Demio (Mazda2) Vs Honda Fit: A JDM Comparison

Antoine

Administrator
A friend of mine here in Japan is in the market for a new car and was researching the Demio and the FIT...I was glad to know he's gunning for the Demio for the following reasons:

* The Demio is lighter than the FIT and therefore in a less expensive tax class despite being in the same market segment (thumb)

* The Demio is the only car in its segment with TWO safety bars in the door structure instead of just one like the FIT (thumb)

* The Demio is less expensive than the FIT even with options (thumb)

* Mazda has an awesome deal on the base Demio and you get an in-dash navigation unit upgrade FREE! (thumb)

* The salesman at the Mazda Dealer my friend went to was friendly and informative ( (thumb) ) while the Honda salesman was young and basically useless (notcool)

My friend is going to test drive the Demio this weekend and possibly purchase one at the Mazda Dealer I goto and where my friend works...I hope he comes back a new Demio owner and Mazda Fan! (2thumbs)
 
...you get an in-dash navigation unit upgrade FREE!...

Hmmm... wonder if said navigation can be set to English and imported to the US (w/ US maps)? (thought) I would love an OEM navigation option. :D


Awesome!

I had a 2007 Base Fit and now (obviously) I own a Mazda2 Touring. The way I see it is this:

The Fit had SO much utility when carrying stuff... we actually carried a couch home from IKEA with both my fiance and I in the car (hatch closed). Very impressive for such a small car. If all I wanted was a decent reliable car to carry stuff, I would have bought another Fit. Fit's are "Cargo Oriented" vehicles.

But I wanted something more fun. The Mazda2 has less in the way of utility (but actually has better cubbyholes for the driver) than the Fit. It actually feels like a hatchback - not a mini station wagon. Also, the 2 feels quicker, handles better, and seems to be "Driver Oriented". Honestly, it seems like a 2-seater, 2-door hatch with roomy backseats and backdoors as a bonus! Truly an awesome car!

I would recommend the Fit to people with kids who want a small car instead of an SUV or Van.

I would recommend the Mazda2/Demio to anyone who really is an enthusiast of driving.
 
Gentlemen your two posts very accurately summarize the experience my wife and I had when we were shopping for a replacment for our 2002 Honda Civic EX Sedan. We tested both the FIT and the Mazda 2...in addition to some other vehicles. We have owned several Hondas, and have never owned a Mazda. I wanted to test the Ford Fiesta...and actually was not considering a Mazda2...but drove it only because we had heard it was similar to the Fiesta. The FIT was a fine vehicle...and indeed seemed more utilitarian. The Fiesta was likewise a very nice vehicle...and these three turned out to be the contenders. But we...and especially my wife...immediately fell in love with the Mazda 2...and had the best salesman we have ever encountered as a bonus. Well...you know how the story ends...we purchased the Mazda 2...and love it...it is just plain fun. Zoom Zoom is the truth...it is like a little sports car...so much more lively and fun to drive than the Civic or the Fit were.
 
very nice points in the JDM comparison

i've found salesmen (and women) vary from dealer to dealer, some are very knowledgable, friendly, while others are clueless, arrogant. a great sales person could get me to buy tiger-mauling insurance in the city without a zoo.

as far as the fit vs mazda2, i found that often the car reflects the driver's personality and the fit, while a great car, lacks any sort of distinctive personality. the mazda2 is definitely a more quirky car with great curves and a contemporary style.

my main concern is mileage. while i dont buy cars based on mpg, many consumers in america do. i'm afraid this would hurt the sales and ultimately bring the demise of mazda's supermini here. i'd love to see more small cars like this on the road. with FIAT on the way, and Smart sales going strong, fiesta on US shores, and kia growing rapidly, we could be seeing the birth of a supermini movement in america.
 
Good, knowledgeable car salesmen are few and far between. It's like they don't understand that back when real salesmen went door to door to sell you a Hoover Vac, they knew EXACTLY why their product was better for you than any other product. These days, car salesmen answer the question, "why should I buy a Mazda 2?" by saying, "Our dealership offers free lifetime oil changes, and if you do every scheduled maintenance we warranty the motor for the life of the vehicle, and your wife can get free manicures, and you get a car wash with every service, etc, etc, etc...."

"But why should I buy a Mazda 2?"

Thank God I got a salesman who answered it by telling me that it's more fun to drive than a Yaris and a Fit. That even though it's less utilitarian than the Fit, it's a little quicker and more agile. That unlike the Yaris, I can get the 5-speed to keep me sane on my commute and still have four doors to keep the wife happy. That if I wanted to spend a little more and sacrifice some weight advantage, he would recommend the Fiesta with the Sync system and what not.

