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Economy Sedans (~$16k-$20k)

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Comments

  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    The Corolla doesn't get much respect ... But if what someone needs is a roomy (for a compact), comfortable-riding, high-quality, high-mpg, reliable small car, it is a good choice.

    Agreed. You could also add "high revving" if you consider the Toyota Corolla XRS.

    Driving from Japan: Japanese cars in America by Wanda James (Jefferson, NC ; London : McFarland, 2005) unearths some amazing details in the history of Japanese vehicles since the 1850s. The Corolla has been a huge success for Toyota since the beginning. It started out in 1968 as a 1100 cc, 60 hp, 61.5 ft. lb. torque, 1640 lb. car selling for U$1660; within a year Toyota morphed it into 5 versions including the Toyota Corolla 1600 which made 102 hp, 101 ft. lb. torque, 0-60 in 11.4 sec; ¼ mile 18.2 sec. @ 75mph. Toyota was searching for a popular car along the lines of the VW bug and the Corolla satisfied that need. Its popularity says as much about consumers as it does about Toyota.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Stop beating around the bush and tell us how you really feel about the Corolla!

    :P

    Meade
  • smariasmaria Member Posts: 279
    all they want and need is to get from Point A to Point B with minimal fuss and muss (and cost).

    Surprisingly, this is almost word for word what a Toyota salesman said to me and my wife. Except he was talking about the Scions ("if all you want is a cheap reliable car to get from Point A to Point B, the Scion xA or XB are perfect").
  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    Car: 2004.5 KIA Spectra EX
    Current mileage: 13,500
    Transmission: 4-speed Auto

    Most recent MPG: 31.5 combined city/hwy, little or no A/C being used.

    Best MPG: 34.5 hwy (spring driving, no passengers, no A/C, lots of cruise control use, odo: 8,000 miles)
    Worst MPG: 21 (winter driving, lots of warm up and idling, city/rural driving, odo: 6,000 miles)

    Warranty trips to dealer: 1, for replacement of the rear 3rd LED brake light.

    Verdict: My family and I love this car so far. Most defect-free new car we've ever owned.

    Pics of my car:
    Exterior/Interior
    Interior/WheelSkins Steering Wheel Cover

    -SM
  • gandalf17gandalf17 Member Posts: 348
    Meade,

    I can't tell you how I really feel about the Corolla. They would delete the post and send me a nasty email almost immediately. LOL ;)
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Well, my first car was a 1978 Corolla Deluxe 4-door sedan (with that bulletproof 2TC 1.6-liter engine), so I have a soft spot in my heart for the little 'Yota. Cut it some slack and recognize it for the econobox it is. (Ooops, you did.)

    :)

    Meade
  • mudude26mudude26 Member Posts: 3
    Just thought I would throw my two cents in as I just made a purchase. My highest considerations were overall cost of ownership, warranty and I didnt want something that looked or drove like a complete dog. I ended up buying a 05 metallic blue Kia Spectra SX with every available option and MT. So after rebates I paid less than 14 for a car with ABS, power sunroof, aluminum pedals, spoiler, etc.
    So far I have been very happy with my purchase, the dealership was fair but did not seem very to know very much about the specs of the car.
    I have put 1900 miles on the car in two months and the engine seems to be breaking in. The fuel economy has not blown me away yet, as i have only acheived between 27-29 miles per gallon in city driving.
    Compared to other manuals that I have driven or test driven, the trans shifts
    smoothly and the engine accelerates well between 3000 and 6000 rpms.
    As far as looks, I feel that the kia is the best looking small car, especially the sx version which has a standard front and rear spoiler and foglamps. But of course thats subjective and just my opinion.
    Anyways I never thought I would own a korean car, but the overall look, sportiness and unbeatable warranty made it too strong a value proposition to turn down. Kia has also completely revamped its model line to include cars that are very well built and look great on the inside and out.
    Just my two cents, let me know what you think.
    Joe
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Actually 27-29 mpg in city driving for a car with the power of the Spectra is very good--above its EPA estimates. Cars like the Civic and Corolla can do a little better, but also have less power and torque. Also it's very good considering that engine tends to improve its fuel economy even after 1900 miles. The price (was that under $14k out the door?) is really good, too--a comparably-equipped Mazda3 or Civic could easily run $4000+ more.
  • midnightcowboymidnightcowboy Member Posts: 1,978
    The specs are out on the 2006 Civic line; Honda significantly raised the bar.

