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.

Faults:

My 2007 Avanza VVTi 1.5's motor suddenly blew up with all eight exhaust valves bent and burnt, three heads broken off and motor destroyed. The car had only done 87000 km at the time a week ago.

The Toyota dealer had a report done which stated that the probable cause was over-revving. I am a 67 year old man, rarely drive over 100 km/hr, and know I have not over-revved the engine. The vehicle had previously been in for service and other work to the same garage two months ago. I suspect there is an inherent flaw with this motor's VVT system, or the valve gaps were incorrect, or Toyota staff over-revved the engine, but am now faced with paying an R87000 bill to have the motor repaired.

I shall not ever buy a Toyota again. Has anyone experienced a similar problem?

General Comments:

It was fine up until the engine blew out.

Faults:

There was no DVD player; only a CD player was there... I had to replace it with a good DVD player.

General Comments:

One of the best cars ever I've used.

The space in between seats makes the ride more comfortable. Ideal for long rides, especially at a low cost and with the whole family, as 6-7 passengers can easily sit comfortably. After folding the back seats down, there is more room for carrying the luggage.

Very much affordable. The market in Sri Lanka for the Avanza is steadily improving. Usually when I park my vehicle in the town, at every month 2 or 3 people ask for any resales.

I've modified the car with door visors, DVD player, reverse camera, hood bar, seat covers, side mirrors, leather under carpets, a side mirror and a flag holder in the side of the bonnet, and blue glass sticker for the front lights. These have given it a very rich look, and at a distant view my car looks like a Prado. My neighbours even think so. This gives me even a rich feeling.