My parents have just brought round on test drive the new Colt with Semi-auto gearbox. It was a 1.3 Elegance model. So here are my thoughts: -
Build quality - good, but quality of fittings and plastics etc no better, if not worse than Hyundai.
Space - excellent. Loads of room for such a short car. Boot is quite reasonable, even when the rear seats at at the rear most setting. Certainly, with me in the drivers seat, I can sit behind myself in great comfort and still have a decent boot.
Drive - lots of verve and the semi-auto box is far superior to the equivalent method in the 2-seater Smart.
Ride/Handling - not bad, but I don't remember the Honda Jazz being any worse..
Value - very good, but somehow I think if I were in the market, I would have to have a really good look at the Jazz and Micra, as well as the european models before I bought a Colt. Its biggest competitor is the Hyundai Getz, which I think has lots more room and is a lot cheaper.
Anyone else got any thoughts?
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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"with me in the drivers seat, I can sit behind myself in great comfort"
Impressive! Which circus may we see you in..? :-)
HJ seems to think the ride much better than the Jazz (IIRC), but it may depend on the quality of the roads you frequent. Here, on the potholed Isle of Wight, it would be significant!
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>> Space - excellent. Loads of room for such a shortcar. Boot is quite reasonable, even when the rear seats at at the rear most setting. Certainly, with me in the drivers seat, I can sit behind myself in great comfort and still have a decent boot. Drive - lots of verve and the semi-auto box is far superior to the equivalent method in the 2-seater Smart. Ride/Handling - not bad, but I don't remember the Honda Jazz being any worse.. Value - very good, but somehow I think if I were in the market, I would have to have a really good look at the Jazz and Micra, as well as the european models before I bought a Colt. Its biggest competitor is the Hyundai Getz, which I think has lots more room and is a lot cheaper. Anyone else got any thoughts? -- Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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I have a few questions. If it is really roomy (as stated by HJ in his road test), then what is the Hyundai Getz, if it has lots more room - a Tardis? I have seen a Getz and it doesn't appear to possess such qualities to me.
Is the steering not overlight, as HJ feels it is? HJ also thinks the ride is very good, if I remember correctly, but you say that it is not bad.
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I've driven the Getz over far longer distances and without a salesman next to me. I gained the impression that the Getz had no more cabin room that the Colt, but the boot was definately larger, with a deep cavity, below which was a full size spare, not a space saver.
The Colt is much more in the cab forward, hence the impression of more space, but in terms of useable space, I would say its a dead heat. I had a short drive around my local area on roads I know well and are not smooth - I wish they were!! The ride was reaonable, but nothing more. To give an unfair comparison, my old Volvo S80 2.9 (well known for a harsh ride over bumps) was far worse over one particular section of road, whereas my father's Subaru Forester is far superior.
Given the genes, I think the Colt is a cut down and improved Merc A-class (it certainly looks like one). I liked the old A-class, and the Colt is good, and reasonable value, but there are lots of others I would look at, at the same time, if I was in the market for a supermini.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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driven a colt this weekend.
colt is better than the hyundai - and certainly has better interior plastics.
the getz 1.3 unit is nippy, but after 70,000 miles - hates reving freely (found this in alot of accents and 1 getz) - some sort of premature engine wear.
colt is also alot more nipper - and on paper the colt 1.1 looks far better performance. (the getz 1.1 is alwfully slow).
dont get me wrong, the getz is a spacious, well built car.
but the colt is better. colt paintowrk is alot better than getz, as was the gear box.
however, if you told me i would save 2 grand by buying a getz - colt would lose every time, no way worth 8 thousand. Pitched a grand to high.
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For anyone who has driven the Colt I'd like you to go and drive the new smart forfour - same car different badges. Let us know what you think about the car, but more importantly how you were treat by a Mercedes dealer when enquiring about the smart.
I've driven the forfour and was underwhelmed. Semi gearbox is excellent and much better than in the smart fortwo, but the 1.5 engine felt underpowered.
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