    NEW WINNER!

    YMMV,

    MiidCow
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Based on specs alone, the Forenza should have done quite well in the Edmunds comparo. It didn't. Proof is in the driving. I expect the new Civic will do quite well there, too, but I'd like to see for myself before anointing the Civic the champ of this class.
  • gibbergibber Member Posts: 41
    Mazda brings out new car, jumps to head of pack.
    Old Honda model still does well.
    Pretty old and cheap Hyundai/Kia does well.
    Old Focus finishes mid pack
    New, spanking fresh, redesigned Cobalt finishes near bottom. So-called much nicer interior is cheaped out again. 24/32 MPG for an economy car? How many times does GM have to set the seats too low?
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    NEW WINNER!

    Yessss, you too can join the herd and drive a Civic! If you like it, by all means buy it!

    Meade
  • mr_ruezmr_ruez Member Posts: 1
    Edmund's sets out to do an Economy Sedan review, and what do they do? They pick the most expensive vehicle with gas mileage worse than many V6 fullsize cars. Please, either reset your priorities when testing "economy cars", i.e., weighted towards ownership costs, or be honest and call the review "Sports Sedan Alternatives".
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Funny how that works, eh? Note they also (I believe) picked the most expensive car tested in the last economy sedans comparo, the Civic EX at nearly $19,000. This year for some reason they tested (in most cases) high-end trim lines of the cars. They used to consider economy sedans "under $15k". Now it's all of a sudden "$16-20k". Those are not economy cars to me. I can buy a car like an Accord, Camry, Altima, Five Hundred, Malibu, or Sonata for that kind of money, e.g. a nicely-equipped Sonata for about $16k.
  • z71billz71bill Member Posts: 1,986
    Its not just Edmunds - most comparisons have flaws.

    The price range of cars - and what options they have is normally the issue.

    Can you really compare two cars (fairly) when one costs almost 25% more? OR compare one company's top of the line model with the others base model?

    Most people feel good when the car they own gets ranked #1 in a "shoot out" - it validates the choice we made. But these are the same people who will slam the comparison as "not worth anything" if their ride gets rated low.

    I have seen some comparisons where they have a mix of manual and auto trannys. Then they slam the automatics - because they are automatics - and praise the manual tranny cars - because they are manual. Just plain dumb.

    I like to read the car mags - see what they have to say in their reviews and comparisons - but only a fool would actually run out and buy a car just because _____ (fill in the blank) rated it high.
  • kurtmkurtm Member Posts: 1
    I have been researching vehicles in the midsize to compact size vehicles via various magazines/websites and car rentals (business travel). The Cobalt had caught my eye, partially as I watch GM try to pick itself up out of mediocrity.

    Frankly I am surprised at the low rating of the Cobalt by Edmunds, since reviews from other sources that gave good or even glowing reviews of the interior. I will second the comments of others that Edmunds did the Cobalt a disservice by comparing a stripped model to upcontent vehicles from the other mfgs. Had it been an LS with Sport package and manual transmission the results may have been different.

    Hopefully I will be able to rent a Mazda3 and Cobalt in the near future and see how they feel after a few hundred miles (dealer test drives don't do cars justice). I may even check out the new Honda, although as a present owner of a Honda Prelude (problem child) I am a bit wary.
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    I am perplexed by one of your statements....

