Happy Friday, Autopians! We’re finshing out our week of international exploration with a trip to a beautiful island with very few cool cars: Jamaica. It’s definitely a place you can find a shitbox, but I decided to go just a little bit upmarket and show you two cars that aren’t beat-up.
Yesterday’s choices came from Spain, and it was absolutely no contest: the SEAT 1430 took an easy win. I’m absolutely certain that the Chrysler 150 is vastly superior to the cars Chrysler was selling here in the US in 1978 (looking at you, Dodge Aspen), but up against a cool RWD Fiat-based sports sedan, it didn’t have a chance.
Obviously, that’s my choice too. I have a thing for that boxy ’70s European sedan style, and that one just sits right. From some of the comments, it sounds like I may have overstated this one’s spec; it might have less of an engine than I thought it did. But I don’t care. Horsepower is overrated; looking cool and having fun is way more important than going fast.
By virtue of being married to an avid and accomplished SCUBA diver, I have visited more tropical islands than I would have ever imagined. I’ve been to Jamaica, Barbados, Aruba, Curacao, Tahiti, Moorea, and most recently the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic. All beautiful places, all rather expensive to visit, and all places where cars are typically seen as tools for transportation, and not much more. There are cool twisty little roads aplenty, it’s true, but there’s also an awful lot of traffic. Opportunities for fun driving are few and far between.
So with that in mind, let’s take a look at a couple of basic, utilitarian cars for sale in Jamaica, in better-than-average condition, and see which one you’d rather get around in.
2017 Suzuki Swift – $1,550,000 Jamaican, about $9,850 US
Engine/drivetrain: 1.2-liter DOHC inline 4, CVT automatic, FWD
Location: Kingston, Jamaica
Odometer reading: 80,000 kilometers
Operational status: Runs and drives well
Suzuki’s departure from the US auto market in 2012 was a blow to those of us who like our cars cheap and cheerful. Cars like the Swift, the Aerio, the SX4, and the Esteem were never at the top of any sales lists, but they were all good, honest cars. And we could use a few more of those. Meanwhile, we watch as the rest of the world gets a new Jimny, and new generations of the Swift charm drivers around the world. This little Swift has been plying the streets of Kingston for nearly ten years and eighty thousand kilometers now, providing its owner with reliable transportation. It’s not exciting, but it’s noble.
This generation of Swift is powered by a 1.25-liter inline four, available with either a five-speed manual or a CVT automatic. A decade or two ago, this car probably would have had a manual, but automatics are taking over the market everywhere. I am not surprised at all that this car has the CVT. The ad says “woman driven,” which I guess is supposed to mean it has been driven gently, but if the drivers in Kingston are anything like the drivers in Montego Bay, it doesn’t matter; everybody’s crazy.
The photos in this ad aren’t great, but it looks like this car is in reasonably good shape. None of the photos show the driver’s seat, which makes me wonder what they’re hiding. It has power windows and locks, and the all-important air conditioning. Trust me; in the tropics, you want it.
Outside, the seller says it has a few scratches, but all I see is a little ding in the right rear door. It actually looks really good. It has aftermarket wheels, but they’re not gaudy or offensive. It also has deeply tinted windows, but if ever there was a place where you’d want to keep the sun out of your car, it’s the Caribbean.
2020 Toyota Probox – $1,950,000 Jamaican, about $12,400 US
Engine/drivetrain: 1.3-liter DOHC inline 4, CVT automatic, FWD
Location: Saint Elizabeth, Jamaica
Odometer reading: unknown
Operational status: Runs and drives well
We’ve been to Jamaica twice now, once in 2006 and again in 2016, and back then, the most common taxicabs around were Toyota Hiace vans and Corolla station wagons, and almost always white. But now, from what I’ve heard, this vehicle has taken over the taxicab role. The Toyota Probox is a simple, utilitarian vehicle based on the same platform as the Yaris. The ad says this one has just been imported to Jamaica, from where is anyone’s guess. The ad also doesn’t list an odometer reading; any bets on how many kilometers are on it?
A utilitarian car like this doesn’t need a lot of performance, just enough to get around. The Probox is powered by either a 1.3 or a 1.5 liter engine; this one has the 1.3. A CVT is your only transmission option either way. It’s efficient and easy to drive, and that’s what matters in a car like this. The ad doesn’t actually say how well it runs, but it’s a six-year-old Toyota. We know how well it runs.
