Owner
Pim Slagman
Kilometres travelled
More than 100,000 km
Did you buy this car new or used?
Used
If used, what year did you buy it used?
2022
How much did you pay? (including all on-road costs)
$5500
What were your needs when you bought this car? Has it fulfilled those needs?
I wanted to buy a little midlife 'phase' (no crisis here..) car so had my eyes on a Mazda MX5. I am a tad too tall for those at 6'5 and the wife wasn't too keen on a 2 seater when we have a daughter and 2 dogs that would be left behind. I happened to see a private ad for this turbo manual Colt and decided to go check it out. I really enjoyed powering this small 4door hatchback onto the steep motorway on-ramp, coming from a diesel tractor (a 1994 4runner NA diesel) This made me change my plan and i bought one from the South Island and had a fun drive back along back roads.
Other requirements were the car should not be expensive to run and maintain. It has delivered on those requirements, too.
What were your initial thoughts about the car? Tell us why it appealed to you.
The looks are quirky but it is not really a good looking car. It makes up with performance and 'chuggability': at 1150kg with revised suspension and chassis reinforcements it loves windy roads. It is also a Japanese Domestic Market vehicle that goes under the radar. Most (young) enthusiasts are focused on 90s Hondas or RWD Japanese and modern Euros. There are not many around on the second handmarket but prices aren't too high, $7k buys you a manual (my preference, although the CVT is a great unit too, with the option of simulated gears. It is strong too with some tuned ones holding up well) .
What have you discovered since owning the car?
The quality is good, but it is not Toyota good. The above mentioned 4runner is 12 years older but has less hiccups than the Colt. I have had issues with heater function knob getting stuck, indicator intermittently not working, chafing wires causing shortcuts. Not major things in the bigger scheme, for a 20 yo car. Parts can be sourced through Ralliart New Zealand in Pukekohe or direct from Japan (Audi, pay attention..) Also, fuel economy can be way better than the quoted 7.6ltr/100km, i can do about 6 taking it (boringly) easy.
What do you like/dislikeabout the car?
Likes have been mentioned above. Dislike: It has done nearly 300tkm and the engine has this issue of blowing smoke on startup. Common fault is the valve stem seals but that didn't fix it. Turbo has been exchanged, no fix either. Possibly the oil scraping piston rings, so engine work is on the cards. She's a keeper.
Any other comments on the car?
The fun of driving a manual small turbo is the thing that stops me from getting a more sensible hybrid..
Reliability
4
Features/technology
4
Performance/economy
5
Value for money
5
Overall rating
5
Lastly, would you buy this vehicle again?
Yes
Why would/wouldn't you buy it again?
For what it is, it does a great job. I could say they don't make cars like this anymore, but then there are quite a few small manual hatchback turbos like the Suzuki Swift Sport, Hyundai I20n, VW Polo but pricewise the Colt gives you maximum bang for your buck.
