Honda Civic vs. Hyundai Sonata

luvmbootyluvmbooty Member Posts: 271
edited April 2014 in Honda
Don't get this wrong. I'm not beating on the Civic but I priced the Civic LX automatic and EX automatic w/o Nav. I compared the prices with the 2006 Sonata GLS and GLS V6.

It turned out EX MSRP is 19,810, Invoice is 18,164, TMV is 19,289. Compared to the Sonata GLS V6 with a moonroof MSRP is 22,395, Invoice is 20,661, TMV is 21,039. Subtract the 2,500 Incentive from the TMV and the price comes to 18,539, a difference of 750. A larger car, passenger room and trunk, a V6 engine, and $750 cheaper!

The Civic LX MSRP is 18,060, Invoice is 16,568, TMV is 17,596. Compared with the Sonata GLS with no added options MSRP is 19,995, Invoice is 18,496, TMV is 18,817. Subtract the 1,500 Incentive from the TMV and the price comes to 17,317. A larger car, 20 more horses, and $279 cheaper.

I hear that the 2006 Civic is having problems with faulty struts. My price range is under 20,000. I'm looking at all my options. One thing I like about the Civic is the gas mileage, the new styling, and the IIHS gold rating but the Sonata with the incentives makes a pretty good deal.
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Comments

  • psypsy Member Posts: 122
    Hello

    A Civic is not a Sonata! Sonata is aimed at Accord. In the Sonata/Accord war,,, Honda wins. As Accordian like as the civic is. The new Accord will be out in a year. aHonda V6 will always lay waiste to a Korean mill.

    To be in a position like yours shoping price point is what the Koreans hope will happen. They have came a long way. Honda will be running year end on current Accords in a few weeks. I would never cross shop a Sonata/Civic. But I would darn sure put Accord up against it in a heart beat. As dated as Hondas J30 V6 is its a war horse compared to Sonata's mill. Fact is I would buy a Ford Fuzion over a Sonata. I would never buy a auto Civic.

    as good as Sonata is,,,, its not Civic or Accord.
  • slowpedalerslowpedaler Member Posts: 62
    Why wouldn't you cross shop two cars in a similar price range? If the Civic and Sonata are both about 20 grand and you're looking for a decent car, they're comparable.

    I think the Civic is the better car. It wins on styling, mpg and resale. My Coupe had a bad rear shock that took half a day to replace. I would expect a Sonata to go back for warranty work at least once, so I think they're cpmparable there, too.
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    Not seeing a reason to buy a Fusion over a Sonata unless you just have some ingrained hatred of all Korean cars.
    Civic would make sense if fuel economy is a major priority.
  • psypsy Member Posts: 122
    Come to a Civic board and compare a celler dweller to a out of the box trend setting compact. Only reason the price point is close is because the Sonata isnt selling at where they wanted it to sell. Its a Accord, Camry class car. Even heap cheap,, its lost the war out of the starting blocks.

    As a Accord/Civic owner,,, its not in the same class. Please go get the Sonata and enjoy it.

    I set here looking at my Hondas. The I4 Accord is a work of art! The Civic with its teething problems is ,, still state of art. The next gen Accord is going to be awsome. Civic did a funeral today with grace.

    Please buy a Sonata.......
  • slowpedalerslowpedaler Member Posts: 62
    What's with the mean-spirited "buy a Sonata" crap. The original poster is just trying to buy a car. Of course the Accord is better than the Sonata, but a V-6 Sonata is a reasonable choice in comparison to a similarly priced I-4 Civic sedan. It's not a choice I would make, but I'm not going to be rude about it.
  • luvmbootyluvmbooty Member Posts: 271
    I've researched the Ford Fusion and, according to IIHS.org, "...the Fusion is at the back of the pack among midsize cars for overall safety performance." Decent protection is important to me. The Sonata doesn't have a GOLD rating but IIHS said,"Sonata shows big improvement in front and side tests." Civic received a GOLD rating by IIHS but a larger and heavier car is safer to be in. As for the Accord, IIHS rated frontal GOOD, side GOOD, and rear POOR.

