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Honda Accord vs. Toyota Camry vs. Volkswagen Passat

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Comments

  • midnightcowboymidnightcowboy Member Posts: 1,978
    Simple explanation-

    Traction control is when you are accelerating. If one wheel begins to slip or spin the power is transferred to the other wheel. This gives you better acceleration in slippery conditions or if you are accelerating hard. It also hlps reduce torque steering and loss of traction. However, on very loose surfcaes, example gravel, dirt you will still probably spin if you don't take off very easy.

    Stability control usually works in conjunction with your ABS braking system. It provides steering control by braking the wheel that is skidding or beginning to skid. On front wheel drive cars what happens without stability control is you go into a turn too fast and instead of turning the car keeps going straight. with stability control the car brakes the inside front wheel and you turn as intended. This is especaily helful and useful if you are driving normally and you hit water, slush, a patch of ice, a slick spot and temporarily and unexpectedly lose control; stability control will save your bacon in these cases. Bear in mind stability braking can only do so much and it can't oversome the laws of physics . For example if you try to take a 35 mph corner at highway speed, you are still probably going to go straight whether you have stability control or not.

    Rear wheel drive ( not Hondas except S2000) is a little different instead of going straight the rear end swings out in the opposite direction of your intended turn and you either spin-around or end up turning sharper than you intended.

    Now there is another benefit of stability control. Most SUVs have a high center of gravity and are driven at speeds that are unstable for sporty handling. Many SUVs are subject to roll-over, but some more advance stabiltiy systmes such as Volvo actually detect and prevent pending roll-over.

    Again, stability systems will correct situations within certain limits, but cannot ovecoem the laws of physics, specifically Newton's second lwas that mass which is in motion tend to stay in motion in the same direction and same speed.

    Hoep this helps, I kind-of-sort-of rambled through the explanation.

    Cheers,

    MidCow - Mellow and Throaty Borla! Borla! Borla!
  • passatownerpassatowner Member Posts: 16
    I own a 2002 Passat, and the "minor" issues are taking up a MAJOR amount of my time. I've had both headlight bulbs replaced, a belt replaced, and I am now being told I need new CV Axles (for a grand total of $1,500+). Of course the CV axles are considered "normal wear and tear" (at 16,500 miles average per year) so they're not covered under the warranty. The bulbs won't be covered under warranty when they need to be replaced two years from now (they would have cost over $150 if not under warranty). I'm trading my Passat in - the ride is nice, the car looks great, but it's just not worth the inconvenience and lack of reliability. I know the Service Manager at my local VW dealership by name, and that's just ridiculous.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Hi natalie1 - we have the information here that you are looking for. You can use the Browse by Message Board drop down on the left to navigate to the "Prices Paid" message board where you will find applicable discussions on all those vehicles, or you can look up all the discussions on each vehicle with the Browse by Vehicle feature that is also on the left.

    You can also go to the "Go To" boxes at the top of the page to find more info on each of those vehicles.

    Hope this helps!
  • venus537venus537 Member Posts: 1,443
    the new jetta's interior space is on par with the current passat. the new jetta is essentially replacing the current passat while the new passat grows larger and goes upstream status wise.

    you may want to wait till this fall when the new passat debuts. also, i have a strong hunch that the 06 accord will be available with stability control.
  • 600kgolfgt600kgolfgt Member Posts: 690
    The enthusiasm shown in these forums for VWs, Hondas, Toyotas, etc. is a reflection of an appreciation for automotive manufacturers with an engineering-first philosophy (notice that the senior management from the European, Japanese and Korean manufacturers come from an engineering background) which tends to flow throughout these organizations.

    The same, however, cannot be said of the Big Three manufacturers (whose senior management tend to come from marketing, business or financial backgrounds), with "Badge Engineering" as their engineering philosophy (i.e. taking the same automotive platform and making subtle changes to produce other models - e.g: Chevy, Buick, Pontiac, the late Oldsmobile, etc. Their decision to concentrate on the high-profit SUVs and pickup trucks (especially in the face of ever-escalating oil prices) is coming back to haunt them - BIG TIME -
    as the Japanese, Europeans, and Koreans have basically pulled the rug out from under the Big Three in every other automotive segment - compact cars, fuel-efficient hybrids and diesels, family sedans, sports sedans, and SUVs (and the gap is starting to close in the pickup truck segment as well).

    Adding to the dwindling market share of the Big Three is demographics - the majority of their customer base is now entering old age, and the younger drivers are increasingly visiting the showrooms of Japanese, European and Korean manufacturers (especially the tuner crowd).

