Mazda Biante MPV

[Heartlander]

 

Appointment 1 month plus ahead for servicing?!?! That's horrible!!

I have been using the Ubi branch and could always get appointment within a week or two, and able to walk out within 2 to 3 hours. The workshop is not that busy lah. There could be something that was not put forth. My next wervicing is in September, unless Mazda mange to sell so many cars since my last appointment few months back like VW last time.

 

What I like about the Mazda is that you could leave your ride there anytime before the service appointment, even the night before. For my previous rides, I have to handover the ride personally to the SA at the appointment time. But for Mazda, just need to provide the details in a provided envelope and seal it with your car key, and hand it to the security guard if I am handing over my ride before the SAs arrive. The SA will call when he arrives in office to understand the issues that were put down. Very fuss-free.

[tyco_kia]

I have been using the Ubi branch and could always get appointment within a week or two, and able to walk out within 2 to 3 hours. The workshop is not that busy lah. There could be something that was not put forth. My next wervicing is in September, unless Mazda mange to sell so many cars since my last appointment few months back like VW last time.

 

What I like about the Mazda is that you could leave your ride there anytime before the service appointment, even the night before. For my previous rides, I have to handover the ride personally to the SA at the appointment time. But for Mazda, just need to provide the details in a provided envelope and seal it with your car key, and hand it to the security guard if I am handing over my ride before the SAs arrive. The SA will call when he arrives in office to understand the issues that were put down. Very fuss-free.

 

actually most of the ADs have this service even vw. I would think that maybe Mazda's workshop in Leng Kee seems smaller than Ubi? After all, the showroom at Leng Kee is like really small.

[Heartlander]

 

actually most of the ADs have this service even vw. I would think that maybe Mazda's workshop in Leng Kee seems smaller than Ubi? After all, the showroom at Leng Kee is like really small.

Pardon me for my ignorance. Last time Nissan and Kia did not have this service from 2006 till 2011. For VW, in 2011 must wait till SA arrive in office. Think later on have early check-in service but on selected night (s) only.

[tyco_kia]

Pardon me for my ignorance. Last time Nissan and Kia did not have this service from 2006 till 2011. For VW, in 2011 must wait till SA arrive in office. Think later on have early check-in service but on selected night (s) only.

 

no lah just sharing of information. don't know which AD started this service but it's all across the board now.

[Yewsin85]

anyone booked their biante recently? can share the offer and freebies you got?

[Alpha78]

 

anyone booked their biante recently? can share the offer and freebies you got?

 

 

Price went up by another $1k over the weekend... Time to just wait and see...

[Heartlander]

3) rear seat = why i didn't shortlist this MPV = a) rear seat cannot slide all the way back to max rear seat space.. if you drag all the way back, the only time the rear seat will lock is when you raise the rear cushions If you wan to seat on rear seat, you must push the rear seats till its rear most locking position... and that'll leave quite a gap in the boot space that you cannot use (except as the SE say to store your luggage! Lol...)

 

4) With point 3, that means if you push the middle seats a bit more back, the rear seat leg space will be squeezed...

 

5) Rear seat back rest = can tilt down, but bec the rear back rest height is short, if you tilt it down, u feel like in 45 degree sleep position... then u need to raise the rear headrest to support your head and upper body.... I'm not tall (1.7M) but thats how i felt.. worse if taller person sit there...

 

6) anyone opened the engine bay to see?? Haha.. i took a look and wow, it is sooo cramped!! i see the major engine parts all arranged in horizontal way and the bay is deep in.. e.g. if u wanna change the battery, then u need to remove the air filter assembly and then the ECU cable before you can access the battery compartment... the mechanic happened to drop by and while he was removing the battery cover, i asked him how to remove the battery since this is a wear and tear item and we can change outside, and he said .." dunno, we haven't tried to meddle with the innards of this MPV since it is new...." wa lao.. liddat also can.... the way i see it, with so many covers and arrangement in the engine bay, its very hard for outside workshops to access the parts of the engine without having to tear everything apart to reach the inner deeper items... and so, the buyer may be tied to mazda AD workshop to do any repairs or maintenance.. $$$$