    Personally, the Accord is too common. Everyone and their mother has one and being that its common and in demand means dealers won't deal. Your more likely to pay closer to sticker price for V6 Accord, which isn't in my price range. I'm just trying to get the most for my money.
  • heel2toeheel2toe Member Posts: 149
    Actually, the 2006 Accord has a $1000 manufacturer to dealer incentive down here (Texas) and it is incredibly easy to get deals around invoice less $800 (or more).

    Just check out the Accord Deals forum here for details. :)
  • targettuningtargettuning Member Posts: 1,371
    Yes, to all who have about 20K to spend on a new car by all means cross shop everything that costs near that. For myself as a previous 2X hyundai owner for whom this is my first Honda product I am plainly disappointed in my Civic with its problems...two, not one, rear shock leaking and faulty from new. Also a lack of standard features such as stability and traction controls, power seats, and more that the cheapest Sonata has. Lots of road noise and yes, I love the styling and fuel economy. So from the standpoint of being both a Honda and Hyundai owner don't get too smug about Honda and whatever you do don't dismiss Hyundai as an also ran. Neither Hyundai required any repairs...oh yeah the clock display died on the last one and they replaced it but nothing basic like shocks. Everybody seems to think it is an honor to own a Honda even with all the repairs needed. I, for one, don't look at having to have a new car (3600 miles) repaired as an adventure...I have had my fill of taking time off work to sit around dealerships waiting for repairs. I had a Ford not too long ago..so no, not the Hyundai!!!
  • targettuningtargettuning Member Posts: 1,371
    I would like to reply to your original post. I do not have the rah rah Honda bias that you would expect on this site. As a previous Hyundai owner I absolutely recommend you cross shop the Civic (since it is the closest in price to the Sonata)with a Sonata..and any other around $20K car. Personally, I wish I would have stuck to my original plan to replace my Santa Fe with a 2006 Sonata but gas hit $3.25 per for the first time ever last fall so good-by Santa Fe and hello...what? The current body style Elantra was then 5 model years old and due for the remodeling they are releasing this fall so it was out...the Corolla was too common looking...the Mazda 3? well, I didn't even consider it and that left the striking new 2006 Civic...40 MPG and a Honda to boot! Wow what a combination so I bought it at $19,860...no discount as they were selling them before they were built. Six months later and two leaking rear shocks, different rear ride height, the harmonic vibration with the unknown cause, the recall in the very first week of ownership..time already spent at the dealer and more to come with the replacement of the shocks well, I do wish I had bought the Sonata and I'll take the flack for saying it in this company. So if you try the Sonata I do not think you will be disappointed...go for it!!
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    While I'm sure there has to be some problems with the new Sonata and I have not ready every post in every Sonata forum, it is surprising that with casual browsing I am seeing more problem reports with cars like the new Civic and Camry than with the new Sonata.
    The complaints I see about the Sonata are things like incomplete steering wheel audio controls and lack of aux input rather than transmission failures and other mechanical problems.
    Really seems like the 40 mpg highway mileage of the Civic is the best reason to buy it over a Sonata. You will probably get around 10 mpg higher mileage city and highway in a Civic and that is a lot of gas savings.
  • cybergypsycybergypsy Member Posts: 51
    check your resale of a hyundai, enough said!
  • targettuningtargettuning Member Posts: 1,371
    Check your Civic/Accord's rear view mirror...is that a Hyundai filling it?? Honda took 33 or so years to achieve the lofty status they enjoy, Hyundai didn't even sell cars here until 1986 and yes they were bad but so were the first Honda's. They (the first Accord and Civic) rusted out so quick you couldn't even get them paid for before they disintegrated. I still see unexpected rust on some late model Honda's here in the "rust belt". Hyundai is actually neck and neck with Honda according to JD Powers surveys so resale is quickly becoming much better...nuff said!!
  • cybergypsycybergypsy Member Posts: 51
    You cant even get a point across Hyundai, is a a car meant for long term ownership, as resale, or lack of is crazy, a few of my friends have them, and after a year of problems they sold...or should i say gave the car away....its worth more then a yugo....or daewoo...nope....and for getting better, then can only move up.....they still are a last choice for most people, JD Powers is crazy, .....most people who have no credit or jobs, seem to rush out and buy a Hyundai, and funny even the people who work on them at the dealership, has warned friends to stay away!!!LOL..enjoy your Hunk of Hyundai :)
  • targettuningtargettuning Member Posts: 1,371
    yeah..yeah..and yeah, about what I expect from someone who probably never even sat in a Hyundai let alone drove or owned one. I have owned both(2002 and 2003 Santa Fe and 2006 Civic EX sedan) and the Civic has more problems than both S.F.'s I owned AND my daughters 2003 Elantra....total problems for all three = one (1) a digital clock that crapped out on the last Santa Fe. I am only trying to point out to someone who asked that there is more than Honda in the automotive world worth considering...and you? the anti-Hyundai rhetoric I'd expect. Funny boy..."they are still a last choice for most people" dream on, Hyundai has become first choice for many including previous Honda and Toyota owners. "Nuff said" as a smart man once said. Oh, I no longer own a Hyundai but instead a Civic that I like but decidedly do not love. However, I am strongly considering a 2007 Sonata..how bout that?!
  • sheldo1sheldo1 Member Posts: 64
    I'm with Targetuning on this one. All he is trying to say is that there are other cars just as good or even better than the Civic depending on one's needs. He is speaking from experience and can probably give a more objective view than someone who perhaps has only owned Honda products.

