RS has all the sensing tech, higher ground clearance, DCT gearbox and ample power. If anything the little 1.0 turbo and CVT box may feel a bit of a downgrade. As Kush said get the CRV.

this happened once before on my 2018 Civic as well. It was the first week I of owning the car and it was in church while mass was going on which was more embarrassing. Didn't happen again after that. Fingers crossed that it was some electrical gremlin.

I guess the ground clearance issues depends a lot on where you drive and the no of people you carry. I use the car 95% in Colombo and have very small kids. Commute is most of the time the school and office run. If I was a was using it to ferry full sized adults and my mates around on a regular basis, this would be a real pain to have as a daily driver. If that's you and you have a 6 mil + budget to spare you'd be better off getting a used SUV.

I have owned both cars. Had a 2014 Mazda3 which I baught brand new from Colonial which was the 1.6 with the conventional 4 speed auto. Sold it a couple of weeks ago as I got a very good offer. It was as solid as a rock. Never gave me trouble - and I did 55,000 km's. Pro's - Excellent value for money (when launched), superb handling, nicely weighted steering, simple infortainment system, stiff suspension but also comfy enough of bad roads, bulletproof reliability as the engine and gearbox combo is tried and tested tech, excellent after sales service at the agents, decent fuel economy of 8KM/L in Colombo, enough power for expressway driving, design has aged well, good ground clearance. Cons- 4 speed auto makes the whole car feel slow, 1.6 lacks low end torque and feels very dated when you give it beans, cramped rear seats, no climate control AC which is criminal for a 2014 car, not many bells and whistles especially compared to the Civic. I got the new 1.0 Civic EX-T a few weeks back but have not driven it much. Only done 400 Km's. Pro's over Mazda 3- feels more refined, more spacious, far more creature comforts, CVT box feels smooth, 1.0 turbo definitely has more power and usable torque than the 1.6 mzr in the Mazda3 Cons- ground clearance, steering is lifeless compared to Mazda3, fiddly infotainment system, fuel consumption isn't great (but I am still breaking it in), no agent's warranty, far too many gizmos so more things could go wrong Having used both cars I feel the Civic is definitely the better car but the Mazda3 may prove more durable in the long run especially if you get a 2016 model. But there is a new model with the Skyactive X coming out next year so prices of the current generation will go down a bit. You can bargain more and get a good 2015-2016 low mileage example for around 5 mil if you look hard enough. I know someone who sold a 2016 car with only 25,000 km's for 4.7. Not had experience with the Axela or the Skyactiv petrol Mazda 3's- but I've heard those are superb to drive and should be comparable or even better than the Civic.

Nope. You have the be registered under the polling division. I too had to get a GS certificate confirming the same after recently buying an unregistered vehicle as my ID card address and residential address was different. But I was registered in my new address under the polling division so no issue. Me thinks the government is trying it's best to clamp down on tax evasion.

Nice! What was the cost if you don't mind

yes sometimes feel this in my new civic as well at very slow speeds. Completely normal.

Sounds good mate. I live around the area so will be dropping in around 9 ish there for a wash. Mine's the Mettalic Grey Tech package. See you there.

the low ground clearance of this car is what put me off from buying it for so long but I finally bit the bullet and thought I could live with it. Not at all confident about entering and exiting steep underground carparks yet. I find myself using my Vezel a lot more. BTW the next time you are coming to the Megs place at Kirimandala Mawatha let me know. Would be nice to catch up with a knowledgeable Tech Pack owner so I can get better acquainted with the car

You've got PM mate.

So I finally picked up my brand new Honda Civic EX Tech Pack in Polished Metal Mettalic over the weekend. As the plates were not ready yet did not get the chance to drive it too much. But first impressions are very good. The 1.0 3 pot is very responsive. As it's still the break in period I was feathering the throttle but early indicators are that this little turbo and the gravelly note is going to be a fun ride. CVT is very smooth, but I guess it would have been nicer to have had the dual clutch setup from the Vezel. Perhaps Honda felt that the CVT box would be more robust since the Civic is a world car. Also the steering is too light and not as good as my 2014 Mazda3, but seems to wake up at higher speeds. Need to take it out of town to see really how it holds up. Ground clearance seems a bit low so I was careful getting into and out of sloped places. I actually preferred to the suspension when it's set to Dynamic Instead of comfort. The ride felt a bit floaty on comfort settings but I was driving on relatively smoother roads. Love all the bells and whistles especially the Honda safety kit. Superb low driving position which makes you feel like you are in a proper sports car. My kids love the sunroof and leather seats and there is plenty of space at the back for car seats and for adults to strap them in and out. Massive luggage space too. The 11 speaker "premium" audio doesn't feel premium at all, and lacks bass. The infotainment system seems needlessly complicated but I guess with time I'll get used to it. Can someone suggest how to enable android auto on it? I know the service is not available in SL but seen a few cars on the road using google maps etc All in all, very impressed with the car so far. Its certainly good value for money in today's unregistered context.