    The current Corolla ranked 3rd of 10 models in Car and Drivers Nov 2002 comparison test of '03 compacts. Thats low? The article cited excellent fuel efficiency, best in test interior materials, large back seat, and best in test acceleration.

    The Elantra placed slightly higher due to an unbeatable portfolio of performance and features.

    The Protege won b/c handling-wise, it was the Bimmer of the group.

    ~alpha
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    At the time of the C/D review in late 2002, the '03 Corolla was the newest design of any of the tested cars. The fact this all-new design came in 3rd to the much older Protege (introduced in '98) and the low-bucks Elantra (introduced in '00) was not a very good showing, IMO. Of course, C/D chose the best-handling car at the top--characteristic for them.
  • ctalkctalk Member Posts: 646
    But in a year it will be one of the oldest small cars. Very tough competition for the 'rolla: Mazda3 (due for mid-gen refresh next fall), an all-new Civic tomorrow, the all-new Elantra and Sentra next year...

    Well, right now the Corolla is selling extremely well. It overtook the Civic in sales and is still climbing.

    Mazda 3 seems to not be selling well in the U.S. but in Canada thats a different story.

    The new Civic is probably the only sedan out of the 4 you listed that may bring down the Corolla's sales. (IMO)
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I think that depends a lot on how good the new Sentra and Elantra are. I have hopes Nissan will finally get its small car right this time. And if Hyundai can improve the Elantra as much as they did the Sonata, and keep the price reasonable, I think it will take some sales from the Corolla (recall it beat the Corolla in the last Edmunds.com small car comparo as well as the last C/D comparo that included both cars).
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    is about to hit the newsletter. Check it out if you haven't already: 2005 Economy Sedan Comparison Test.
  • z71billz71bill Member Posts: 1,986
    Check out the pics of the 2006 civic dash

    http://automobiles.honda.com/civics/index.aspx

    At the least it will stir up strong feelings of love it or hate it -

    I just took the Civic off my short list of cars to consider - so you know my opinion.

    Digital speedometer!
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    For me, it's not so much that the speedo is digital, it's the placement of it. As one reviewer noted, it was blocked by the steering wheel. I used to think Honda's engineers were good with ergonomic design, but now I wonder.
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,147
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    MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
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  • tenpin288tenpin288 Member Posts: 804
    I just had a bad flashback! I thought I was looking at the dash from KIT from Knightrider. That's a TV show I want to forget! :surprise:
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Is that the standard speedo in the new Civic?

    I thought Buick tried all that digital crap years ago and it turned out that analog gauges were better (i.e. more informative peripherally, for one thing)? Why do econo-car owners need one huge tach to look at anyway?

    I can see this maybe in a Prelude, but not in the entry-level car the Civic is. If you're gonna give a college kid one instrument, give 'em a freakin' speedometer -- duplicate it digitally if you hafta, but give 'em a real speedometer! Heck, just a few years ago you couldn't find a tach in an economy car!

    Meade
  • jkobbjkobb Member Posts: 51
    Its the combination of being digital , flashing numbers at you , and being up way too high , that to me would be very annoying . :(
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Yeah ... and white at that. I can't think of anything more distracting at night than an ever-changing white display just below my eyes. Doesn't Honda know white lighting destroys night vision? How about red or a soft green?

    Oh well. It's a Honda. The herd will flock to buy the car in droves without considering other, better cars anyway.

    Meade

    P.S. One other thing. Look at the eighth pic from the left -- the one of the interior looking at the dash from the right-hand side of the back seat. Note that hee-yuge vent just to the right of the instrument cluster -- which, by the way, is not symmetrical with the vent on the other side, which is farther away from the instrument cluster. That vent, if I'm looking at it correctly, is not only HUGE -- it's also positioned right in front of the place where most drivers will place their right hand on the steering wheel. And it's so close to the steering wheel, I doubt changing its direction will have much effect on the driver's right hand constantly being bombarded with cold a/c air! So this car might actually give you a white-knuckled driving experience, but only on your right hand! :P
  • z71billz71bill Member Posts: 1,986
    I think the digital dash became available in the 1970's - it was considered HIGH TECH back then - but most car buyers though it looked stupid. I never owned a car with a digital speedo - but rented several - I did not like it - the dam thing was always jumping around even when I had the cruise control on 69 - 70 - 71 -70 - 69 - 70 - and I think some cars (maybe the T-bird can't recall) even displayed 1/2 MPH - like 75.5 - that was even more annoying!