    In my case, I really like my Civic but the quality has been extremely disappointing.

    Helpful Hint: Complete sentences with proper punctuation will help you get YOUR point across. Your posts are hard to read!
  • psypsy Member Posts: 122
    I didnt mean to be rude. Im sorry if it came out that way. I wish that shopper good luck.
  • philphilphilphil Member Posts: 15
    Can't beat the Hyundai warranty. I'm looking to buy a new Civic as a commuter car because of the great looks and gas mileage. My 2004 Santa Fe has been great for the two years that I own it. Eight more years on the power train warranty & 3 more on the bumper to bumper. Can't beat that one.
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    It's obvious that gybergypsy's post was troll post for reaction.
    It is pretty clear that Hyundai quality is at least up to and above average for a few years now. The owners complaints have drastically fallen off. Unless they are all brainwashed and there is some major conspiracy keeping the complaints of poor quality stifled, Hyundai quality is not a "con" vs similarly priced new cars.
  • slowpedalerslowpedaler Member Posts: 62
    What kills me is that we now live in a world where American owners of Japanese cars have a prejudice against Korean ones. Wait till the Hyundia folks get a load of China!
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    Well, the Chinese cars I saw did look pretty bad. Maybe it will also take them 15 years in America to get quality and design up to par.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    I've moved the above posts from the Civic discussion. Now we have a nice, clean, new room to talk to each other about these two vehicles - so let's calm down and start over.

    To those who would like to seriously compare these cars, here's your place to do so.

    To those who so far have been more interested in flinging insults around, you need to find another sandbox to play in.
  • targettuningtargettuning Member Posts: 1,371
    The primary target of the Sonata always was, and continues to be, the Accord, the Ford Fusion, the Camry etc. Only because the Civic became so expensive did it get lumped into this discussion. There is no real direct comparison between those two except for price. The fact of the matter is a decently equipped V-6 Camry or Accord with a lot of, but not all, of the features of the LX (or Limited for 07) Sonata is in the upper $20K range and it isn't difficult to spend $28K ++ on either.
  • shyamrockyshyamrocky Member Posts: 1
    People , it's be good reading few posts , where few people have come out with valids points of comparison between the CIVI & SONATA.

    I was looking at this forum as a major decesion maker , where people share their experiences in a positive outlook.

    So here is what I am looking for , I have a 20K budget and I need to decide 2006 Civic or 2006 Sonata.

    I have test driven a Sonata V6 & CIVIC.

    We are forced to compared two different vehicles as , Hyundai just thought to eat the small sedan market with it's OUT OF THE BOX pricing norms.

    > I am thrilled looking at the New Dash Board Lay out of CIVIC ,digital speedometer,a fighter plan cockpit looks, the whole new body change , the road manners and mileage.

    > Sonata V6 a Silent Machine , which says much abt the power it can offer at a cost much cheaper then CIVIC.Sonata is spacious,excellent interiors,gr8 looks.It has a look of an executive car.Mileage is at par with the cars of it's class - like the camry or accord.

