My mom doesn't often go above 90km/h so I guess floaty-ness wouldn't be an issue for her..

Seems like majority of LYN agrees that grand livina would be the best choice among the 3 listed

Just noticed the new Kia Rondo/Carens. Any idea when will it be released in Malaysia and what pricepoint? Looks pretty good in terms of design.

Also, I heard that korean cars are on par with their japanese rivals currently in terms of reliability. Is that true?

I prefer the facelift version. Looks very alike the 2012 Camry.. The front looks fierce
I do think that my mom would appreciate a high seating position and raised-up view of the road like in the Innova 

So in your opinion, the grand livina as an MPV isn't as good as the competition in terms of space and practicality?

I wonder if the facelifted version of the Grand Livina coming late-2013 is any different than the current one

Any news of (hopefully) any redesigned/new model of Innova coming out soon? 

In terms of driving experience and comfort, has the new 2012 avanza improved when compared to the first gen avanza? 

- Much more comfortable since it's not bouncing like the Avanza, and more quiet too.
- Much better handling on high speeds and during cornering since it's much lower ride height and wider. It feels more like a high station wagon instead of a tall MPV. If I drive the Avanza like I drive my Livina, I'd have flipped it many2 times over!
- I think Livina is a bit more spacious than Avanza.
- In my experience the Avanza is not that fuel efficient and the Livina is better FC with bigger engine and more torque too.
- Livina feels more solid as opposed to the Avanza which feels like a tin can!
- Finally the Livina is way2 much better looking car than Avanza, plus it has a lot more body kit options to make it look even better still!

So in my book, no contest really.

If want cheaper or prefer Toyota engine, better go with Alza than Avanza. It has the same engine, more spacious, better ride quality, better FC, much better look too, and much cheaper some more! Another no contest really!

If she wants a car that is nice to drive... come to the conti side, we have handling.

Didn't they mention in the Avanza thread that the new one is much more acceptable?

I think best is just test drive.

Also... some people here say women won't notice the differences in how a car handles? They won't care? Well, apparently some do.

my dad prefer jap MPV because it has a proven reputation of being reliable.
My mom's first-gen Avanza is a good example. Almost 10 years and still running great

IMHO proper maintenance is needed, but then a conti can be pretty reliable too. Especially newer ones. Of course if you are a cheapskate you'll ruin the car. Find and fix upcoming problems early on and you won't break down. My conti was 5 1/2 years old when I bought it, now it's 8. Never broke down (a flat battery once, but after a while it started again ). Yes, there is wear and tear, but that's to be expected, and I'm not exactly a gentle driver. Same with the other contis in the family. Relatively problem free cars. Not perfect, but nothing that would make me regret getting them. And I'm talking about French cars. The only way to be less reliable is to buy a Italian car.

Also it is not just good handling but also safety. What for good reliability if you'll die in a crash (that may be caused by someone else)?