A Toyota Avensis, a Mazda 6 or a Honda Accord
Life is expensive and driving a car is even more expensive: depreciation, motor vehicle tax, insurance, maintenance and repair, and of course fuel… This week we therefore keep our feet on the ground and look for a mid-range sedan from Japan. Why? Sedans are less popular than hatchbacks and station wagons, so they can be bought for a better price. In addition, from Japan, because then the reliability is very good. Finally, a model from the D-segment: this size sedan is a bit nicer on the retina than a size smaller and, moreover, the whole family has plenty of space. We found you a Toyota Avensis, a Mazda 6 and a Honda Accord.
With 9 grand in your pocket, the choice is quite huge. Because in addition to the portrayed Honda Accord, Mazda 6 and the Toyota Avensis, you could also opt for a Subaru Legacy (standard 4WD) or Suzuki Kizashi (used more popular than new). Do the (operating) costs matter less? Then the Lexus IS and the now almost forgotten Infiniti Q50 (which is unfortunately not yet available for 9 grand) are options.
Toyota Avensis 1.8 VVTI Comfort – 2009 – 147,828 kilometers – €8,950
When you say ‘Toyota’, you say ‘reliability’. Nowadays it can be a bit of fun again, but for years Toyotas were loyal butlers: never abandoning their boss, incorruptible and yes, also a bit colorless. This Toyota Avensis, which is waiting for a new boss in Maarssen, dates from that era.
Grey, makes Avensis tasty even less striking
Sprayed in matching gray metallic, you would just walk past it. Don’t, because this used car has a lot to offer the down-to-earth, calculating used car buyer: an – certainly for a virtually indestructible Toyota – acceptable mileage that, in combination with a one-year Bovag warranty, will not easily cause unpleasant surprises. Moreover, it was serviced at the Toyota dealer 6,000 kilometers ago. We get in and find that there is enough space for the whole family plus their luggage. Sitting on decent seats, it is striking that the backrest of the front seats is not infinitely adjustable. Shame.
147 hp, such an Avensis drives soothingly
Our Japanese trio has an atmospheric engine whirring under the hood. The one in the Avensis is good for 147 hp / 180 Nm, with which the 99-JXR-8 nestles neatly between the other two. There are also no weird frills in terms of driving characteristics: the power steering filters out enough to give a soothing character at higher speeds. On the other hand, he does not know how to tempt you into a game of corner eating. The chassis does not do that either. Suspension and damping do their job in the background – so distant. If we also say that the throttle response is quite slow, then it is clear that sports enthusiasts have to go a door, eh … door further. Others will find a pleasant partner in this occasion, although the equipment is not more than reasonable. A – accurate – six-speed gearbox is present, as well as a knee airbag and a navigation system. But also hubcaps, window winders in the back and a manually operated air conditioning in the also very gray cabin. Just do it, is the motto here.
Signaling
Brand Toyota
TypeAvensis 1.8 VVTI Comfort
Construction year October 2009
Mileage 147,828
Asking price €8,950
Where to buy? Automotive company De Pijper, Maarssen
Technical data
engine 4-cyl. in-line, 1,798 cc
max. assets 108 kW/147 hp at 6,400 rpm
max. couple 180 Nm at 4,000 rpm
Luggage room 509 l/1,575 l
max. trailer braked 1,500 kilograms
Avg. consumption 1 in 15.4
0-100km/h 9.4s
Top speed 200km/h
All data according to factory specifications
Mazda 6 1.8 Business – 2011 – 109,851 kilometers – €8,950
Could it be a bit more sparkling? Then you don’t have to look any further, because this Mazda 6 is available for exactly the same asking price at the same provider. Younger and with a lower mileage, which indicates that used Toyotas remain quite pricey. The 6 is not inferior to the Avensis in many respects.
This Japanese sedan invites more to nice steering
On the contrary: more work has been done – subjectively – on both the exterior and the interior. The seating position is also different in the 6: deeper, more encapsulated, your hand falls naturally on the lever and with a view of a more attractive dashboard. In short: when you get in, you immediately notice that the 6 invites you to a more active driving style. And with its beautifully balanced multilink chassis, it will not disappoint you on that point. Dissonant with the 91-NZD-5, however, is the drive.