    I was thrilled to buy CIVIC , even if a EX 2006 is costing abt 21K.I wanted that whole new experience of the CIVIC and was ready to pay for it.

    But a Sonata V4 comes 5K lesser then Civic.

    I am looking at a long term car where I least expect any Technical problems .So, after I read the problems faced by owners of 2006 CIVIC , I was thinking are we living on false pride saying I love Honda , even if I am not getting value for money OR is that Honda lovers are not able to get the Heat from Hyundai.

    Do not take me otherwise as we need to get the BIGGER picture.I am passionate about cars and I am no STAR who has big bucks to maintain Expensive cars.

    So I want a good fuel efficent cars , no technical problems and do not want to sit at a dealer place and crib why did I buy...

    So I request all of you in this forum to come out with a WIN WIN situation for these CARS , who have made their mark in their own way...

    What should I go for ?
  • cajuncyclercajuncycler Member Posts: 172
    All I can say for Honda cars is that Honda makes great motorycles. I bought one those Hyundai "hunks a junk" as you call it and I did it for the price as well as the safety features. I have been a paramedic on the streets bud for 30 years and from my experience with Honda cars is that I don't want to get caught dead in one which is where I have found a many in my years pulling bodies out of wreckage. They are built like beer cans. Did you know the bumpers are velcoed on? Did you know that when the US dropped bumper standard mandates back in the nineties that Honda was the FIRST foreign manufacturer to go back to 2.5 mph crash bumper standards instead of the 5 mph standard kept by most every American car manufacturer?? To me quality is more than body panels fitting. It is surviving and I will bet I live through a crash in my Sonata better than you will in either your Accord or your Civic. Pass by a wrecking yard sometime and see if I am wrong here. :mad:
  • cajuncyclercajuncycler Member Posts: 172
    Fair enough. But if you read my previous posts, and I am serious about what I said there, I have never been happy with Honda in terms of it's crash worthyness. I also have to believe that if any manufacturer believed in his product the warranty would bear this out. Honda has the same typical warranty that GM and Ford have. I financed my car for 4 years. The Sonata will still have 1 year bumper to bumper warranty when it's paid for. It has a 5 Star Gov't crash rating. It is quiet powerful and fast. It has ABS and ESC standard. I wanted value for the dollar. I have driven Civics (04)and know friends who have Accords. I own a Honda motorcycle. I take my money very seriously. If I thought for one minute the Civic was a better car I would have it in my driveway. Believe me I have been scutinizing cars now for months with the anticipation of purchase. I didn't enter into it lightly. I have grandkids and I want them safe with me when I take them in my car.
  • medic4txmedic4tx Member Posts: 18
    I took the Sonata way for about 8 mos then ended up getting a Civic. The Sonata was nice, good V6 and roomy, though it did eat the fuel. I was driving 80% highway and the rest city and only getting about 20mpg. I once got 24.9 and that was an hour and a half cruise to trade it in. All new cars have problems but the Sonata had major ones. Within the first 300 miles I need new rotors, driver door repair(would not close), and creaky seats. Not to mention I needed to have the dashboard looked at because of bad rattles, the gas tank would slosh fuel around that could be heard from inside the car and other annoying problems. I traded it with 4750 miles. ;)

    I have no regrets about my choice getting the Civic. Though they are two different animals. As stated earlier only the price makes the Sonata an option.

    The Civic is constantly getting 31+mpg on the same daily trips, and on a recent trip was getting 41 with the AC on.
    I am saving about 70 in fuel and also on insurance. The Sonata had a insurance symbol of 18(like a camaro) and the Civic has a 12. This saved me another 63 a month! :shades:

    For me this is a WIN WIN situation. I would try the Civic and see what you think. All cars have issues on the first year run. But don't take in stone what you read on the net beacuse ALL cars have issues and people write mostly the negatives.

