Choosing a Car — Test Drives Begin —

This may be sudden, but I am thinking of buying a car. Since the Mark II I used to drive was totaled (a truck that ran a red light at an intersection crashed into it, totaling it), I have been driving a Vitz. But it has now been 4 years, so it is time for the next car. A new Vitz is due to come out in February, and I may replace mine in March.

So today, I set out on test drives before noon.

The first stop was Mazda, for the Axela Sports. The suspension feels solid, which is appealing, but is there nothing that can be done about how cheap the interior feels? It seems to improve somewhat with a higher engine class, but I would rather keep the engine as it is and have the entire price difference put into the interior.

There was a Volvo a little farther along, so I went in on impulse. Because I used to drive a 240GL, I had a strong impression of Volvo as making very large cars, but the V50 was a manageable size and handled and rode well. And the price, too: :hammer: Why does a car with a U.S. list price of $25,660 (about ¥2.7 million) cost as much as ¥4 million in Japan? In either case, it is shipped from Sweden, so it cannot be due to a difference in shipping costs. Incidentally, the seats, said to have been designed jointly with an orthopedic surgeon, were quite comfortable. The interest rate on the balloon-payment plan is 2.9%.

A little farther on, there was a Volkswagen. I tried the New Golf, but what should one make of it? The steel frame is exposed. It is not a commercial vehicle, after all. Even allowing for the rough ride as something to be expected of a German car.

Finally, I returned to Toyota and tried the Wish. The interior materials have a better feel than the Golf’s. This was a car marked ¥1.07 million as a showroom promotion. However, the interest rate is 9.6%. With ordinary installments, the interest rate is apparently 13%. “Toyota Bank,” as expected. Incidentally, the “Hamagin Car Loan” is 5.5%.