    Bottom line - car buyers tend to be increasingly well-informed these days, so all the marketing gimmicks and smoke and mirrors in the world can no longer hide mediocrity. Intense competition in the automotive world nowadays will serve to benefit us as consumers. And that is not a bad thing...
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Interesting comments, but they really don't belong in this discussion where we are specifically comparing the subject vehicles. Why don't you check out the discussions on our News & Views board? I think you'll find an appropriate place to continue this line of conversation. Or if there isn't one, feel free to fire up a new discussion.

    Have fun!
  • midnightcowboymidnightcowboy Member Posts: 1,978
    Stability control on the 2006 Accord ,along with heated mirrors (already available in Canada), memory seats, and Xexon lights will probably not appear on the Accord because it would eat into Acura TL and TSX sales.

    One wonders if the Acura/Honda line will erro get trully automatic headlights ??

    I am curious as to what you attribute your "stron hunch" too on 2006 Accord having stability control.

    Thanks,

    MidCow
  • venus537venus537 Member Posts: 1,443
    perhaps from honda PR - safety for everyone campaign. make sense to me that stability control would be made available at the "face lift" stage of the accord's cycle. we'll see....
  • lmacmillmacmil Member Posts: 1,758
    Best way to decide is drive both back to back and pay close attention to the things that are important to you. You can use Edmunds or other sites to do feature comparison. Each has things the other doesn't.
  • brozhnikbrozhnik Member Posts: 172
    Didn’t want to not have anyone mention the new study on fatalities per vehicle by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. http://www.iihs.org/srpdfs/sr4003.pdf -
    the car-insurance industry’s safety testing researcher. It looked at 1999-2002 model cars – 199 of them – and measured fatalities per year from 2000-03. The VW Passat was by far the safest sedan (below the luxury class) – 16 fatalities per year per million cars. The Camry and Accord were far behind. The only safer car was luxury class- the Mercedes E, which costs a lot more (it had 10 fatalities per vehicle).

    The average vehicle had 87 fatalities, and the average midsize sedan 76. The worst vehicle of all was the Chevy Blazer 2-wheel drive, with 308. Don’t let your kids in one of those.

    The study did control for gender differences, but has the usual caveats: (1) are people who buy Passats unusually safe drivers? (2) Since 2002, the Accord’s had a major redesign which greatly improved its safety, and the Camry also had a redesign (was it 2002?).

    But I’d say even now that the Passat is a very safe car: excellent handling (keeping you out of trouble) and crashworthiness (if you get into trouble), plus being on the forefront with the important safety features for very little extra cost (notably stability control and head-curtain airbags – both have been found in non-VW research to hugely improve safety. The Camry has these, but not from the base model up, unlike the Passat, and these features cost a lot more on a Camry, but not much more on a Passat. The Accord doesn’t yet have stability control, though I’m sure it will in 06). Anyway, credit where it’s due: as of the ’02 models, the Passat was a standout for safety.
  • bibeliciosbibelicios Member Posts: 1
    While fun to drive, our 2000 Passat, 103,000 miles is a major headache when it comes to repairs. If you plan on keeping this car for a while - be careful. Repairs and normal maintenence are very, very expensive. $700 + for the timing belt I believe is ridiculous. For the 5 years we have had the car it has cost us over $4,000 in repairs plus two recalls. Make sure you get your oil changed regularly - we didn't and it voided the warranty at 60,000 miles with a repair costing over $1,200.
    The dealer gave us absolutely no consideration. Compare this to my Toyota dealership that unable to fix a couple of oil leaks (last year), gave me a new engine when my 1997 Camary had 185,000 miles on it. My next car will be a Camary.
  • krzysskrzyss Member Posts: 849
    buy it.
    Are you sure that dealership gave you a new engine? Maybe it was included in labor ? ;-)
    How much money did you spend for maintenance on your 1997 Camary(sp)?

    Krzys
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    What kind of interval did you have between oil changes?
  • ljwalters1ljwalters1 Member Posts: 294
    my 2001.5 passat ran great, and I changed the oil every 5k mi. Virtually all my miliage is city mi.
  • 600kgolfgt600kgolfgt Member Posts: 690
    I'll bet the majority of the labor cost on the Passat involves removing the front bumper (due to the longitudinal mounted engine).
  • midnightcowboymidnightcowboy Member Posts: 1,978
    a 1975 Chevrolet Monza with the V8. You had to drop the engine to change the plugs :(

    Seriously, I doubt that they take off the front bumper to change the timing belt. Many dealers like to charge an excessive amount of labor on timing belt changes. In addition amny also change the water pump at the same time and include that in the cost.