    Safety was a concern for me too and this swayed me to the Civic since it was a GOLD pick for the IIHS: http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=603

    Look at the Sonata: http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=562

    I think HONDA did its homework! Good Luck and take one for a drive..if you dont like it, try something else.
  • cajuncyclercajuncycler Member Posts: 172
    I am going to have to challenge your post medic4tx. Somehow I doubt that in owning a Sonata for 8 months you actually experienced all the problems you posted. And with the 5 year 60,000 bumper to bumper warranty you can't tell me all those problems would not be addressed in the 8 months of ownership. Unless of course you did not take it in for service, abused the car and were afraid to take it in or just had an incompetent dealer who intimidated you to the point of not getting the repairs done under warranty. How did you manage to warp rotors within 300 miles?? Do you ride with one foot on the brake? That would surely account for the rotor problem and the lousy gas mileage. The door issue is also suspicious to me. Under normal use I can't see that happening. I have no doubt the Honda is a good car and know they get excellent gas mileage. However in real world instances I have personally seen pretty poor results post accident in Honda Civics, especially those involving side impact collisions. I am not however suggesting the Sonata would do any better but you seem more determined to trash the Sonata's potential and to praise the safety factors of the Honda so I raise the issue. Reading the same reports you posted on the Civic, it faired only marginally better than the Sonata in the same test. The seat issue was addressed in a recall in August 2005. I would dare to say that there are plenty of vehicles that are within the price ranges of the Civic and Sonata that faired much more poorly in that test than either of these two cars.
  • mojo_lomojo_lo Member Posts: 18
    cybergypsy, your post is riddled with grammatical errors...verb tenses, punctuation, run-on's. If you can't put together a coherent sentence, please don't expect people to heed your opinion. In fact, I am thankful that you were not praising Hyundai, because your post does more harm to your stance than good. :)

    I bought a new '06 Sonata GLS for $15,800 (some people have done even better). The MSRP is $19,995. Resale value is based on MSRP so i think Sonata owners will do quite well in that regard! Sonata's aren't selling at great prices because they are POS's either. The '07's (minor changes over the '06's) are coming out so there are big rebates and incentives. Plus, as everyone knows, Hyundai must beat Honda/Toyota on price.

    The car rides smooth. It's quiet and comfy inside - a lot roomier than a Civic. People aren't reporting many problems with the Sonata's either. When purchased at a good price, the 5yr TCO is equivelant to a Civic...That is saying a lot! 5yr TCO easily beats the Camry and Accord. Add the 5yr/60K mi bumper to bumper warranty and the 10yr/100K mi powertrain warranty, and you've got a pretty good package.

    I can't deny that the Civic is a great car, and I very seriously considered purchasing it. However, the Sonata made a lot of economic sense...you are getting a mid-sized sedan that is as economical as a Civic.
  • medic4txmedic4tx Member Posts: 18
    I am glad that YOU think YOU know what kind of problems I had with the Sonata.....That is why I traded it. Rotors were fixed under warranty and the service manager said that was not the first with warped rotors with less than 500 miles. The door issue was fixed with a TSB and had a faulty locking mechanism, I guess I made that up too? But Hyundai fixed it with a recall. You should check your facts on the Sonata recalls. The Sonata was a nice car but was plaqued with problems. I did not want to keep wasting my time to get all of these problems looked at over and over again. Just read the forums here on Edmunds you can READ the problems people are having.. Soanta did worse than the Civic on the crash tests...they speak for themselves. Having owned an 03 and 06 Sonata and currently own an 05 Tucson I can reasonably judge what to expect from Hyundai. With the Civic I have NO major issues like the Sonata.
    I looked around for a replacement for a while to replace the Sonata and I found my nook with the Civic...it does what I need it too and well. If you want to check into the Sonata I had it is probably still at Hendrick Honda in Charlotte....I am sure they will give you a good deal! :lemon:
  • medic4txmedic4tx Member Posts: 18
    It may be economical with the price but not with the consumption of fuel. I was getting about 20mpg in the city and my best of 24.9 on the highway. The Sonata is now classified as a large sedan...Good luck with your purchase :shades:
  • cajuncyclercajuncycler Member Posts: 172
    I have my Sonata thank you. I don't need your lemon, if that IS what it was. I have also checked on all the recalls involving 2006 models before purchase, can find nothing regarding a recall involving rotors or a door lock. Glad you're happy with your Honda. Time will tell if it will be a good car for you as will time tell for me. I know what it is to own a lemon. I owned a 1988 Chevrolet Corsica new that was total trash. Before that my first car was a 1973 Chevrolet Vega, new. Need I say more about terrible choices in automobiles. Both of them got rave press when introduced. Anyway, it was enough to swear me off Chevrolet forever and GM in general. Anyway I think I have gotten smarter over the years and I hope my choice of the Hyundai pays out. As you say, good luck with your purchase. ;)
  • bhmr59bhmr59 Member Posts: 1,601
    TCO includes operating costs including fuel consumption.