 

Regarding 3rd row for Biante, think it is the only one among other comparable rides that is able to slide along the gliding rail. The others like the triplets, Serena, Stepwagn and the like only allow folding up or stowing down. Being able to slide allows users to adjust it to achieve the optimal balance between passenger comfort and loading space. The fact that the 3rd row cannot be locked at the rear most position has its benefit that there would be a good distance between the rear passengers and bumper, enhancing the safety in case of crash. This, together with the spare tyre well, is definitely a plus factor in safety consideration. And if need to, the 3rd row could be pushed all the way to the back, just that it cannot be locked there. You could use the heavy items you ferrying to hold it there if really need the space.

 

And about the engine bay, not really a concern as I would be relying workshop mechanics to do the work. Any one worth their spanner would be able to do the tasks be it from AD or outside workshops, and not that the design in Biante is very lauya need to tear down everything to reach the inner parts. My primary concerns is just to have sufficient clearance between engine and front bumper to reduce repair cost when crash and sufficient space for better heat dissipation. Would take a picture to show when got time.

 

For those who keen on this mpv, do check out other contenders and decide if you are able to accept the compromises from each ride. For me, I need the assurance of AD support, so not so much headache to decide. This Biante is abit of compromise but I definitely have no regrets as I have got what I valued most. Do not let the nitty gritty factors cloud your judgement.

[Enye]

The fact that the 3rd row cannot be locked at the rear most position has its benefit that there would be a good distance between the rear passengers and bumper, enhancing the safety in case of crash. This, together with the spare tyre well, is definitely a plus factor in safety consideration.

 

i hope you are not implying that the spare tyre well is part of the safety design for a rear crash

 

this is definitely not a confidence inspiring notion

[Heartlander]

 

i hope you are not implying that the spare tyre well is part of the safety design for a rear crash

 

this is definitely not a confidence inspiring notion

Mazda is definitely not touting this as a safety feature. But I bringing it out just for awareness. In the past, got people only will want to buy sedan and not hatch back because they worry about the safety distance for rear passengers to the rear bumper is lesser, so more dangerous in case of rear-ended. But hatchback normally would have reinforcement at the back, and tyre well design is one of them. Same thing applies here.

[Lurpsexx]

And if need to, the 3rd row could be pushed all the way to the back, just that it cannot be locked there. You could use the heavy items you ferrying to hold it there if really need the space.

 

And about the engine bay, not really a concern as I would be relying workshop mechanics to do the work. Any one worth their spanner would be able to do the tasks be it from AD or outside workshops, and not that the design in Biante is very lauya need to tear down everything to reach the inner parts.

 

My primary concerns is just to have sufficient clearance between engine and front bumper to reduce repair cost when crash and sufficient space for better heat dissipation. Would take a picture to show when got time.

 

Do not let the nitty gritty factors cloud your judgement.

 

For the rear seats, if u need to hold it in place with stuff to prevent it from moving (assuming you push the seat all the way back), i think its really .. the seat will will move forward and back with the car front n back motion as long as its not locked in. Safety here will also be compromised....

 

For workshop work, anyone will know as long as you bring the car into AD, sure kena kao kao... For this Biante engine bay arrangement, my noob view is that it is cramped.. maybe the outside mechanics can contort better than me ba.. and to tear down lots of parts to reach the deeper items, may bring more labour complication (= increase labour $$) and more things to go wrong (missing parts or wrongly replaced item etc, but some may argue its the same for all cars la....).. I am not an engineer, so i wont comment that the Biante engine bay design is lou ya... I only say what I see, as compared to my car and other cars la....

 

For the engine to front bumper distance, i've attached the engine bay pic for you here... dun think there is much space... if kena hood twister accident, dun think the radiator and bumper can shield the engine much... same goes for all cars nowadays anyway... for heat dissipation, the space in between the engine parts are ??? If my noob memory is not clouded, my engineer neighbor said mechanical parts operate at an optimum temp, and running hot may be designed as such for the engine..