    YMMV,

    MidCow
  • 600kgolfgt600kgolfgt Member Posts: 690
    >a 1975 Chevrolet Monza with the V8. You had to drop the engine to change the plugs :(

    ...or for that matter, the air-cooled Porche 911s...
  • supcrdssupcrds Member Posts: 11
    >>>>>

    Why do you think there will be a freshening in 06? Honda has made it a habit to freshen in the 3rd year and replace after 4 years, when a model has gone 5 years there have been very few changes in the 5th year (or the 4th year for that matter). The current Accord is in its 3rd year and 06 will be it's final year if Honda follows pattern (they did not follow in the last generation, 98 thru 02) The 05 Accord has gotten it's required tail light redesign and new rims, other than the hybrid what real changes were there for 05?
  • anonymouspostsanonymousposts Member Posts: 3,802
    Side curtain airbags were made standard in all Accords for 05.

    Following past Accord history there will be more changes in store for 2006.

    1990-1993 Accord: In 92 they changed the rear tail light design, added more power to EX versions, and changed a few things in the interior (armrest, steering wheel changed due to driver front air bag being added).

    1994-1997 Accord: V6 added in 95 requiring a slight redesign of the hood to give more room in the engine compartment. They freshened the exterior in 1996 and offered a 25th anniversary edition (basically a DX with body-colored trim outside. In 1997 they added the SE which was a dressed up LX.

    1998 - 02 Accord: Slight changes throughout such as the addition of folding side mirrors in 99 and a new cloth seat pattern. 00 saw side airbags made standard on EX-L and EX V6 models. There were also a few color changes. In 2001 the front and rear saw freshened design and they added a 6-disc changer and steering wheel audio controls to 4 cylinder EX models.

    Guess my point is that minor changes/updates throughout the model cycle are expected but history does show that there will be a more significant update in the Accord's 4th model year.
  • wupotwupot Member Posts: 3
    I just bought a 05 EX after having a Passat for 7 years. The passat was fun drive but not fun to own. Too many problems which took too much time and too much money. VW has a lot of quality problems right now.
  • maxamillion1maxamillion1 Member Posts: 1,467
    The Accord will get its significant facelift for MY2006.

    I expect a revised front end...new wheel covers and/or alloy wheels for certain trim levels.

    And we will see additional features added as well, probably.

    The way things are going with my Altima (A girl hit my car last night in the parking lot at school)...looks like I am not having the best of luck with her.

    As soon as I graduate, I am getting something else....I am just tired of the car ;)

    I am getting a Maxima next :)
  • cbell1cbell1 Member Posts: 5
    "Lead me to the place you refer to on the "net" that say's VWs burn oil."

    How about here: Beetle Reviews

    First, I want to say that my wife wanted a New Beetle and I did some research and we are certainly not getting one now due partly to the reviews at carreview.com. I am aware that people with problems are usually the loudest but when you compare a sample of reviews about the Accord to reviews about the Beetle, there is a stark difference that illustrates the extremely poor quality of at least one of VW's products. By the way, the great majority of positive reviews about the Beetle are from people who have owned the car for less than 3 months. Below are some quotes referring to burning oil.

    "THIS CAR IS FUN TO DRIVE, BUT HAS MANY PROBLEMS. THE WORST PROBLEM IS THAT IT BURNS A LOT OF OIL. ( I NEVER HAD A NEW CAR THAT I HAD TO ADD OIL TO IT).ON A TRIP FROM NEW YORK TO MIAMI THE OIL WELL GOT EMPTY(YES, EMPTY)THAT WAS A SHOCK TO ME."

    "I bought this car and thought it would be a great car that would last. 2 weeks after buying it my oil light came on. I checked the oil to find there was NONE!!! I put 4 qts of oil in it and took it to the dealer. They said nothing was wrong. Its been in the shop 3 times for different things in 3 months. 5 days ago again the oil light came on and once again no oil!! I put oil in it a checked it today.....1 qt left! I called the cooperate office and they said the car is normal and it will go through atleast 1 to 2 qts. of oil per 1000 miles."

    "Oh did I mention an oil burner."

    "Loves its oil." -This was from one of the rare positive reviews

    "Uses more oil than I would have imagined."