    The real issue with the system back then was if you had a problem with it the whole dash would go dark - and the cost to fix them was sky high.

    I predict Honda will drop this within 2 model years - because the dealerships will complain about people throwing up during test drives - but knowing Honda's great engineering ability maybe they will keep the digital dash & install an automatic "air sickness bag" system!
  • gandalf17gandalf17 Member Posts: 348
    Looking at the specs for the base sedan Civic are already making me yawn. I really had figured Honda would have stepped up and offered a little more HP grunt than a 140HP SOHC engine, I-VTEC or not... Am curious to know if it is also lacking in the torque department as previous models have, although perhaps not since the sedan's redline is around 6,750rpm. We'll see.

    First impressions...exterior, still looks very much like the current gen Civic. Interior seems okay, at best, certainly not very ergonomic looking in the pics and the gauge placement and design are just ghastly.

    Am also very curious as to whether Honda will continue the recent trend on the Civic of making it more sedentary on the handling side. I used to love Honda, the old Civics and especially the CRX were a blast to drive, but the last 5 years have seen Honda build cars that are less sporty and more comparable (i.e. boring) in the vein of the Corolla. They severely de-tuned the suspension and the Civic's handling characteristics by removing the double-wishbone and placing MacPherson's in the latest gen Civic. I would likely predict that this trend continues and that the Civic will be blended even closer to a Corolla clone.

    It is interesting to see how things have changed among some of the Japanese manufacturers and the approach of their automobiles. At one point, Honda outright dominated the "sporty" econo car segment with the Civic and CRX. Mazda was languishing in some sort of identity crises with a well built old gen Protege/Escort that was really neither very sporty, nor totally boring. Toyota, well...they churned out what they always have, a well-built, but exceptionally boring and dull Corolla. As for Nissan, well, they continue on their quest of trying to find an identity for the Sentra.

    These days, Mazda has redefined themselves and is clearly the leader in the econo segment of cars that are sporty and a total blast to drive. They have greatly succeeded in becoming the BMW of Japan when driving characteristics of their automobiles are taken into account. With Mazda, you feel the road and become a part of the road and driving experience. Honda used to be that way, but has now taken a middle of the road path and have moved more to the concept of isolating drivers from the driving experience. This is the path that Toyota has chosen many years ago to great financial success, but uninspiring vehicles. Then there is Nissan. They are still trying to find the road...... and well, identify it....LOL

    I'll make a couple of other predictions. First, the new Civic will be the most expensive vehicle in its segment when it is released when you factor in similarly equipped vehicles. For instance, a Mazda 3 GT with a Civic EX. Second, regardless of how expensive, boring, ugly or uninspiring the new Civic will be, people will still flock in droves and buy these cars, often without a single test drive. Meade has it pretty accurate that the "herd" will follow. Tiss a shame really, as there are lots of vehicles out there in this segment that merit greater attention and aplomb.

    Lastly, before anyone comes on here trying to extole how the Civic Si blows the competition apart, please don't. First, the Civic Si will be significantly more expensive than any of the other Civic's and will not be priced anywhere near the other cars in this class segment, including the Mazda 3 GT Sport. This is based simply on how Honda priced out all other gens of Civic's vs. their Si's and what is known as the SiR here in Canada. Econo shoppers are not going to be buying the Civic Si or SiR, plain and simple. This therefore, does not make it an equitable comparison point. If you like, compare apples to apples. For instance, the Civic Si with the Mazdaspeed3, Neon SRT or the Corolla XRS, or something or other.