Honest and knowledgeable. Of course once he got me in the driver's seat, the car sold itself.
 
Here is why I bought the Mazda 2 over the Fit, Corolla, Fiesta, and the rest of them:

I was looking for the least expensive, reliable second car with the most safety features and a good A/C system. I live in south Florida where it gets pretty hot and I needed a car for work. For traveling or carrying more stuff, I have a Subaru Forester.

Mazda 2 offered ABS, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Brake Assist, full set of air (front and side) bags for the front passengers, Dynamic Stability Control and Traction Control System, tire monitoring system, brake priority, and good set of standard tires. The A/C also works very well when idling as compared to the Fit, which losses its cooling ability when stopped at a traffic light on a hot day. The Fit needs to be moving for the A/C to work well and on the Fit, given it's large cargo area, takes longer and it is harder to cool than the Mazda2.

All the other cars can get the same safety features, but at a much added cost. Every other car would cost at least $1,000 and more (need to buy the next tier) than the base Mazda2 to be equal. Similarly equipped cars averages around $16,000. Also, down in south Florida, no dealer had a comparable Fiesta in manual. I would have had to up grade to a deluxe version costing over $17,000.

The bonus with the Mazda2 is its handling and the lower road sound plus it is a lot of fun to drive. Close the door on the car and its sounds solid. I added a battery powered Headroom headphone amp between my iPod and the Aux and the music that comes from the speakers is superb, even though I only have four speakers (Sport Model). No need to change the speakers or add a sub-woofer for me.

Yes, it does not have blue tooth, push button start, sun roof or built in navigation. However, those devices will not save my life in a crash or help to avoid it in the first place. IMHO, when you are looking to buy a small car, safety should be the first priority. It also gets pretty good gas mileage, I am averaging around 35 mpg. So for a little over $14,200 dollars, you get the safest, best handling small car for the dollar. Nothing else comes close at that price.

Once I test drove it, I knew I was going to buy it. The decision was very quick, especially after I had tried the others. The car just needs better HID headlights and more accessories such as a center arm rest and rear hooks for hanging dry cleaning (was surprised that it didn't come with one since it is such a standard item on every car. It would not have added much to the cost of the car, perhaps a few dollars - Mazda you were too cheap in that regard).

The only problem I see for Mazda, is that the 2 is not advertised enough. I rarely see a commercial for it, little advertising and have only seen two other cars on the road in the last 4 months and I drive over 60 miles a day. You are not going to sell the car if no ones know about it.
 
I sat in one yesterday at #CAS11

This is a really comfortable car... even more so than the 3. It really changed my opinion of "cheap" car to more of "small" car. It is really well designed, with good materials, and very solid assembly. Cool little extras too.

The Fiesta, on the inside, is horribly ugly.
 
Every person I have let drive my car wants to buy a 2. I have never owned a car which has gotten a reaction from people like the 2 has.

-Derrick
 
Anyone know what the S Plan brings the price to?
 
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My wife and I have a 2010 Fit and a Mazda 2. Wonderful combination if you have one of each. The Mazda 2 is more fun to drive while the Fit is a pleasant little hauler and MUCH better than the current Civic (which has become a bloated little toad). We had a '98 Civic which was great in comparison. My wife drove a 2010 Civic two miles, turned to me, and said "What's wrong with this car?"

Ford turned the Fiesta into an over-chromed slug compared to the 2. Remember the Pinto ads from the 70's? "hundreds more pounds of ground hugging weight"? Yes, the laws of physics were overturned for Pintos and Fiestas. Then Ford stuck a big front sway bar on the Fiesta without any compensation on the rear so it plows through corners........ What were they thinking? The same as always.

Avera01, you can upgrade the headlight bulbs to Osram Rallye bulbs very cheaply. No need for HID's.

John
 
well when i had my fit it seemed like i had to much room. the only time i ever used the room in the fit was to put my bike in the back. but other than that i seriously (and got asked many times no joke byppl who had no clue) felt like i was driving a mini mini van. its god-tier if you want a roomy commuter/family hatch for lots of stuff. but if not then it feels like your driving around empty space. so i think the fit is PERFECT for said use. but the 2 still has enough space for things and not to much to feel like im transporting air everywhere.
 
Every person I have let drive my car wants to buy a 2. I have never owned a car which has gotten a reaction from people like the 2 has.

-Derrick
This. The only negative thing I have heard came from a big BMW guy and all he said was that it only needs about 20hp more to be a little more fun. He drove it on track, also. Loved the handling and steering.

Another friend had a S/C Miata and drove my 2 (with 5 people in the car!) and a few months later sold the Miata and bought a 2. He loves it :)
 
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