The interior is as simple and no-nonsense as the rest of it, and once again, I find myself wishing we could have something like this in America. I intensely dislike the interiors of most modern cars, with their touchscreens and gimmicks. This one has a steering wheel, a shift lever, and a speedometer, and that’s about it. The HVAC controls look straightforward, as does the stereo. Who needs anything more?
Outside, it’s, well, a box. What did you expect? It’s simple and effective. And it has steelies! I really like this thing. It’s not pretending to be anything but a tool, and it looks like a really great one.
I don’t mean to imply that there is no car culture in Jamaica; there certainly is. But nearly all of the cars you actually see on the roads look like these. And that’s fine, even for a die-hard gearhead like me. Put me in a lounge chair on the beach, give me a rum punch, and I don’t care about cars, at least for a while. Of course, being a car guy, I can’t help noticing the taxi that gets me there, or the other cars on the road. Your task for today is to decide which one of these would catch your eye more.
That’s it for Shitboxes Without Borders for now. Next week, we’ll be back in the US, looking at all-American cars for the run-up to the July 4th weekend. I haven’t decided yet what exactly we’ll be looking at, but it’ll be fun stuff. See you then!
I like the interior and personality of the Swift. The Toyota is such an appliance. But the Suzuki does look a bit rough around the edges, and the driver has definitely been tapping and scratching her rings and fingernails on the steering wheel. But what I did not like: What is in the cupholder behind the Swift’s e-brake? Is that a tow ring? Why is that tow ring out in the open? Was it used recently? I am suspicious.
I’ve been pining for one of the sportier versions/recent gens of the Suzuki Swift for years now. When I see what they sell for in Mexico, I contemplate trying to fool the CA DMV somehow so that I could have it here in LA, but of course, it’s way more effort/risk/expense than it’s worth, let alone for such a modestly priced car.
Still, I’m permanently irked that Suzuki couldn’t make a go of it in the American market. If there a kind of car Americans need right now, it’s decent quality (Japanese) small cars that provide enough of all the necessary attributes, without charging for a whole bunch of power/tech crap that you don’t need. I happen to have a late-teens Suzuki small motorcycle, and not only is it actually made in Japan, but everything is metal on the bike except the fenders. It’s solid and well put together, even though it’s gotta be on the lower end of their two-wheel line-up. That company does good work in my finite experience.
But I chose the Probox thingy because I’ve never seen it before (and I really dig that kind of simple, utilitarian, reliable vehicle) and of course, I’m a big fan of the Echo/Yaris from the early gawky ones to the sleek futuristic ones seemingly still sold everyplace BUT America. I head that there was/is a small vanlet that was Yaris based, but I never saw one until today.
Of course, being in CA (very unfriendly to kei cars) I’ll never get to make an ill-advised decision and actually buy one of these myself.
I thought the Yaris based van is the Avanza, which in its current form is FWD and comes with either a CVT or 5 spd manual. But maybe there were more than one offspring out of it?
I’m not sure… but I’d expect that there are more than one Yaris-based vanlet over time, given how long the Yaris nameplate has been around.
suzuki finally got their engineering shit together RIGHT before they pulled out of the US market. The Kizashi was ultra competitive and all the good models like the swift were quickly coming up the pipe but Suzuki called it quits right before all the cool cars were about to be released.
I remember seeing the Kisashi new at the LA Car Show I think it was the last year it was available (not that it was around for long). I recall liking it, mainly because it wasn’t an Accord or Camry. It looked nice, the interior seemed decent enough, etc… but I never had the luck to test drive one. SX4s I still see around sometimes (and like), and Grand Vitaras I see once in a RARE while… saw a minty one on Gower the other week and I couldn’t help wondering whether it was a car enthusiast owner or just someone unknowingly driving around in a rarity, thinking it was just an off-brand mini-SUV.
In 2021 we were car shopping and the Suzuki Swift was on our list after having one as a hire car in Perth a couple of years prior and enjoying its zippiness. We changed our mind after one launch from the lights. The CVT was an awful, rubbery thing that extracted an unpleasant, strained sound from the engine.
The Probox is probably little better in that regard, but at least you can carry lots of stuff in it. I looked at one for sale locally a few years ago and laughed at how basic the second row was, a strip of foam with a vinyl cover.
Who could ask for anything more? was right there!
Look, I like the boxy look and body type of the Toyota, but over $12k for the most boring possible car just isn’t happening. Also, Toyota or no, a former taxi with ?? miles is not a slam-dunk.
Probox! Jamaica mon! Then I can join the “Jamaican bobsled team”. I just like that boxy body style…and prefer it to the Swift. Both are pretty cool. Great work, Mark!