    All that said, even though I hate the way it looks, I do very much like the specs of the Civic Si from an engine/tranny and suspension set-up. This seems to follow more along the lines of Honda having at least one Civic that returns to it's sporty roots. However, I'll hold my final judegment until I see the sticker price for this puppy. In Canada, I'm thinking the Si(R) will be priced pretty comparable to the WRX and without the financing deals. If so, I already know which car I would take and it ain't the Si(R).

    Be well.

    Tim
  • smariasmaria Member Posts: 279
    exterior, still looks very much like the current gen Civic

    Possibly, but I actually like it much LESS than the current Civics. I know that some people will like the way the new Civic looks...I mean, somebody must have liked it, or else they wouldn't have designed it that way.

    But, as for me, I absolutely hate it. Mostly the front grille design is what turns me off, but I also think that they ruined the back end compared to earlier models. No way I'd even test drive a 2006 Civic unless it looks much better in person than it does in the pictures.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    2006 Civic (non-Si) engine:

    140 hp @ 6300 rpm
    128 lb-ft @ 4300 rpm

    2006 Mazda3s:

    160 hp @ 6500 rpm
    150 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm

    Meade
  • gandalf17gandalf17 Member Posts: 348
    Thanks Meade. Well, I guess that answered my question. Suppose I already knew the answer anyway. LOL. I really do hate what they have been doing to the Civic since the 2000 model year onwards.

    So, basically, the new Civic kind of fits in nicely in the middle of the road segment in terms of grunt with most of its competitors. It certainly is nothing outstanding and will likely be largely decontented unless one chooses to pay the Honda premium for the EX. So be it...prepare to be assimilated. Resistance is futile.
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    It might not answer your question- the Civic's numbers are tested using the newer SAE methodology and are consequently "SAE Certified". Are the Mazda 3's?

    backy- I guess we differ, but a 3rd place finish out of 10 doesnt and didnt strike me badly- simply because a car is new doesnt mean its the best, and the 'Rolla still be out the 10 Best Focus and posted some of the best performance numbers. Note however, that issue was prior to Car and Drivers moving to a tally point system in the comparison tests... its about time for a rematch anyway......

    not for anything, i really think edmunds.com comparos kinda suck, with the only exception being the recent Sonata v. Camcord.

    ~alpha
  • jsmspecialjsmspecial Member Posts: 1
    The Mazda 3 model that fit this comparison much better was the Mazda 3i. It comes with many of the same features that set the 3s apart from this crowd and it comes with a 2 liter engine which gets better gas mileage than all the others in this test including the Civic. The Mazda 3s' 2.3 liter engine is in another category.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Oh, I agree, and I know a few other of us here do too. But we've learned not to question the wisdom of the Great Edmunds!

    Tim said it best ...

    Resistance is Futile, LOL!

    Meade
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    the new Civic kind of fits in nicely in the middle of the road segment in terms of grunt with most of its competitors ... These days, Mazda has redefined themselves and is clearly the leader in the econo segment of cars that are sporty and a total blast to drive ... With Mazda, you feel the road and become a part of the road and driving experience. Honda used to be that way, but has now taken a middle of the road path and have moved more to the concept of isolating drivers from the driving experience. This is the path that Toyota has chosen many years ago to great financial success, but uninspiring vehicles.