    "I usually am down a quart of oil, every 2500-3000 miles."

    "Numerous problems from taillight being out, faulty exhaust, burning oil..."

    "Burns a bit more oil than I'd like."

    "As for any other problems.. other than the common oil issue, the inside door handles chipping, and the console breaking.. I guess it would be a flawless car?"

    "Burns oil."

    "Burns oil...had to add a quart after 2000 miles..."

    "Three weeks after getting the car, my "Check Oil" light started flashing, I didn't know what was wrong until I found the car had NO oil!"

    "the car is a lush...burns too much oil!"

    "Major oil consumption"

    "burned oil like nobody's business beginning day one!"

    "worst car ever. it's like driving a bomb only it new!!! checking and filling oil constantly that just disappears."

    "i stop everyone that has one and 9 out of 10 times i hear the oil story and other horror stories...ask around yourself if you don't believe me!"

    "car has 22,000 miles. Two clutches, engine burns alot of oil"

    "The car burned oil from the day I got it. It would run out of oil before I needed an oil change." "As far as the car burning massive amounts of oil my dealership says that is perfectly normal and that I should be checking and filling my oil w/ every other gas fill up."

    "Also, i have noticed the oil burning problem as well and it is really lucky i just thought to look one day. The thing was not even registering on the dipstick!! So now i check it all the time. Out of all the junky old cars i have had, NOTHING ever used this much oil. A good 1-2 quarts between changes. I can go on but its the same stuff you all experience."

    Alright, I have about 50 more reviews to sift through but I think that's enough quotes to get the point across.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    The Beetle is not part of the topic here.

    If folks want to research posts about oil burning in Passats, all they need to do is use the search features on the left side of the page.
  • cbell1cbell1 Member Posts: 5
    I was responding to bjbird2's request which was not specific to the passat. You are right about it not being on topic, but if you will check post #1679, it is not specific to the models in this topic either. I found this thread via google and felt I had to chime in.

    BTW, I'm getting a Accord Coupe V6 w/Navi in a couple of weeks to replace my Integra GS-R. Can't wait.
  • maxamillion1maxamillion1 Member Posts: 1,467
    But are you waiting for the 06 Accord EXV6 6spd or getting a left over 05???

    06s should be here by the end of August right?
  • bjbird2bjbird2 Member Posts: 647
    Check Edmunds comparo of the Accord, Camry and Hyundai Sonata. You might change your mind about the Accord, and save yourself a few thousand dollars.

    http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Comparos/articleId=106434

    The 2006 Passat is pricing itself out of this category, so probably shouldn't be part of this comparison in the future.
  • cbell1cbell1 Member Posts: 5
    An '06 would be nice but I am guessing I would not get as good a deal on an '06. I have a quote for $25,220 for an '05 Accord EXV6 AT w/Nav which I figure is a pretty good deal. Does anyone know what interior changes are planned for '06? I spend a lot of time driving on the highway so I am not so concerned with the outside of the car.

    Sorry for the off-topicness of this post.
  • cbell1cbell1 Member Posts: 5
    Actually, my wife drives a '04 Accord EX and I'm the driver whenever we go somewhere together. She's had it for a year and it's got 30,000 miles on it (we both commute). It still drives like a brand new car. I'm really impressed by this car which is why I'm getting one as well. I'm getting a coupe so it's not quite so obvious we are driving the same car. ;)
  • maxamillion1maxamillion1 Member Posts: 1,467
    But I am sure Honda will do a few changes to the inside. But the majority of the changes will come to the outside.

    I am sure we'll see LEDs on all the Accords, even the lowly DX. Also look for heated outside mirrors and VSC on V6 models.

    I really wish I knew what changes were being made to the inside. Maybe the radio design will get changed like the 01 Accord got.

    Either way, we'll have to wait and see.

    Also, don't really think you'll have much a problem getting a good deal on the 06 Accord. The way the market is going right now, EVERYBODY is dealing. Especially if you live in a large city (or near one)

    As a matter of fact, when I got my car (05 Altima 2.5S) I paid around invoice for it, had I drove three hours and went to Atlanta, I could have gotten a 3.5SE for the same price.

    I'm sure you'll be able to get a killer deal on the 06, even if its fresh on the lot. But you know what's best for you.