This 1.8 needs revs
The 1.8 base engine of 120 hp is housed in the front. This means that this Japanese sedan is not directly underpowered, but you have to keep it up to speed to keep up. Little happens at the bottom, which is partly due to the five-speed gearbox with fairly long transmissions, which also shifts less tightly than the six-speed gearbox. Moreover, at higher speeds you miss that sixth gear: it makes a difference in engine noise and wear and fuel consumption. In conclusion, we can say that the drive and chassis do not really form a coherent whole. If you really want to benefit from the 6-driving characteristics, go for the 155 hp two-liter. So should you leave it alone? No, because space speaks here as another strong asset. And the equipment, because with cruise and climate control, alloy wheels and, for example, an electrically opening luggage compartment, it offers more than the Avensis on this point. In addition, the Toyota has shorter maintenance intervals (every 15,000 kilometers against 20,000 for Honda and Mazda). Old Mazdas can suffer from the rust ghost, pay attention to that! For the rest an attractive occasion – except for the drive.
Signaling
Brand Mazda
Type6 1.8 Business
Construction year January 2011
Mileage 109,851
Asking price €8,950
Where to buy? Automotive company De Pijper, Maarssen
Technical data
Engine 4-cyl. in-line, 1,798 cc
max. assets 88 kW/120 hp at 5,500 rpm
max. couple 165 Nm at 4,300 rpm
Luggage room 504 l/na
max. trailer braked 1,300 kilograms
Avg. consumption 1 in 15.6
0-100km/h 11.4s
Top speed 196 km/h
All data according to factory specifications
Honda Accord 2.0i Elegance Special Edition – 2010 – 173,612 kilometers – €8,950
Honda also has a reputation to uphold when it comes to excellent driving characteristics. Add to that beautiful (engine) technology and in the case of this Honda Accord you do have a good match between drive and chassis. Its two-liter delivers 156 horses or 192 Newton meters to the front wheels and you will not be short of anything. The downside is that the officially stated fuel consumption is the highest. In addition, the Honda brand has become increasingly smaller in our country in recent decades, which can sometimes lead to hassle in the field of maintenance (availability and cost of parts).
Accord is the heaviest
If we also see that the Accord is the heaviest of our trio (more than 100 kilos more than the 6) and has the highest mileage, then it could just make the largest grab from the household pot every month. On the other hand, that mileage does not have to be an obstacle. In Klokje Rond van AutoWeek 51/52 – 2021, a comparable Accord with more than 377,000 kilometers still performed well. Two thumbs up from our strict, but fair judge Joep, that’s not given to many cars.
Only the trunk is smaller in this Japanese sedan
The interior of the 71-NJZ-8 is also not used in an exuberant use of color, but in terms of attractiveness (materials used) it looks more Mazda than Toyota. This also applies to the equipment, with in this Elegance Special Edition, for example, seat heating at the front and rear, rain and light sensor and alarm. In terms of interior space, the Accord can compete well with the competition from its own country, the trunk is a size smaller. The handling is sure and direct, but not hard: comfort still predominates. This creates an image of an occasion that perhaps combines the best of the Avensis and the 6, but also asks for a little more money – not in terms of purchase price, because this Accord, which is available at a Suzuki dealer, also costs €8,950 !
Signaling
Brand Honda
TypeAccord 2.0i Elegance Special Edition
Construction year September 2010
Mileage 173,612
Asking price €8,950
Where to buy? Suzuki dealer Verhoeve BV, Capelle a/d IJssel
Technical data
engine 4-cyl. in-line, 1,997 cc
max. assets 115 kW/156 hp at 6,300 rpm
max. couple 192 Nm at 4,100 rpm
Luggage room 467 l/na
max. trailer braked 1,500 kilograms
Avg. consumption 1 in 13.9
0-100km/h 9.4s
Top speed 215 km/h
All data according to factory specifications
Which Japanese sedan is right for you?
In summary: if you are looking for a down-to-earth occasion that you don’t have to worry about for a long time, take the Toyota Avensis. The 6 from Mazda offers more joie de vivre, but that only really comes into its own with a heavier engine. The Honda Accord does have such a stronger engine, but seems to be a bit more expensive to use. What would your choice be?
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl