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Honda Civic vs. Hyundai Elantra
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Comments
Elantra was rated higher than the Civic by Car & Driver with an overall score of 80 for the Elantra compared to 76 for the Civic for the areas of driver comfort, ergonomics, rear-seat comfort, rear-seat space, trunk space, features/amenities, fit and finish, interior styling, and exterior styling.
Not surprising since the Elantra has equal to higher quality interior materials and better ergonomics than the Civic.
C&D stated the Elantra has "Top Quality interior materials and details".
The Civic was criticized for it's interior and road noise.
Anyone with objectivity will realize that carfanatics comment Interior quality seemed cheap compared to civic. is simply a baseless biased attack on the Elantra by a Civic owner that is a hater of all things non-Honda.
And carfanatic especially has a vendetta against VW, which is pretty funny since Rabbit came in 1st place and Civic came in 3rd place.
In the area of Civic vs. Elantra, Civic loses in all areas except engine and handling.
BTW, even your data you posted is wrong. How hard is it to just copy/paste numbers from C&D?
The Civic scored higher than the Elantra in
Fit and finish,
Exterior styling,
Fuel economy,
Engine NVH,
performance,
steering feel,
handling,
ride,
gotta have it,
and fun-to-drive.
The Overall score the Civic received was a 193 compared with a 174 for the Elantra. It wasn't a close race.
"In the area of Civic vs. Elantra, Civic loses in all areas except engine and handling."
Yeah, those little, non-important areas.
No, you are the one who fails to comprehend, germancarfan.
quote from my earlier post-
Elantra was rated higher than the Civic by Car & Driver with an overall score of 80 for the Elantra compared to 76 for the Civic for the areas of driver comfort, ergonomics, rear-seat comfort, rear-seat space, trunk space, features/amenities, fit and finish, interior styling, and exterior styling.
Not surprising since the Elantra has equal to higher quality interior materials and better ergonomics than the Civic.
Elantra 80
Civic 76
:surprise:
80 is still higher than 76 last time I checked.
If you read the article and what I posted several times you may begin to comprehend.
1.fit and finish: tied, nice close fit lines and paintwork on both. Oh I found a screw under the front passenger seat of my Civic and never did find where it might go.
2.exterior style: I really do like the Civic but could live with the Elantra and it does look much better than the previous generation. A subjective call huh
3.fuel economy..well yes the Civic has better EPA estimates at 40 highway/30 city but in a year I never achieved either the best being 37.5 highway and typically 23-24 city. The Elantra is somewhat less at 36 highway 28 city but probably won't achieve those numbers either but actual numbers are undetermined at this time.
4.engine NVH: The Honda is quiet and smooth at idle BUT so is the Elantra. At speed both are quiet except under hard acceleration when the Hyundai remains quieter.
5.performance: Hyundai feels quicker to speed, yeah a subjective comment but I have seen no hard test numbers yet. The Civic is on the average to slow side (automatic version)at mid 9's to 60 mph and low 80' in the 1/4 mile and I expect the Elantra to match or beat those numbers since the previous generation could.
6. steering feel: if by that you mean the Civic feels like a go-cart then yeah. I was all over the road the first few miles with the Civic over-correcting. Tiny steering wheel and quick direct feel. By contrast the Elantra feels more relaxed and less like that previously mentioned go-cart...is that better? Depends on what you think your car should drive like but both go around corners..well that's handling isn't it
7. handling: both go around corners well enough for me but boy racers may feel the Honda more direct.
8.ride: Oh dear the civic feels like that go-cart again stiff and noisy inside..mostly road and wind noise while the Elantra is QUIET and much smoother sooo if you want a relaxed drive the Elantra is all over the Civic.
9.gotta-have-it: ah, who knows...depends on what you gotta have.
10. fun to drive: OK the Civic is more entertaining if you constantly drive like a finish line looms in the distance, BUT if you simply want to relax in peace and quiet go for the Elantra.
You forgot quality and yeah I know Honda IS quality except with this, my first Honda product of any kind, you couldn't prove it by me. While I'm on quality the interior door panels and trim on the Civic is about the cheapest one could imagine. Our driver door panel is scratched to hell, especially that waffle pattern around the door handles.
You forgot price too with an automatic EX Civic sedan stickered at $20,000 it is certainly overpriced but it is a Honda after all right?! Oh, lets not forget interior space..headroom, legroom, hip room etc. (front and rear)..Elantra in spades...trunk space, Elantra there too
After having looked at the new 2007 Elantra, while I think it is a nice car, I have decided on something else for my next car...a Sonata.
What does "feels cheap" equate to? Poor material quality? Exposed fasteners? Dislike of colors? Hard plastics? Uneven fit between panels? Few standard features?
Without some degree of detail the opinion is biased and baseless when majority of reviews by professional automotive reviews of the Elantra praise the quality of the interior materials, ergonomics, and quietness and the criticism has been with the power, ride, and mpg..
"Feels cheap" without any justification from someone who has a long track record of making generalized attacks on non-Honda vehicles is not credible.
Do I see a problem with my logic? No, I see a problem with generalized, unsubstantiated negativity.
Have I test driven an Elantra?
Yes I have test driven an Elantra. I found it to be much improved compared to the previous Elantra. Very good ergonomics and high quality of materials in the inside. Fit and finish was very good.
Compared to the Civic I prefer the handling and performance of the Civic. Civic and Mazda 3 I would describe as sport type handling emphasis and Elantra and Corolla are tuned toward comfort.
Given the choice between a Civic and Elantra I would choose the Elantra. Given the choice between a Civic, Elantra, and Mazda 3 I would choose the Mazda.
Somehow I doubt any of what you say is truthful.
1. A screw? a SCREW?!
3. Your numbers don't jive with the general consensus over at the Civic "real world mileage" forum. In addition, C&D reports at least a 5MPG difference between the Civic and new Elantra avg. MPG.
4. I guess C&D made up "downright annoying" just to infuriate Hyundai lovers.
5. Civic is faster to 60 and to the 1/4 mile than the Elantra per C&D's test.
6. Handling is about safety. In that regard, the Civic makes a mockery of the Elantra in the Lane Change MPH and skidpad tests.
8. Did you even test drive the civic before plunking down that much cash? Your claims of owning a Civic continue to unravel.
9. Apparently you thought you had to buy the Civic...after all, why did you purchase it?
10. "BUT if you simply want to relax in peace and quiet go for the Elantra." Except over 72 MPH, right?
Could you at least try and make it look like you actually own the car.
Which car received higher marks for fit and finish? Civic
Which car received higher marks for exterior styling? Civic
The only place the Elantra beat the Civic in this SECTION was in space. Don't you think your statement is a bit misleading?
"Not surprising since the Elantra has equal to higher quality interior materials and better ergonomics than the Civic. "
I guess according to you (sat in a Civic?), but not according to C&D.
"80 is still higher than 76 last time I checked. "
I guess the Powertrain, Chassis, and Experience sections should just be eliminated, leaving 80 versus 76, right? Cars are like couches. We shouldn't care about how they actually drive, only if they have a few more centimeters of space, right?
You are entitled to your opinion.
If you place utmost importance on the overall score or utmost importance on Powertrain, Chassis and Experience sections then why are you even debating the 3rd and 4th place finishers?
#1 VW Rabbit vs. #2 Mazda 3 is the topic for you.
If buyers were to follow your logic, Why would anyone even consider a Civic or Elantra when they can buy two other vehicles that were rated higher by C&D?
I guess according to you the Civic must be a couch in comparision to the Rabbit and 3. :P
Had he stated the Elantra's interior felt cheap in comparison to a Kia Rio, i'm sure we would all be in agreement on that one
1)A screwing as I would now say..by Honda
3)Don't care..that is MY "real world" mileage take it or leave it
4)Don't care I own a Civic and as I stated it is quiet but so is the Elantra..I don't own anything to measure db of noise (except my ears) but the Elantra was...no seemed quieter
5)Don't care..the Civic is adequate so is the Elantra.
6)Don't care...both handle adequately so will a go-cart but the Hyundai is more comfortable. Further the next time I circle a skidpad I'll be sure to be driving a Corvette talk about mockery!!
8) YES I did and what proof would satisfy you my VIN ??? Atomic blue EX sedan automatic VIN 1HGFA16876l00XXXX, there you go bud. Send me your email address and I may shoot off a picture good enough??
9)asked and answered...see above. to amplify...I liked the way it looked better than what was available at the time and was deceived by all the claims to Honda quality.
10)What??
I do,and intend to trade it ASAP...oh how should I make it look as thought I actually own the car? praise Honda to high heaven???? Sorry no can do.
Was truly disappointed with the Elantra/Spectra cousins. Felt like I was driving my '96 Corolla again. Very underwhelmed. Was expecting so much more from Hyundai after really enjoying a Sonata rental.
Hopefully won't get bashed to hard here as the last 1/2 dozen posts have bordered on the nasty side. Who cares what the "figures" say, buy what "fits" within your paramaters...just leave the personalities out of the equation. Really thought we were all aults in these forums....!
The Sandman
It's about making the choice that is right for you. It is NOT about trying to convince others that they are not entitled to their opinion - no matter how they say they arrived at it, they are entitled to hold it without getting figuratively beaten up about it.
Time for some deep breaths...
I'm Pat and I approve of this message.
and interior noise/ride quality. By the way the Civic DID NOT win that comparison but finished 1 place ahead of the Elantra, 3rd..both finished ahead of the Toyota and new Sentra. You want a discussion about the merits of those two? there you go. My posts of yesterday were based on a road test of the Elantra and having owned a 2006 Civic for over a year. None of my comments were based on the C&D road test but my own feelings and perceptions.
"While I find C&D entertaining I absolutely know that they are biased toward performance/handling with perhaps the more important aspects of driving an automobile in the long term relegated to the lower end of consideration in ranking one of these comparison tests."
Really? If C&D was only concerned about performance and handling numbers, then WHY did they pick the VW Rabbit as their NUMBER ONE pick?
The Rabbit was neither faster to 60MPH nor the 1/4mile, had respectable, but not top marks for skidpad and lane change MPH. Could it be the fact that the VW Rabbit has an excellent, solid, stable highway ride, "superior" interior materials, impecable fit & finish, excellent driver comfort and ergonomics? Maybe it was that the Rabbit didn't drive like an economy auto like the Elantra (or look like one), or that it had standard safety systems not even available on the Elantra (or Sentra/Corolla).
I find it humerous that the same posters who bash C&D when their car comes in at the bottom, praise the magazine when they rate a car like the Sonata well.
Also, please explain "driving an automobile in the long term [is] relegated to the lower end of consideration in ranking one of these comparison tests"?
So, the Elantra will be better in the long term than driving a Civic? Right, because the Civic's better fuel economy, better resale value (much), and better predicted reliability I guess should place it BELOW the Elantra?
Please explain.
Find it as humorous as you please I said I find C&D entertaining but I am not going to buy a long term and expensive piece of machinery based on the momentary ride and drive of a bunch guys who are already testing the next batch of latest and greatest vehicles. As I said they don't own them or pay for them. FYI the Elantra didn't come in at the bottom and yes I am pleased that Hyundai is finally being recognized as in the case of the Sonata but I still don't base my opinions entirely on the text of a five page magazine article.
I thought I was clear but for just you here it is again..the C&D boys drive a car for a week...hook up the test gear..get some test numbers..rank them as THEY like them based on preconceived parameters (performance and handling usually bearing more "weight" than other considerations(in deference to your VW win)...publish the test...give the cars back to the manufacturers who loaned them for the test..and what, MOVE ON to the next test. They have no idea how the car will fare over the next 100K miles or 10 years or care. Their objective is to sell magazines and if you put more weight into these tests than a purely number generating exercize "for comparison only" then you loose when your #1 Mexican Rabbit turns into hunk of crap in 5 years or less (if that should happen). Being #1 in a long forgotten car magazine test won't matter as you set (sit?) in the dealer customer lounge waiting for repairs unless they have some old issues of this months C&D. You can then review the test and console yourself that your car was #1
And I guess you should revise your poor ideas of current Hyundai products quality,reputation, resale value,customer satisfaction is better than ever surpasing VW and closing on Toyota and Honda as well. Civic fuel economy isn't that much better so that I would rush out and buy another given the disappointment with my current Civic and you dare discuss so-called Honda reliability with me? Hah, don't you read??? all three of my Hyundai cars had less trouble combined than this 6K mile Civic. I will concede one thing the Civic has great resale value, something I am greatful for. I'll get a bunch when I trade on that Sonata, thank you Honda!!!
The trim levels don't tell the full story, though, as the Elantra is an exceedingly nice car to drive. It's quiet, smooth and solid, and its engine was more than adequate in the driving conditions we encountered on the country roads and highways around Quebec City. Fuel economy is excellent, at 8.4/8.3 l/100 km city, 6.0/6.0 highway, (figures for manual/automatic), and the build quality throughout is of a very high standard. More than that, the car is extremely pleasant to sit in, with useful storage containers located in all the right places, tasteful interior fabrics and materials, tidy control layout, and unexpected touches like chrome accents for switches and instruments. Compared with luxury brands from Europe and Japan, the Elantra may have humble origins, but it has definitely been to finishing school.
And while the five-speed manual transmission endows the Elantra with a sporty driving feel, it's the automatic that best suits the character of the car. At 120 km/h with the manual, for instance, the engine is turning at about 3,300 rpm, and is definitely audible in the passenger compartment (even with the Elantra's extra insulation and triple door seals). In comparison, at the same speed an Elantra with the automatic transmission runs at a low 2,500 rpm, and is notably quieter and smoother.
Over potholes and abrupt changes in road surface, the Elantra is unflappable, refusing to pitch or lurch where other cars may react unpredictably. The seats are comfortable, the cabin is spacious, the car feels substantial, and owners are likely to feel well pleased with their purchase when behind the wheel.
-end
Having driven the Elantra I agree with the Canadian Driver review observations.
As for quality, latest (2006) JD Power results rate Hyundai #3 and Honda #6 in the Initial Quality Study. History has shown a very strong correlation between the leaders in initial quality and leaders in long term dependability.
Highest ranked Compact Cars in 2006 were Toyota Corolla, then Hyundai Elantra, then Honda Civic.
Predicted reliability goes to the Elantra.
Also, the Hyundai warranty is far superior and longer than Honda's warranty.
Residual value is still a weak area for Hyundai vehicles. If you plan on keeping your vehicle for 3 years or less then the Honda Civic is a much better choice when it is time for resale.
Keep in mind that Hyundai Elantra has had a lower initial purchase price than Civic due to rebates and dealer discounts that are typically can not be obtained on Honda's.
What does this have to do with the Rabbit? The Rabbit is not made in Mexico. The previous generation of Golf was never made in Mexico.
As far as Mexico, would you buy a Honda or Hyundai if they were made in Mexico, what if they were made in the USA?
When your whole argument for not purchasing a car is based on inaccuracies and incorrect assumptions, don't expect people to sit back and not respond. The fact that I've spent hours waiting for repairs (on 7 different trips) on my 2004 Elantra and still numerous problems remain is evidence of the fact that every make and model has problems. The fact that BOTH VW and Hyundai are rated far BELOW average in JDPOWER long term dependability is also a concern.
But this thread isn't about the VW Rabbit (i've created a new thread to post there), but rather, about the Civic vs. Elantra. I merely included the Rabbit to rebut your presumption (incorrect) that C&D only cares about performance and handling numbers to pick their cars. The #1 VW Rabbit is evidence of the fact that C&D uses many factors to arrive at their decision.
You were talking about "nonsensical arguments"? How are the problems you have experienced on your Elantra, one car, "evidence of the fact that every make and model has problems"?
Do you know a car model that is problem-free? Have you seen the Civic problems discussion on Town Hall lately?
"Have you seen the Civic problems discussion on Town Hall lately?"
A brief glance at the 13 pages indicates abysmal problems in headrests and cupholders. I'm certainly not buying a Civic now.
Please don't turn this into a discussion about how the Elantra has better reliability than the Civic. You don't have the numbers and I don't have the strength
This is not to say that the Elantra is more reliable than the Civic overall, but that the Civic isn't the paragon of reliability that most people think it is, especially in its first year or so of a new design. The 2001 Civic had a lot of problems also, most of which had been corrected by 2002.
C&D is entertainment I like reading it but would more likely use Consumer Reports if I used magazine testing to find a choice of cars. Maybe I am misreading this whole issue but it seems to be about magazine rankings in a test to prove one brand better than another, not so. Here is my final word on this to prospective buyers, drive all the makes and models within your price range, pick whatever issues you care about most,quality, standard features, fuel economy, handling, ride, interior space, trunk volume,safety,color etc. and find the car that fill most of them best for you...good luck! Psst. buy Hyundai, just kidding!!
JD Power has the numbers.
I take both magazines. They're both entertaining. But C/R doesn't tell you a lot about brand new cars generally, and C/D does. C/R is more useful for older cars to measure their performance and durability.
Better than both, is personal experience, which I have, since I buy a fair amount of them each year. The Hyundai seems to have their crap together now, finally. But driving it is still not as sporty as the Accord, nor as smooth and easy to drive as the Camry. They offer a bargain, and you get what you pay for. The warranty is great - but they hold up well these days.
Get what you like, and drive them all to see, that's what I recommend.
JD Power has the numbers
Well, in initial quality, Hyundai is at least equal to Honda. But in the feel of the drive, the car quality, and long term performance, it is not yet established that Hyundai is as good. It isn't.
Back in 2000 I could have purchased the all-new 2001 Civic instead of the all-new 2001 Elantra. In fact the Civic was my top choice "on paper". Just based on the cars themselves, I'm really glad I didn't. The fact I saved over $6000 in buying the Hyundai was icing on the cake.
There's no doubt the Elantra will depreciate faster than the Civic - but, I already have a positive $6,500 cash flow differential. Sometimes, I don't think this initial differential is taken into account. And, not a single quality or warranty-related problem with the Elantra after 11 months. By that time with my last Civic, I already had 3 warranty repairs.
Since I keep my cars at least 10 years, sometimes 20, residual value and/or depreciation rate is somewhat a moot argument anyway.
I work as a letter carrier, though recently injured, at a small annex with about 80 employees. We're all middle class workers with hourly wages. I did a quick survey recently and found about a 60/40 split of foreign brands versus American automobiles. Chevy & Dodge/Chtysler amount for over 50% of the American brands. But Honda/Toyota account for just over 75% of the foreign brands with 5 new '06 Civics on the lot. The rest of the foreign brands have some Nissans & 2 Hyundai/Kia models.
Not a very scientific sampling here & I know that I'll get ripped to shreads here, but I have to say that I was not surprised at all by my finding. It just proved to me that "in this sampling" of middle class working folk, the benefits of a longer warranty and lower price of the "Korean brands" still haven't changed their market share all that much & they still have a ways to go against the other major foreign players.
Like I said, this is just an unscientific random sample of my office and the kind of cars my co-workers choose to own. The one major conclusion that I came away with is that the reputation & perceived superior quality still influences people's buying decision, especially automobiles. Just thought I'd share this little experiment I did!
The Sandman
On a side note, I did have the opportunity to sit in a new Azerra and was totally blown away by what I felt & saw. Excellent ergonomics, great fluidity in the controls and the feeling that everything fell to hand...everything felt to be in the right place with that tactile (?) feel that the foreign brands naturally have. Didn't get any road time, but was duly impressed. And the bang for the buck variable is definitely there. I also really enjoyed my Sonata rental almost as much, but I've stated that numerous times in these forums. The mpg's on these models just need to get closer to the Honda/Toyota duo & watch out world.
Also, I did happen to see a couple of new Elantra's this week on the road and was very intriqued with the car from the C pillar back. Looks like a more upscale & larger car than I would have imagined. The photos on the Hyundai website do an injustice to this car. It's much nicer in person and if it indeed drives and has the quality that it needs in this highly contested market, Hyundai just might of hit a bullseye. Just like the rest of the lineup, Hyundai needs to get the mpg numbers up about 10%, and I have no doubt that this will happen within a few year.
I really do wish Hyundai luck in this endevor. They've finally come into the 21st century as an automaker, and dare I say it...I might even consider a Hyundai within the next 5 to 7 years!
The Sandman
I agree on the new Elantra. The pics on the website do not do it justice. I drove a 2007 yesterday, and the interior is a big step up from the previous generation. MPG's do need to improve to be competitive with Honda and Toyota however.
Here's what we owned:
1999 Sonata GLS-V6(at the time, the top of the line model) Had it from Aug 99-Sept 04. 118,000+ miles.
2001 Tiburon, base model(June 01-Sept 04) 103,000+ miles.
2004 GLS V6 Sonata( still have it) Sept 04- current.
Miles: 36,000.
Problems: 99 Sonata:
Needed new alternator @88,000
Needed new turn signal stalk(yes, you read correctly)at 93,000
Needed new raditator at 103,000.
Needed new water pump at 115,000.
Went in 3 times for "computer chip-module" for the "fuzzy logic" shifting.
Evap- flap(forgot what it's call, recircualtion valve , by gas tank, to collect gas fumes, and put 'em back into the tank?).... at 85,000.
Nice car, BUT IRRITATING.
2001 Tibby
New fron axles and bearings at 99,303
103,000+ auto tranny needed replaced, so we dumped the car for the Sonata(Unfortunately).
2004 Sonata;
Both back window gaskets and motors(power windows) needed replaced. One in July, One in Sept of this year, between 32-34,000 miles. Got harrassed about fixing it, so I threatened to call the District Factory Rep for ameeting at the dealership, they suddenly became co-operative again.
Another gripe? We have cloth, and it is already wearing prematurely :mad: :surprise:
The armrest, center console? and where you open and close the door, from the inside, is wearing, badly.
--------------------------------------------------------
We will never buy another Hyundai again in my household.
As for Honda: well, my father in law(2 years ago) went to buy an Element, but they refused to knock off 1 red cent(were actually Arrogant when he spoke to them in person).
December of 2004, they sent him an e-mail, saying" 1,399 off all Elements!" :mad:
he relied" you are 3 months too late". he would have been glad with 1K off msrp in Sept.
He now has a new SX4, Suzuki(*his 3rd Suzuki, really, if you inclulde th e90 tracker with 217,000 , and the 97 with 97,000, NO PROBLEMS, except the Trackers are like farm implements, the SX4? Excellent!).
Anyhow.
All cars I have owned had some issues:
77 camaro: rusted like crazy, stalled alot thansk to the carb on it.
87 "chevy" Spectrum: needed brakjes every 18,000 miles(pads), new master Cylinder @ 14,000 miles( back then, a warranty was 12,000, or 1 year), just a pain.
90 sentra xe: stalled out at 7000 due to timing not set properly at factory or dealership. New stereo at 9000 miles, and re-glued door protection strip back on at 9,700 miles.
Pitted badly once we moved back up North(was in military )due to road cinders on snowy roads... like sand blasting the door panels.
97 200sx: 66K.... died due to timing chain jumped one notch, and needed starter rebuilt, ignition coil, new timing gear, etc... big pain.
The rest is above, in the Hyundai comments, except for our 2004 Scion tC automatic. Great Little car, except it needed the wiper blade arm, passenger side, fixed, 2 times, in 6 weeks, in 2005. Also, 1 recall for sunroof .
nearly 70,000 in 26 months.
-------------------------------------------------------
I just don't get into dealerships that act like you should pay them for being opened and selling you a car, lol.
Toyota and Honda are good, btu i knwo Many people working 2 jobs now, or PT, etc, and can not afford more than maybe 10-12K, and they buy Accent or Elantra's on sale, due ot warranty(most people I know only drive maybe 10,000 miles a year, too).
Or they buy a (on sale) Cobalt, or new Aveo.
it has 5/100K on these.
If people had the cash to throw around, yeah, they might buy a Accord or Top Of The Line(nearly 20K) Civic.
relative who got the SX4 paid less than 15,000.
AWD or FWD, flip of a switch.
30 MPG.
7/100K warranty.
Most people who I know own Honda get them used, because they can't afford new, and loaded up like they want.
Fit? They don't want one. they want a "normal" sized car, in case, well, one of these 8 tons SUV's hit them.
take care/not offense.
On the tiburon: wheel bearings/alxe shafts @ 100K miles? This is a bit premature but the rubber bellows that cover the actual joints (CVJ and DOJ)could have been ripped and not detected/replaced in a timely fashion allowing contaminents to destroy those items early..of course I don't know your maintainence habits I am just speculating here. The transmission?? again after having owned a few Taurus/Sable's I am not unfamiliar with transmission problems, some much earlier than 103K miles so while I won't comment on the fact it died relatively early it isn't unheard of either.
On the 04 Sonata: having to replace window lift motors at any time is fairly common, they usually have plastic gears and they strip out, additionally you state that window gaskets were replaced at the same time. Could it be the gaskets jammed the windows in some fashion and caused the motors to burn out early?? Fabric seat material wear..that is another item subject to lots of abuse and cannot be said to last X amount of years with certainty. Sure it should be fairly durable but who can predict. All in all the Hyundai products didn't, in my opinion, show any really unusual behavior as far as failures with the possible exception of the transmission and without knowing your maintainence habits that too could have been something avoidable.
Just a short personal experience..my son is driving a 2000 Elantra with 149,000 miles (We are the 2nd owner)and aside from some problems with front rotors(Hyundai replacements seemed to warp early) routine brake pad and tire replacement and 1 alternator @145,000 miles it has been trouble free. So for every person who says as you do "We will never buy another Hyundai again in my household" I can counter with how great our experiences have been. By the way,why are you so negative about Hyundai? Most of these failures are normal for any brand auto and not at unusually low mileages.
I was having a hard time deciphering this, but I think you were trying to say that most people that you know that buy Hondas, buy them used because they can't afford new ones.
If this is what you are saying, I would have to disagree. Most people I know (myself included - I bought a new Honda back in March), buy them new, because people that try to sell slightly used Hondas seem to be under the impression that they hardly depreciate at all, and don't make it worth it to buy a slightly used one versus a brand new one. When we bought our new Honda back in March, we got it for about $1000 more than what I was being quoted for 2 year old models of the same trim level with 20,000+ miles on them. For me, it was a no brainer to drop $1000 more for a brand new version.
2000 Elantra Wagon (still own closing in on 140K miles)
2002 Accent (still own with 90+K miles)
Problems with the 2000 Elantra
Exhaust manifold cracked and replaced under warranty @ 120k Miles
Problems with the 2002 Accent
None.
Of course the Elantra is showing her age, she doesn't ride as smooth as she used to, engine is a little noisy and road noise seems to be louder than it was at first. And she doesn't seem to be as fast as she used to be. But then she has survived 6 midwest winters, 1,000's of miles of dirt and gravel roads, several farmers fields, one fording of a creek and 140K miles so I am not complaining.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Sounds like the pioneers needed your car when traveling the Oregon Trail!
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I think I'm gonna go 4-wheeling in my old Accord this weekend, see how she does in some soft clay mud. :P
I'm proud for you with your successes with your vehicles. Shows that you have maintained them well.
At this crossing there is a nice paved road with a nice bridge about 100 yards up stream, but at that time it was closed being rebuilt. The detour was about 5 miles or so and all the locals were bypassing that using this little crossing. That was until the state closed off the access.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
At this crossing there is a nice paved road with a nice bridge about 100 yards up stream, but at that time it was closed being rebuilt. The detour was about 5 miles or so and all the locals were bypassing that using this little crossing. That was until the state closed off the access.
Either way, it still makes a funny mental pic. I'm not knocking you, or your vehicle, please understand that...
I just like the idea of a compact-car turned rugged mountain climber. It would be like Alex Trebek taking Stallone's role in "Rambo." Just a funny mental image.
However, I have owned 3 Civics, and I'll tell you all about them.
95 - CX hatch - no air, no power anything, great little car for commuting, sold in '02 b/c I bought my sister's '96 Corolla which had more room and all power, AC, etc. (I still have that car w/175K miles, and it's awesome!)
01 - DX sedan - added AC to car (it did not come in that trim) we thought it would be as reliable as the 95 was. The manual transmission (something CR has claimed Honda is well known for quality for at least 10 years) failed at 87K miles. Dealer told us $1800 would fix it. (If it had been a Hyundai, this repair would have been free) We did not fix it, as it was only worth $4000 at the time. We traded it w/my dad, who traded our car for an 06 Corolla.
99 - LX Sedan - this is the car we received in trade from dad. It is probably the least enjoyable car I've ever driven, and that includes some real clunkers. Car squeaks constantly, engine whines, AT shifts strangely IMO, but it runs every day and goes point A to B.
We are planning to buy a new car in Jan., and will probably buy the Elantra for warranty and features or a Camry for build quality and reliability. We will not consider a Honda this time around. In fact, even though our 99 Honda has 70K less miles on it than our 96 Corolla, we will keep the Corolla and trade in the Honda, as we believe it will outlast the Honda.
Just a side note, my family and I are maintainance freaks about all our cars. They are kept clean and all fluids regularly changed.
Thanks for reading!