    Good luck with the purchase.
  • ragdollgirlragdollgirl Member Posts: 66
    After much, much research and burning the midnight oil checking into different cars, I chose the Camry XLE V6. I didn't even try the Accord because I heard from lots of sources that the Accord has a stiffer ride than the Camry and I am a stickler for a smooth, quiet ride. The Passat was out of the question after I found out the horrible reliability of VW. I had test-driven a Passat almost 2 years ago and liked it, but didn't know much about it. Since finding out how expensive they are to maintain, forget it! Even my mechanic warned me away from VWs. He hammered on me to either buy a Honda or a Toyota. Well, the Camry it is, and I love it so far (has about 1300 miles).
  • fredvhfredvh Member Posts: 857
    I assume you did not take a ride in the Honda? Congratulations on the new Camry! You do have a very nice car there. What kind of mpg are you getting? Did you try the 4-cylinder Camry?
  • greg88greg88 Member Posts: 2
    I owned a Accord EX V6 for 5 years (1996 model) and got rid of it when the alignment got messed up after getting the tires replaced, it would have cost more than I wanted to spend (over 2K)... I got a 2001.5 passat (1.8T) and will get rid of it in a few months...
    Both cars cost about the same (around 24K)
    The accord was a decent car, very comfortable, reliable and cheap to maintain, but not a great acceleration, a did not corner well.

    The passat is very comfortable, great amenities, hug the road nicely. What I hate about the car is the lag of the turbo if I keep it on automatic (I have Tiptronic), the small rear passenger leg room and that piece of plastic protecting the engine under the car. I have had to replace it twice. This car was build for German roads which are a lot better and where a lower clearance is not a problem. But here, with the speed bumps, abrupt inclines, the undercariage gets scratched all the time and this cheap piece of plastic does not hold its own. Any trip to the repair shop will cost you a lot more in a Passat that a Accord.

    Have the Honda's improved their tractions and cornering? What about Camry's?
  • bdoonbdoon Member Posts: 4
    I owned the 75 Monza with 8 cyl and don't remember that but I only owned it one year...it was too much power for the tiny car...very fast but at high speed the suspension, steering etc could not handle well...ok at straight ahead driving though.

    Do you own Audi A4?
  • 600kgolfgt600kgolfgt Member Posts: 690
    > Do you own Audi A4?

    Actually, I own a 2003 Jetta Wolfsburg 1.8T...
  • janetlacrossejanetlacrosse Member Posts: 20
    I am also trying to decide between the camry/passat/sonata(hyandai)
    I LOVED test driving the passat and thought I had finally decided until I started reading edmund review/kelly blue book, this one,etc.
    How dejected I felt, when I really really wanted to buy the 2002 passat, but I can't justify the cool, smooth ride with the probable upcoming repair/maintenance costs.
    So,,,,probably going with the Camry LE 2004, pearl white or black. Found one in town for 16,000 with 24,000 miles on the white and 36,000 on the black. LOVE the black, but only when it's clean, and the white looks top notch at all times, so I guess my heart that is with the passat will have to wait a few years, and I will go with the camry, which is still a very very nice ride. Glad your happy with your camry, hoping I will be too!!!!!!! :)
  • jefferygjefferyg Member Posts: 418
    I believe this thread is supposed to be comparing Accord/Camry/Passat, so let me give you my honest opinion. You simply get more with the Passat. My wife and I have been driving Hondas (2 Accords and 1 Civic) for thirteen years. We wanted something bigger than the 03 Civic we had and were considering going back to the Accord. But my brother sells VWs in Memphis and he talked us into coming up to see him and checking out the Passat before we traded.

    I went online before going to look at the VW and compared every possible detail between the Accord/Camry/Passat. They have many similarities in options, size, etc. But the real difference came once I got behind the wheel of the Passat. The car is absolutely fun to drive! It's a near perfect melding together of all the things a family sedan should be. And we got a great deal on it too!

    VW has been much maligned because of past reliability issues. The word I got on this is that part of the problem VW has had has been due to problems with the wiring harnesses it was getting from another company. Their contract has expired with this particular company and they have gone back to manufacturing their own parts.

    Some have also berated the VW warranty. Our new car came with a four-year/50,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty. True it's still less than half of Hyudai's warranty, but it is twice as much car.

    One other thing about the new Passat that I've noticed is that it does turn heads. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but to me the Accord and Camry are both a bit bland when compared with the Passat.

    Before you buy your next car I encourage you to at least give the Passat a look.
  • haefrhaefr Member Posts: 600
    "Our new car came with a four-year/50,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. True it's still less than half of Hyudai's warranty, but it is twice as much car."