    Do you have a real heavy foot on the gas pedal and hit your brakes often?

    My Sonata, an '05 with the 2.7 L engine, is rated at 19/27. When it wasn't fully broken in I got just under 29 MPG (highway) with the cruise set at 70. Maybe the 3.3L will get a bit less than the 2.7L, but I find it hard to believe that it would be 4 mpg less. And that rotor issue; just how many times and how hard did you hit the brakes for the rotors to warp in only 300 miles? I don't care what make of car, the best to the worst, that doesn't happen unless there is extreme abuse of the brakes (which could be necessary to avoid an accident).
  • medic4txmedic4tx Member Posts: 18
    The best thing I did was get rid of the :lemon: , however the TSB was on the driver's door handle not the rotors, check with the dealer. If I recall when it was in, they also had a recall to replace a rubber piece in the cup holders. Yeah I know about lemons....I had an 2001 Taurus that was bought back by Ford, I learned my lesson. Hyundai has a good warranty, but only the long-term use will show its reliabilty. :confuse:
  • cxccxc Member Posts: 122
    "my best of 24.9 on the highway".

    You did not mention how fast you drove Sonata to get that mpg. If you drive your CIVIC at 100 miles per hour, you probably get less than 24.9 mpg and your CIVIC will not last long.
  • targettuningtargettuning Member Posts: 1,371
    was a three time Hyundai owner, a 2002 and 2003 Santa Fe, a 2000 Elantra my son still drives PLUS my daughters 2003 Elantra GT have had no major and few minor problems. Well, the 140k 2000 Elantra recently needed an alternator. This said, I am moderately disappointed in the Civic. I have told this tale before but in a nutshell it has a right rear suspension noise from new...8 miles on the odo. Now with nearly 4K miles it is really noticeable so I returned it on Monday 3 July to the dealer and it was found to have both rear shocks leaking. Yes, they will be replaced under warranty but I bought a new HONDA and now I am going to end up being a dealer customer lounge lizard again. I have spent much of my life in dealerships with poor automobile choices (several Ford Taurus') and hoped to not have to do that again with the Honda. If you scan the Honda owners site right here at Edmunds you will find owners of 2006 Civics with long lists of repairs including failed and leaking power steering pumps and components...power window switches...others with failed and leaking shocks and struts ...different ride heights (which mine also has) left to right in the rear...various groans and other type noises in the trim or suspension...cheap and easily scratched interior trim...noisy lifters and on and on. So, please do not call Honda trouble free and Hyundai a poor alternative to ANY Honda because it isn't what I am seeing. Yes, I will concede the Civic will handily outdo the Sonata in fuel economy but lets see...about 100 hp more and quite a bit larger and heavier car so that is about what one would expect. As I said in an earlier post these two cars don't really compete except for price where the Civic is becoming very expensive for what is delivered. Footnote: I am considering a larger sedan to replace an aging 1995 Dodge Stratus this fall...Honda Accord? or Toyota Camry? Ford Fusion (hell no)..I am about 99% certain it will again be a Hyundai but a 2007 Sonata this time.
  • cajuncyclercajuncycler Member Posts: 172
    I think it is safe to say that bad cars are the result of inferior parts and can make their way onto any assembly line with any manufacturer. I think we need to understand that mass production will never mean there will never be glitches. I think to condemn and entire company or product line from the occasional bad car is probably a mistake. Like I said before, Chevrolet has blown it with me with the ownership of that 88 Corsica. The car was bad from the get go and the dealership lied on numerous occasions to us about what the troubles with the car were. That tends to sour your buying and owning experience quiet a lot. Today we expect perfection for our dollar. The cars our parents drove and the generation before them did not expect so much as we do and lived with the poor fits, the bad fabrics and materials, squeeks groans and sloshes. We tend to be far more critical today because foriegn manufactures raised the bar on what a car ought to be. So far I am extremely happy with my purchase but I have owned mediocre transportation for so long that my expectations may be far lower than some of you. Still you need to buy and own what you feel works best for you or you will be an unhappy consumer otherwise.
  • targettuningtargettuning Member Posts: 1,371
    I spend about an equal amount of time on both the Edmunds 2006 Civic owners site and the 2006 Hyundai Sonata owners site and I have to say the 2006 Sonata has had no reported major faults of any kind. There are complaints of poor fuel economy...if you can call 19 city and 29 highway mpg poor for a car that hits 60 mph in about 6.5 seconds and tops out at about 140 mph...some "sloshing noises that are attributed to fuel in a partial empty tank...a thump in the rear suspension from some...some complaints about the lack of seat adjustment in the GLS model (the LX with power seats takes care of that) and a lack of complete radio controls on the steering wheel. Hardly a compelling reason to avoid Hyundai. Further, all or most of your complaints were addressed by TSB's which I found Hyundai to be quite "up front" letting me know about. I have yet to hear from Honda about what probably will turn out to be a bad batch of shocks from their supplier. You would think that upon hearing reports from the field about an unusual amount of shock/strut replacement on 06 Civics Honda would be able to compile a list of serial numbers of cars built during that shipment or shipments and notify owners of cars within that range to bring their cars in for inspection and/or replacement. But nooooo!
  • jack47jack47 Member Posts: 312
    After many problems with GM cars I bought a Honda Hatchback in 1984 which I replaced with a Camry in 1989 and then another Camry in 1995. Believe it or not, I never put a dime in any of these cars other than a new battery in the present Camry. Never had one single problem with any of these cars and I was not religious about changing the oil.

