Looking forward to buy my first car
I want to buy a car, my first car actually. I am torn between the Toyota NZE and the Mazda Axela. Which car would you recommend?
Hi, the Toyota Corolla Fielder with the NZE engine is a wagon built on the Corolla platform. Mazda Axela is a compact car. The two car concepts are different. While the Fielder is a multi-purpose passenger and cargo mover, the Axela is strictly a passenger mover. Your concept choice of an entry level driver should be inspired by your transport needs and the reliability of the car.
Looks /exterior: the Fielder body styling is more practical and straight forward. The 2008 Fielder has a low slung front end with a capsule-like but aero dynamic finish. Axela, on the other hand, has a more attractive and imposing presence highlighted by its sporty and well chiselled athletic design cues flowing from its futuristic front grille to its fused rear end.
Interior: Fielder’s interior has an ageing design which is predictable, somewhat plastic but easy to clean. The centre console and dashboard layout are not enchanting but boast of easy to use or find knobs and switches. That seems to sit well with the practical commuter who is juggling school drop offs, airport pickups, shopping for the business or ride to the office. Conversely, the Axela has a more premium and stylish interior finishes. There is plenty of soft leather and vinyl finishes, accentuated by spats of chrome finish and a more impressive dashboard layout.
On road: Fielder’s 1.5 litre engine is sluggish and crawls at full passenger / cargo load capacity. This makes its fuel economy the same or worse than the 1.8 litre engine. Fielder 1.8 litre is responsive but a little noisy if you push it hard. However, it is reasonably stable on the highway. Axela 1.5 litre is nimble and sprightly as soon as you gently tap the accelerator. As its name suggests, Axela has excellent acceleration and better road holding when you are speeding through the highway corners.
Reliability and resale value: Fielder is easier and cheaper to maintain in the long run because of a better parts availability situation. The Axela spare parts are not easy to find. Nonetheless, there are parts shops that can order them from abroad or have a few fast moving parts. However, regular service parts are easy to get. This makes the Corolla Fielder’s resale value better than that of the Axela.
