General Comments:

I bought an Avanza in 2007 and I'm really happy with it, so I replaced it with the newer Avanza in 2012.

Compared to the old one, the new Avanza feels wider from the inside. I can stretch my elbow more in the new one. I can also see that the roof is taller. The interior has a more modern feel with some silver paint. The material of the plastic feels scratchy compared to the previous one.

This is my first automatic car, but I have driven several automatics before so I can make a comparison. The car's automatic transmission is jerky and lacks response. When I floor the gas pedal from idle, there's a delay for the engine to respond. The brakes are not so good either.

The ride is very soft, especially compared to my old Avanza, which is suitable for Filipino roads. There is a lot of body roll on the suspension and the steering is not so responsive. Despite being wider than my previous Avanza, it is still easy to park in tight places.

It was all good until I test drove the Honda Mobilio in 2016. As much as I love my Avanza, the Mobilio is better in many ways. The engine is so quiet and smooth, and the automatic transmission is more responsive. It feels really stable on the highway compared to my Avanza, and the steering is more responsive. The interior has nicer quality and the seats are more comfortable. There are too many things that I like more in this car than in my car. The only downsides are the smaller interior space and the ride is a bit stiffer, but still soft for Filipino roads.

At first, I was still considering if I wanted to trade my Avanza with the Mobilio. I planned to keep it for 5 years before being replaced, and my Avanza was around 4 years old, so I needed 1 more year before replacing it with the Mobilio. But after finding out that the Mobilio's fuel economy is much better than my Avanza, I immediately decided to trade it as soon as possible.

I have owned the Mobilio for 8 months now and I am really happy with it. The Avanza is a great car, but the Mobilio is in a different league. I am planning to write a review of my Mobilio in the future.