My GT7 Log: The first hunt

If you're playing Gran Turismo 7 for the first time, congratulations. You have just begun your journey to become the best car collector and racer known the world over. As your GT7 adventure kicked off, you've been given 20,000 Credits to spend for your first car from the used car dealership, which is open from the start. Here are the cars available for you at the start with that kind of budget;

These are the under 20K starters in question; a Toyota Aqua, a third-generation Honda Fit Hybrid, and the fourth-generation Mazda Demio. Before buying one of the three, let's get to know about the three Japanese compacts.

Launched in December 2011, the Toyota Aqua is the most fuel-efficient hybrid sold in the market and it's one of Japan's bestsellers by a huge margin. Using the updated version of the old powerplant from the first-generation Prius, the Aqua has a fuel economy of 35kmpl back when it was launched. Two years later, they've bumped the fuel economy to 37kmpl.

The third-generation Honda Fit, launched in September 2013, was meant to be Honda's response to the Toyota Aqua. With the 1.5L hybrid powertrain mated to a 7-speed double-clutch gearbox containing an integrated, high-output electric motor powered by the car’s lithium-ion batteries, the third-generation Fit Hybrid has a 36.4km/L fuel economy based on JC08 Mode standards.

The fourth-generation Mazda Demio, launched in 2014, takes full advantage of Mazda's SKYACTIV Technology first introduced by its predecessor. It has a choice of a P3-VPS 1.3L SKYACTIV-G 4-cylinder DOHC Miller Cycle engine and the newly-developed S5-DPTS 1.5L SKYACTIV-D 4-cylinder diesel turbo engine. The 1.3L petrol model with be mated with a 6-speed auto and a 5-speed manual while the top-of-the-line 1.5L diesel model can be fitted with a 6-speed auto or 6-speed manual. The diesel variant, seen here, has a 30kmpl fuel economy based on JC08 mode standards.

These three Japanese hatchbacks not only are economical but they're also fun to drive for first-timers, making them the starting point for those who began their GT7 journey. No wonder these three are part of your first challenge in the game which involves collecting all three Japanese Compact Cars. Anyway, long story short, and having completed the first page of your GT7 adventure, it's time to find out which of these three Japanese Compact Cars is the best and with that, it's time to return to Tsukuba for a little experiment.

So nice to be back doing things in the world of Gran Turismo. Going around the world, driving the best cars, racing against the world, this is what Gran Turismo is all about. Anyway, the experiment. Let's roll the tape to find out which of these three Japanese compact cars is the best.

After a lap around Tsukuba, here are the results;

Aqua - 1:17.774

Fit - 1:18.964

Demio - 1:18.522

What a shocking result! The Aqua, despite its ancient hybrid setup and CVT gearbox, managed to defeat the double-clutch-geared Fit Hybrid and the diesel-powered Mazda Demio by a narrow margin!

These three Japanese compact hatchbacks signaled the start of your long journey in Gran Turismo 7. As you progress through the journey, you will be able to compete through new tracks, get new cars, tackle new challenges, and fight your way to become the world champion. The journey isn't easy but you got this. After all, it's the love for cars that brought you here, right?

Welcome to the world of Gran Turismo. Enjoy your stay and good luck!