Where do you get AlloyGators in Sri Lanka? BTW I too ended up getting a Tech Package in Polished Metal. Hoping to bring her home next week.

thanks guys. Its a covered garage but opening out into a verandah area so its not so enclosed. Will get the wife to check for rodents and put rat traps around the car!

Boys In the process of getting a Civic EX- should take delivery by the next week. Quick question- I am going to be overseas for 6-8 weeks from mid September and the car will be parked at my home and not driven. What precautions do you guys take when leaving your cars unused for a while? I can get someone to start it up a few times a week but not possible to take it for a spin. I was thinking of disconnecting the negative terminal in the battery, filling up the tank to the full, inflating tyres to recommended pressure and giving it a good wax before I leave. Any other tips for storage, especially since its a brand new car?

Don't know about CHR. Parent's household has a 2016 Vezel which does around 12-14 in Colombo. I've driven it outstation a few times and it does around 18+ even when not in Econ Mode and with my heavy foot. Pretty sure the CHR Turbo can't come anywhere close to those figures. Despite Vezels being more common than a tuk tuk I think it's a pretty capable family crossover with a good dose of power when you need it and it's reasonably comfortable even on the most horrible roads. There are a few horror stories on the DCT Gearbox overheating in traffic. Our vehicle hasn't had any issues but mileage is still relatively low. I personally find the gearbox responsive enough especially during high speed cruising and overtaking but not the most refined in stop- start Colombo traffic. Only issue for me is the tight boot space which is not so practical when you have to go out of town with 2 young kids and loads of luggage- but I think CHR also has the same space constraints there. Test drive both and see.

This is true. A lot of 6's have disabled I-stops because of the battery strain. Colonial recommends this because the most common complaint about the mazda6 is battery drain.

Good choice to get the hatch- its a refreshing change to all the sedans on the road. You won't regret it. Mazda3/Axela is a wonderful car. Somehow it manages to feel and drive better than it's sum of parts - take care of it and it won't let you down

where from please?

Is Nano Wax Spray available in SL?

The 3/Axela is at the end of its lifecycle- a new gen is expected to debut in 2019 with the next generation of Skyactiv X engines. The Mazda2/Demio will probably go through a mild facelift this year and the next gen will debut in 2020 I think? - Mazda's don't do drastic facelifts generally seing how the current gen 3 has hardly evolved since its debut in 2014.

Dont worry about ownership cost. For the first 4-5 years its only servicing if you take care of the car. Change oil and filters every 10,000 Km's- that costs around 17-20 K at colonial. Regular service is every 5000kms which comes to about 3-4 k Air filters are about 6-7 k and I am sure you can find it cheaper outside. I personally prefer the look of the hatch- 7.2 eh? My collegue baught it brand new for 4.6 in 2016 as it was introduced!

I used Meguires Ultimate quik wax- really superb. But tough to find- sometimes you get lucky and find it at an Arpico and then I picked it up. But most of the time not available. Doesn't United M*tors have Eagle One? Been meaning to check out their range.

I have a 2014 3 which I have used for 4 years now, baught brand new from Colonial and has now done 50000K's. Car is rock solid despite my daily use/abuse. Like Supra I had the shock mount issue and an infotainment software problem- both fixed under warranty. Drive belts are now showing a some signs of wear so I'll replace that next and put new brake pads. A collegue of mine has a 2016 Mazda2 hatch and she too had the shock mounts replaced under warranty. That too has done about 35,000 km's and has been faultless. Don't know what the brand new prices are now- but I am very impressed with Colonial's service so far and highly recommend them.

yep I too test drove an Civic in EX trim and was pleasantly surprised with the experience. the cabin has a nice quality feel to it and the 3 cylinder was quite refined. great driving position too. I too wasn't a fan of the boy racer looks initially- thaught it was trying too hard but it sort of grew on me and it definitely looks better on some colours rather than others. Postponed the idea of buying one for now though.