    You're right Honda, by offering reliable, fuel-efficient, safe and not unattractive cars, is aiming for the middle because they, like Toyota and many other manufacturers, see the profits there. Since both Honda and Toyota also offer racing versions of their econo-boxes and have prestige brands (Acura and Lexus) they cover a wide spectrum of the market. So, where does that leave Mazda? They have no racing version available yet (Mazdaspeed3 is due in 2006 or later) and have no prestige brand. My sense is that Mazda would love to have Honda/Toyota's problems; their situation is trickier, being owned by Ford and having to fit into a global strategy not of their making. In this reading, Ford is offering the car for the masses, the Focus, and Mazda is offering a niche vehicle. Auto manufacturers do not work in a vacuum; depending on where the competition, fuel prices and national pressures go, they survive or not. Mazda has faced the brink several times since the 1970s. Being a happy Mazda vehicle owner, I hope they make the right decisions. Driving in the middle of the road is usually the safest course.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I saw something interesting when I stopped at my local Honda dealer today to drive the new Civic. Since I was being ignored by the sales staff :mad: , I mosied over to a rack of brochures to see if I could find one on the '06 Civic. No luck. But on top of the rack I saw something that caught my eye: a stand-up, full-color, direct comparison of the Civic to the Kia Spectra. It was spiral-bound. The title was something like "Why Civic is better than Spectra". This was professionally done, on card stock. I had limited time so I went off in search of a sales rep to get a test drive (which I did, and he was quite knowledgable and helpful). But I thought it was interesting that for a company that, to the outside world, does not acknowledge the competitive threat by Kia (and Hyundai, based on Edmunds' recent report on the importance of the new Civic to Honda in which they noted Honda didn't mention any Korean cars as competitors to the Civic), they clearly have some people in Competitive Marketing who are paying close attention to Kia, and who are sending weapons like this one to Honda dealers.

    BTW, the '06 Civic LX is a nice piece of work, and will win over its share of small-car buyers. But for about the same money I'll take the Mazda3i Touring with the Safety package, please. Or maybe I'll just wait for the Honda Fit and get even better economy and utility than the Civic, for much less money.
  • banjoecbanjoec Member Posts: 5
    I recently test drove all 3 cars before purchasing. Mazda was the car I wanted. Best ride and accelleration. Elantra had more zip than the Honda. My decision came down to $$$. Mazda was not offering any incentives. To equip the other 2 cars with all the standard features that the Elantra's have, would inflate the price 3-4K more than the Elantra.
    I not saying the Hyundai is a better car. Just a better deal.
    If money was no concern, I would have picked the Mazda.
  • z71billz71bill Member Posts: 1,986
    Are you sure about that last statement? "If money was no concern, I would have picked the Mazda"

    Why not pick an LX 430 or a MB S class? Or go for the Porsche 911?

    My point is for 99.9% of buyers - money is always a major part of the equation.

    I know a few people who have more money than they can spend - but they still drive "normal" cars - they still care about value for their money. One very well off guy refuses to buy a new car - he says that the best deal is a 1-2 year old car that still has a few years left on the warranty. Most people that end up with piles of cash did not get there by spending loads on new cars.

    That is one reason I went with the Mazdsa3 - it is 1/2 the price of some of the cars I looked at but still has 95% of the features & performance.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    I'm sure banjoec meant if money was no concern among the three vehicles he test drove - and among the vehicles that are the subject of this discussion. ;)
  • mudude26mudude26 Member Posts: 3
    Thought this post was really interesting as I am a Current 05 spectra sx owner, and a former driver of a current gen 01-05 civic coupe.
    The civic sedan always struck me as really small and bland, despite its engine and build quaility, although I do really like the updated gauges in the Special Edition.
    My Kia seemed to be roomier, quicker and at least as well built as the current civic. Im sure this will change with the release of the 06 civic, but I have my car in the driveway today and love it.
    The pricing incentives and warranty made it a no brainer when I compared all factors with the competition. Unlike the model tested in this comparo, I purchased the spectra sx manual with every option. This model is undoubtedly more fun to drive than an auto that has substantially less content. For another interesting read check out Motor trend from June's 'City Lites' comparo of small cars that picked the Kia over both american competitors, but also picked the 3 as the top in its class.
    To sum up this ramble, the new Spectra is a competent, fun and very well built sedan, and a strong competitor to the 05 civic.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Have you looked at the '06 Civic? It is really a classy car--but $17k for a stick-shift sedan with decent equipment (a/c, power package, ABS, side bags/curtains). Spectra EX will undercut that by at least a couple thousand, plus discounts and incentives. I think the new Civic is a nicer ride than the Spectra, but as was expressed in an earlier post, is it $4000 better? That is big money for most buyers in this class (except those who are also shopping $30k cars). Those who "gotta have a Honda" or who trade cars every 2-3 years will probably go for the Civic. And if the Civic earns top crash-test scores, which I expect it will, that will be another reason to ante up for it compared to cars like the Spectra.
  • spmrebelspmrebel Member Posts: 130
    I would think they would think Elantra would be a bigger threat since it has higher sales than Spectra and more penetration in NA.