 

For me, its the nitty gritty details that will come back to bite you when things go wrong.. and to make an informed decision on all BIG and small factors before committing, will mean less trouble & frustration in the future for me....

 

Anyway, if you are a present Biante owner or 1 who is committed to getting it, congratulations on your preferred choice and hope you enjoy your ride... I'm not out to bash the Biante, just stating my own preferences... different strokes for different folks....

[Heartlander]

 

For the rear seats, if u need to hold it in place with stuff to prevent it from moving (assuming you push the seat all the way back), i think its really .. the seat will will move forward and back with the car front n back motion as long as its not locked in. Safety here will also be compromised....

 

For workshop work, anyone will know as long as you bring the car into AD, sure kena kao kao... For this Biante engine bay arrangement, my noob view is that it is cramped.. maybe the outside mechanics can contort better than me ba.. and to tear down lots of parts to reach the deeper items, may bring more labour complication (= increase labour $$) and more things to go wrong (missing parts or wrongly replaced item etc, but some may argue its the same for all cars la....).. I am not an engineer, so i wont comment that the Biante engine bay design is lou ya... I only say what I see, as compared to my car and other cars la....

 

For the engine to front bumper distance, i've attached the engine bay pic for you here... dun think there is much space... if kena hood twister accident, dun think the radiator and bumper can shield the engine much... same goes for all cars nowadays anyway... for heat dissipation, the space in between the engine parts are ??? If my noob memory is not clouded, my engineer neighbor said mechanical parts operate at an optimum temp, and running hot may be designed as such for the engine..

 

For me, its the nitty gritty details that will come back to bite you when things go wrong.. and to make an informed decision on all BIG and small factors before committing, will mean less trouble & frustration in the future for me....

 

Anyway, if you are a present Biante owner or 1 who is committed to getting it, congratulations on your preferred choice and hope you enjoy your ride... I'm not out to bash the Biante, just stating my own preferences... different strokes for different folks....

No worries, I am not offended.

 

Biante has been around for > 5 years, not known to have engine problems, in fact not any at all. That has been one of the factors I took into consideration when deciding on the ride. It would be more of a functional angle, whether the ride suit your needs, or simply if you like it or not.

 

I am abit more obsessed with AD factor as I have owned a VW ride for close to 3 years, so I can appreciate the AD support more. Cheers.

[Trader]

I have driven it for 8 months, I enjoy the ride.

Car is stable and quiet over 100km/hr. But no sane person buy a family carrying MPV to cut corner or go fast and furious.

Regarding the dashboard...

Alpine HU
GPS, the in built GPS is good. Even better than the Synic I have on my phone.
DVD player.
Reverse camera.
2 power buttons for each of the sliding doors.
1 button for ABS or something.
1 button to turn off istop
I button to turn off power for both sliding doors.
HU controls on steering wheel
Manual paddle shifts on each side of the steering wheel.
Plus all the usual speedometer, odometer, car information etc.
The dashboard lighting is quite nice. I received some compliments about it before. But it is not important to me.

What other fancy things are we still expecting on the dashboard? We are driving a car, not aeroplane.

I like the bright and airy interior. So the beige leather is great for me. I have 3 kids and i don't have problem. I prefer a bright creamy interior than a black interior. Black interior show dirt and dust more, and absorb more heat. But to clean leather seats, it is easy with a wipe. So it is up to personal liking.

Steering wheel size is of optimal size. I find the steering much better than my previous ride, also MPV, which has a bigger steering wheel. Huge steering wheels are actuallly more commonly seen on buses and lorries. Haha

My previous ride has a big ass panoramic moonroof, biggest in its class, and I told myself I will get a car without sunroof or moonroof for my next car. Why? Cos there is heat seepage problem even though I close the moonroof cover and the glass has solar film. The heat seep through the gap around the cover. No more moonroof or sunroof for me. No such problem now with Biante, plus with the high roof, the car doesn't get heat up easily. Many times my car feel cooler than outside even though it has been parked for some time under the sun.

Regarding the 3rd row, I use my 3rd row almost daily. My 2 older kids are on it. I like that there is a spacing between the rear glass and the seat. My previous ride can be pushed all the way to the back, but I always looked at the rear view mirror and worry whenever a big vehicle was behind me.