    Although my experiences with the Camrys was great I'm now considering buying the '07 Sonata based upon everything I've read and researced on the Sonata vs. the Camry.

    The fact that the Sonata, other than the engine, is now assembled almost completely by robots is, in my opinion, a big plus.
  • medic4txmedic4tx Member Posts: 18
    I tend to drive not too far over the limit mayber 60-62 mph. Any car that is drove @ 100 mph would not last too long over a long period of time, Hyundai included.
  • medic4txmedic4tx Member Posts: 18
    I can understand what you mean about staying in the lounge and having to get a NEW car fixed. I did that with the Sonata. All cars will have problems no matter what make. The net is full of model specific forums. But the good thing is we have a choice to buy what we want and if we don't like it we can trade it or change manufacturers.
  • targettuningtargettuning Member Posts: 1,371
    All true and I hope you find the Civic to be better for your circumstances...
  • targettuningtargettuning Member Posts: 1,371
    Well, only because we in the U.S.A. have far lower speed limits (thank God because our driver training and licensing is a joke compared to Europe) than in Europe where many vehicles are routinely driven at 120mph and over for extended periods. Years ago while stationed in Germany the run-of-the mill Opel sedan we had routinely ran at well over 110 mph for long distances on the Autobahn. So,they not only survive but do it over and over. This is the reason BMW, Mercedes, Audi and others have become revered for their performance image.
  • suvwantedsuvwanted Member Posts: 2
    My husband and I are looking to buy a 'family' car...an SUV (no van:). We seem to be looking at asian made cars...he has a subaru and loves it. We did look at some North American cars and there really isn't much of a comparrison when it comes to warranty and quality. We've looked at the Mitsubishi Outlander, which offers a 5 year warranty (10 years on the transmition and engine) and 5 year roadside assistance. It is a compariable price to the Hyundai Santa Fe, which offers a 5 year warranty, 3 year roadside assistance and lifetime free oilchanges. The Santa Fe is a bit bigger and is a little cheaper. We haven't looked at Toyota or Honda yet....I have a feeling the CRV is above our price range. Any opinions as to which SUV might serve us the best??
  • wolverinejoe80wolverinejoe80 Member Posts: 337
    my GF civic avgs 24.5mpg (50/50). very disappointing. we recently had our worst 22 something.

    she chose over sonata month ago because she thought sonata was just too big for her. we almost bought lx v6 for 18750 OTD, then changed at the last minute.

    so far we are giving 7.5/10 for civic because we are somewhat disappointed in build quality, AC(not cold, noisy), stain prone cloth seat, small leg room(my knee touches the parking break), no trunk key lock(LX model), radio(am is really really bad)and reverse noise.