    Anway, its good that Honda is taking notice of the Spectra since I think it is definitetly a formidable competitor. It was for my girlfriend who bought a Spectra instead of a Civic.

    Happy motoring
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Maybe people who shop for a Civic will consider an Elantra, but since there is now a major disparity between the two cars in safety equipment (less so with the Spectra), fuel economy (Civic is 25% better than Elantra with automatics), and interior accoutrements, I think the real competition between Civic and Elantra will come when the next-gen Elantra debuts next year. Still, there are those people (like me) who will still consider the Elantra because of its value for the dollar, and the availability of a 5-door which Civic doesn't offer in the U.S.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Here's the NHTSA crash and rollover test ratings for the 2006 model cars in this group. The Civic hasn't been tested yet. The ratings are the number of stars in this order: driver front, passenger front, side (front), side (rear), and rollover. "SAB" indicates the tests were done with side bags and/or curtains installed. "N" means Not Tested.

    Cobalt: 4/5/3/4/4
    Corolla: 5/5/4/4/4
    Elantra (SAB): 5/4/5/4/4
    Focus: 5/4/3/4/4
    Forenza (SAB): 4/4/N/N/4
    Mazda3: 4/4/3/3/4
    Spectra (SAB): 4/4/4/3/4

    Note that the Corolla and Elantra have the highest overall scores, even though the Corolla was tested without SABs. Note also there is a "safety concern" flagged for the Focus 2-door (ratings above are for the 4-door).

    http://www.safercar.gov/

    On IIHS tests (for 2005 models only), the Cobalt came out best overall on front, side, and rear impacts (when equipped with SABs). The Corolla was 2nd, again with SABs. No other small cars have received better than "Poor" on the IIHS side impact test. All cars listed above except the Forenza and Spectra received a "Good" score on the IIHS frontal offset crash test.

    http://www.iihs.org/ratings/summary.aspx?class=40

    It will be interesting to see what the new Civic gets on crash tests, since it's the only car in its class to offer standard SABs, SACs, and active front head restraints.
  • iwantonetooiwantonetoo Member Posts: 86
    I know you are happy with Hyundai and you seem to be open minded toward its competition. How do you think a Hyundai will compare to Honda, Toyota and Mazda when they are all 5-7 years old? Will the reliability be there? Will they hold up as well as their Japanese counterparts? For now it looks like the resale won't be comparable, but in the future it may get better. They are surely a company on the rise. Thoughts, opinions, ideas....
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    How do you think a Hyundai will compare to Honda, Toyota and Mazda when they are all 5-7 years old? Will the reliability be there? Will they hold up as well as their Japanese counterparts? For now it looks like the resale won't be comparable, but in the future it may get better.

    You hit the nail on the head; reliability is still the outstanding question for Korean cars. Most people that I know would not buy a 5 to 7 year old Hyundai today; but, in a few years the situation may have changed and buying a used Sonata won't be pathetique. ;)
  • z71billz71bill Member Posts: 1,986
    Is the original Hyundai warranty transferable?

    If it is the 10 year 100K miles powertrain coverage should help resale - give a person that is buying a 5-7 year old car some comfort.
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    If it is the 10 year 100K miles powertrain coverage should help resale - give a person that is buying a 5-7 year old car some comfort.
    Good point, Bill.
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