I can push my 2nd rows and 3rd rows front and back to get a suitable spacing for both rows. My 3rd row is quite spacious because I split the space between both equally.

I put in 3 children safety seats, 2 on 3rd row and 1 on 2nd row, plus a huge twin pram at the booth. My children safety seats are those huge type, which has side protection for head. They are not tiny booster seats. After putting 2 of these seats on the 3rd row, there is still space for someone to sit in the center. Hopefully this info on children sitting arrangement is useful for those of you with similar needs. If any of you are looking for a 7 seater, I highly highly recommend getting one with an aisle. Some SUV can seat 7 but have not aisle. Other MPVs which are 7 seater have aisle but cannot sit 8. Usual 8 seater MPV doesn't come with an aisle. It is very important for those who need to use the 3rd row daily. My previous MPV doesn't has an aisle and it was very troublesome to mount and dismount for the 3rd row. I nearly wanted to get a 8 seater Elgrand. Heng I didn't get that cos any MPV with an aisle is much more convenient. Biante has an aisle and it has the bonus feature of converting to 8 seats. Good for the rare occasion when you need to load up your domestic help plus grandparents or in laws with your family. Rare, but nice to know I can if I need.

Engine compartment is not tight to me. Not much different in space from most cars nowadays or those cars I have driven before.

Carpark height is not an issue in the 8 months I have driven. I have not encounter many carparks which I can't enter. Most carparks are 1.9m and above nowadays. Of course, if the carpark you need to enter or park every day is 1.8m, then you have to look for a lower ride. If you only once in a blue moon need to go to an old building which is 1.8m, you can always park nearby. Many of the carpark height lists online are outdated. For example, some listed Mustafa as less than 1.8 but it is actually more than 2m, Marine Square was listed as 1.8m but it is actually 1.9m, even in the basement. I have never once regretted the height, if I can go higher I will, but to 1.9m max. Biante is 1.835m

Edited August 3, 2015 by Trader

[Lurpsexx]

I have driven it for 8 months, I enjoy the ride.

Car is stable and quiet over 100km/hr. But no sane person buy a family carrying MPV to cut corner or go fast and furious.

Regarding the dashboard...

Alpine HU

GPS, the in built GPS is good. Even better than the Synic I have on my phone.

DVD player.

Reverse camera.

2 power buttons for each of the sliding doors.

1 button for ABS or something.

1 button to turn off istop

I button to turn off power for both sliding doors.

HU controls on steering wheel

Manual paddle shifts on each side of the steering wheel.

Plus all the usual speedometer, odometer, car information etc.

The dashboard lighting is quite nice. I received some compliments about it before. But it is not important to me.

What other fancy things are we still expecting on the dashboard? We are driving a car, not aeroplane.

I like the bright and airy interior. So the beige leather is great for me. I have 3 kids and i don't have problem. I prefer a bright creamy interior than a black interior. Black interior show dirt and dust more, and absorb more heat. But to clean leather seats, it is easy with a wipe. So it is up to personal liking.

Steering wheel size is of optimal size. I find the steering much better than my previous ride, also MPV, which has a bigger steering wheel. Huge steering wheels are actuallly more commonly seen on buses and lorries. Haha

My previous ride has a big ass panoramic moonroof, biggest in its class, and I told myself I will get a car without sunroof or moonroof for my next car. Why? Cos there is heat seepage problem even though I close the moonroof cover and the glass has solar film. The heat seep through the gap around the cover. No more moonroof or sunroof for me. No such problem now with Biante, plus with the high roof, the car doesn't get heat up easily. Many times my car feel cooler than outside even though it has been parked for some time under the sun.

Regarding the 3rd row, I use my 3rd row almost daily. My 2 older kids are on it. I like that there is a spacing between the rear glass and the seat. My previous ride can be pushed all the way to the back, but I always looked at the rear view mirror and worry whenever a big vehicle was behind me.

I can push my 2nd rows and 3rd rows front and back to get a suitable spacing for both rows. My 3rd row is quite spacious because I split the space between both equally.