“I intensely dislike the interiors of most modern cars, with their touchscreens and gimmicks”
Me too, Mark…me too…*sigh*
I’ll take the Box. Having spent a decent amount of time working on a bunch of the Caribbean islands in a past life, even a 1.3 is overkill for the road and traffic conditions. If you can get up to 40mph, it’s a GOOD day. Might as well have the room to haul stuff from the docks.
Probox and use it to shuttle tourists around after I retire.
Swift. I’m surprised it’s a CVT, there’s also a traditional 4-speed available in that chassis.
Never seen a Toyota like that before! Want one 🙂
That ProBox looks perfect for taking some island abuse and hauling scuba gear. that’s my island car of choice. It’s white so hopefully it will hide some of the inevitable scratches I collect when taking the path less traveled.
Toyota sure looks more spacious than the Suzuki… plus its still a Toyota. It gets my vote.
Neither of them are going to win any race ever, but that’s okay. Neither were designed for that purpose.
Neither does much for me… so I’ll go with the cheaper one… the Swift.
I don’t like either of these. Not the cars, not the pricetags, absolutely nothing.
Part of me leaned Swift because it’s a bit smaller and maybe the RHD wouldn’t be quite so annoying? But the more I thought about what a little tank the Yoda must be, I had to go with a (probably) safer choice.
It’s been a fun week, Mark. Thanks for this.
You went to Jamaica and we didn’t get to evaluate a Moke! Shame.
Not the Chinese copy, there’s got to be a real Moke for sale in Jamaica.
I’m not clear how large the Probox is, but it seems like you get more vehicle for the price.
Suzuki all the time. Avenge the Samurai!
oooo one power window and three crank windows! I never saw THAT combination before! Yeah,the Probox has a power driver’s window and roll-up front passenger window!
But I still voted for it because it’s a Toyota with lots of space inside 🙂
I’d almost prefer the reverse window setup. Cranking down the driver’s window is perfectly fine, but reaching over to the passenger side is no fun, and could use a motor
That so many people love power windows tells me that many people have never worked on a defective power window system. I’m with you, the only advantage to power windows is driver control of the other windows.
I have had to repair more manual window winder mechanisms (three over the years) than power window mechanisms. And the part that broke on the power mechanism was the same whether hand or electrically motivated. The actual electric bits are pretty universally bulletproof, it’s the regulators that go, and most of that is the same either way.
Should be the other way around. This is just dumb. Power the one you CAN’T reach.
Surprising for such a rational company to build it that way.
Matt the format this week was def fun, but way to end the week with 2 duds lol, I voted Toyota cause it looks a bit interesting, agreed I voted under duress
My takeaway from today’s showdown is never, ever, EVER move to a tropical island if you like cars.
I am not interested in a decade old econoshitbox for $10k USD and only slightly less disinterested in a 7 year old appliance white mobile storage container for $12k. I’m sure these are fine cars, but interesting is worth a lot to me, and neither of these have even an ounce of interesting. I voted Probox, but it was a vote cast under duress – checking the box for the Toyota felt like casting a ballot for Putin while being “supervised” by a KGB goon with brass knuckles.
Also, the Suzuki is low mileage, but I presume that is common on an island where highway miles are not a thing.
Reality is that on every one of those islands that I have been to (a bunch of them) the most you are going to see daily is about 30mph if you are lucky. And the roads are generally atrocious. Bombed out doesn’t even begin to describe them. The last place in the world you want to be a car enthusiast, and if you think these crapcans are expensive, try buying anything actually NICE in the islands. Even if you buy one here, the shipping, and for the non-US islands the import fees and tariffs, are absolutely brutal. They don’t want more cars on the islands, so they make it actively difficult to get one.
Do a Radar and ship it over one piece at a time.
ROFL!
Geesh, Mark. A tropical island and no convertibles?
I wonder how difficult and costly it would be to import a Mahindra Roxor there?
OrAnd since they apparently allow JDM imports, a Suzuki Cappuccino.Whatever it costs to buy wherever, plus a pile for shipping it there, and some STEEP import fees and taxes. But chances are, it’s very much “run what ya brung” other than the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. I presume standard US import laws limiting you to 25 years and older will apply – though I know they don’t in Guam, so maybe not?
If Toyota had that probox thing here I would have bought one already.
I first thought swift because I like them.Plus they are normally cheap. But the low cost differential for the Toyota made choose it and it looks slightly more useful.