    maybe we were just spoiled by sonata rental's(driven 8 of them) comfort.
  • savagekei05savagekei05 Member Posts: 29
    just click on "Hyundai Sonata: Problems & Solutions" you can tell it's not reliable. Yes, they have the best warranty because they know their cars cannot last long. my friend has a 06 Sonata, it has problems every 2 months, i drive him back to the dealer more than i go to the mall. so DO NOT BUY A HYUNDAI period

    If you do some research on the internet, you can get an awesome deal on the Civic. I got my 05 Accord V6 EX w/ alloy wheel, moonroof, leather seats, spoiler, etc for only 24,500$ (including tax and fee and bought it last August) and 2.9%APR from dealer. THAT IS THOUSANDS OF SAVING!. go there w/ a per-approved car loan and threaten them. calculate 5% profit from the invoice price and no more and no less! then minus any incentive Honda is offered = the price u should pay.

    Ex:
    1000$ (invoice) * 1.05 = 1050$ - 100$ (Incentive) = 950$

    GO FOR THE Civic or an Accord PLEASE! save you time and money!
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    I see you found the best place for your question: suvwanted, "What is the Best SUV For me?" #16, 19 Jul 2006 4:37 pm. Good luck!
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    The Sonata may or may not be reliable, but you can't judge either vehicle one way or the other by their respective Problems & Solutions discussions. That's all anecdotal data, nothing statistically accurate about it at all.
  • targettuningtargettuning Member Posts: 1,371
    Yeah..yeah...why is it Honda heads simply cannot acknowledge Hyundai is in both Honda and Toyota's rear view mirror. I suggest you try looking in the "Honda Civic sedan 2006 issues" thread right here at Edmunds to see how poorly your precious Honda is doing this year. Yes I have owned both and currently own a 2006 Civic EX sedan that just had both rear shocks replaced due to noise and leakage and I am NOT the only one to experience this problem and others have have numerous other problems in addition to this one. Many people are disappointed in Honda's latest Civic. Further since I am considering a larger sedan this fall I have been on the Sonata site where owners complain about relatively few and comparatively minor items. I'll go back to Hyundai after owning this my first Honda. Just read the HOST POST and yes one small statistic here...ME and since I have owned 3 Hyundai's and one Honda I am qualified to comment on Hyundai reliability which, in my case, was perfect on all three with no major or reoccurring problems period!! Sum total of repairs= digital clock display died on my last Santa Fe.
  • jlemoinejlemoine Member Posts: 25
    I've owned an Elantra since 2002 and my brother was so impressed with it when he drove it he went out and bought his 2002 Sonata. I've got 55K mile on my Elantra and he has over 80K on the Sonata. Neither of us has had a lick of problems and after 4 years my Elantra is still fun to drive and still not even a rattle!!!! Like I've said in previous forums., Civics are good cars but for 5-6 grand difference the saleman would have to have a gun to rob me of that much over an Elantra. It's true Hondas have a longer track record of quality but if you compare the quality differences over that last 4-5 model years there is simply no difference. The Civic should be compared to the Elantra and not the Sonata and in my opinion there is simply not enough difference in the two except for personal taste in styling to justify the 5-6 grand difference in price for the Civic!! Hey! It's your Money!!
  • cajuncyclercajuncycler Member Posts: 172
    I've read that entire forum thank you very much and the problems listed are petty compared with several other makes Edmonds has forums for. The praises far far outstrip the problems. You want some problem plagued vehicles, check the forums on the Suzuki Verona, the Chrysler PT Cruiser, The Dodge Caliber. I hear so many critiques over the bland looks of the Sonata. Excuse me but I can't think of any more of a generic look than those put forth by Toyota and Honda. Can Honda Taillights get any bigger?? How far up the fenders do headlights have to go before they become THE FENDER?? I am glad Honda owners love their cars. I truly am. However I am a Hyundai owner and I cannot find anything about my Sonata that displeases me. I did however shop a lot before I bought so I did not take possession blindly. You can buy a car because it is "cute" or because the name denotes quality, but don't think for one minute Honda has the quarter on quality or value. Because it doesn't.
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