I put in 3 children safety seats, 2 on 3rd row and 1 on 2nd row, plus a huge twin pram at the booth. My children safety seats are those huge type, which has side protection for head. They are not tiny booster seats. After putting 2 of these seats on the 3rd row, there is still space for someone to sit in the center. Hopefully this info on children sitting arrangement is useful for those of you with similar needs. If any of you are looking for a 7 seater, I highly highly recommend getting one with an aisle. Some SUV can seat 7 but have not aisle. Other MPVs which are 7 seater have aisle but cannot sit 8. Usual 8 seater MPV doesn't come with an aisle. It is very important for those who need to use the 3rd row daily. My previous MPV doesn't has an aisle and it was very troublesome to mount and dismount for the 3rd row. I nearly wanted to get a 8 seater Elgrand. Heng I didn't get that cos any MPV with an aisle is much more convenient. Biante has an aisle and it has the bonus feature of converting to 8 seats. Good for the rare occasion when you need to load up your domestic help plus grandparents or in laws with your family. Rare, but nice to know I can if I need.

Engine compartment is not tight to me. Not much different in space from most cars nowadays or those cars I have driven before.

Carpark height is not an issue in the 8 months I have driven. I have not encounter many carparks which I can't enter. Most carparks are 1.9m and above nowadays. Of course, if the carpark you need to enter or park every day is 1.8m, then you have to look for a lower ride. If you only once in a blue moon need to go to an old building which is 1.8m, you can always park nearby. Many of the carpark height lists online are outdated. For example, some listed Mustafa as less than 1.8 but it is actually more than 2m, Marine Square was listed as 1.8m but it is actually 1.9m, even in the basement. I have never once regretted the height, if I can go higher I will, but to 1.9m max. Biante is 1.835m

 

Thanks very much for your insights... I must say yours and bro heartlander reviews are even more in-depth than any I could find online (incl those professional car review websites!)..

 

Its good the actual owners are able to give reviews, so that potential buyers can hear from the horse's mouth first hand..

 

Hope you guys enjoy your rides, and may the car serve you well....

[Seng78]

 

anyone booked their biante recently? can share the offer and freebies you got?

Got a camera on top of what was offer. Can look for andy sim at alexandra showroom

[Kit71]

It's bothering me :) I'm hesitating if I should book the Biante tdy. OMV $18K for $133K. Not sure if this price is reasonable.

 

I like the price tag comparing to the Alphard or Elgrand.

 

Hope everybody here bought it and loves it.

[kmttan]

It's bothering me :) I'm hesitating if I should book the Biante tdy. OMV $18K for $133K. Not sure if this price is reasonable.

 

I like the price tag comparing to the Alphard or Elgrand.

 

Hope everybody here bought it and loves it.

 

Sama. It is love at first sight for me and my family. The price is good too. What I don't like is the low OMV, which is $1K more than M5 but cost $13K more. The profit margin for Biante is $30K, but is only $20K for M5. My heart really jump when it dropped from $153K to $133K. I think the price will increase by $1K on Tuesday.

[Kit71]

 

Sama. It is love at first sight for me and my family. The price is good too. What I don't like is the low OMV, which is $1K more than M5 but cost $13K more. The profit margin for Biante is $30K, but is only $20K for M5. My heart really jump when it dropped from $153K to $133K. I think the price will increase by $1K on Tuesday.

Oh... they make $30K from a sale. Didn't know that. May I know the price you purchase and the OMV?

[Heartlander]

It's bothering me :) I'm hesitating if I should book the Biante tdy. OMV $18K for $133K. Not sure if this price is reasonable.

 

I like the price tag comparing to the Alphard or Elgrand.

 

Hope everybody here bought it and loves it.

For me, I would never let the omv value decide if I would get the next ride. I simply look at the actual price if it is comparable to what other similar rides are charging.

 

Most people are worried about its impact on resale value, but we all know that selling a ride is all about timing and not science.

 

I always buy with the intention to keep it for 10 years, though not happening so far haha.

 

And I have not come across a Biante owner who is unhappy with his ride, so far.