    Minor point of correction: Hyundai's bumper-to-bumper warranty is "only" 5 yrs./60,000 miles. The extended powertrain warranty that covers the engine and transmission to 10 yrs./100,000 miles kicks in after expiration of the bumper-to-bumper warranty. I hope your new Passat rewards your initial enthusiasm with many miles and years of reliable motoring enjoyment. Keep us posted - I'd like nothing better than to add the VW Passat to my short list of cars under consideration in late 2008.
  • jefferygjefferyg Member Posts: 418
    Well, you learn something new every day. I didn't know that about the Hyundai's warranty. BTW, The Passat's powertrain warranty goes to 5 years/60,000 miles and it has a 12 year unlimited mileage rust warranty, which is particularly important if you live in a coastal area or where roads are regularly salted in the winter.

    What all this means is that the Passat has a better warranty than any of the other cars discussed in this thread.
  • yodaroniyodaroni Member Posts: 23
    Hold it

    You really can't compare the 06 Passat to the hyundai, you are comparing apples to oranges, there is a reason you need a 10 year warranty with the Hyundai (you need it)

    The Passat is superior in every way, you are comparing German engineering drivers car to Korean ?????????

    If you are thinking about the Hyundai you really don't know or appreciate what the Passat is. Its the safest car out there and its truly a drivers car.

    I also say go drive one and you will feel what a truely German car drive like.

    Otherwise go buy that Korean car :lemon: , consider yourself warned. :)
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Its the safest car out there

    On what basis? Certainly not proven reliability.
  • jefferygjefferyg Member Posts: 418
    You need to go back to my previous message, #1759, and read it. We just bought an 06 Passat. My comment about the Hyundai was actually quite tonge-in-cheek.
  • yodaroniyodaroni Member Posts: 23
    Sorry Jefferyg, I answered the wrong post, yes I did go back and read your post.
  • yodaroniyodaroni Member Posts: 23
    Based on the new Jetta crash tests, which was one of the best, the Passat is built on the same chasis but a longer wheel base and is 57% more rigid due to laser welding.

    Also the amount of airbags, abs, esp, auto hold and all the features you get standard.

    Yes, it did have some issues but like any car out there with a lot of tech, even the Toyota hybrid was recalled for some issues.

    So, yeah go buy that Korean thing, you will be :cry: ing
  • jefferygjefferyg Member Posts: 418
    Since when can you prove the reliability of a brand new car? The only thing the 06 Passat has in common with the previous generation is the name. Besides, the comment was regarding safety, and if you interpret that as "occupant safety", which I believe yoda was referrring to, then you're hard pressed to find anything on the market that is safer, especially in the particular market segment.
  • corkstercorkster Member Posts: 2
    I am afraid the actual crash test data for the 2006 Hyundai Sonata vs. the 2006 Jetta is decidedly in the Hyundai's favor. Compare

    http://www.safercar.gov/NCAP/Cars/3754.html

    and

    http://www.safercar.gov/NCAP/Cars/3597.html

    I doubt that I will buy a Hyundai Sonata; I don't like its fuel economy profile vs the competing Honda and VW models, but its NHTSA safety rating is stellar.

    I am considering buying an 06 Passat but I am concerned about VW's mediocre reliability ratings. I don't buy jefferyg's faulty wiring harness explanation. Past VW's have had significant reliability problems in areas unrelated to the wiring harness. Moreover, any Japanese manufacturer would have immediately addressed supplier quality problems instead of waiting until the supply contract expired.
  • yodaroniyodaroni Member Posts: 23
    quote (( I doubt that I will buy a Hyundai Sonata; I don't like its fuel economy profile vs the competing Honda and VW models, but its NHTSA safety rating is stellar. ))

    I don't understand what you mean, the Sonata is 24/33 MPG rating is better than the Passat 22/31?

    I say go buy the Sonata
  • ctalkctalk Member Posts: 646
    I doubt that I will buy a Hyundai Sonata; I don't like its fuel economy profile vs the competing Honda and VW models, but its NHTSA safety rating is stellar.
    I personally do not trust NHSTA when it comes to side impact crashes. I trust IIHS more.

    NHTSA counts only forces on the thorax and pelvis toward the ratings, even though head injuries cause the most deaths in real-world side impact crashes. Also, the barrier only stimulates the front end of a car, not a truck or SUV, therefore it is not high enough to strike the dummies head.
  • jefferygjefferyg Member Posts: 418
    On the one hand you say:
    So, yeah go buy that Korean thing, you will be :cry: ing

    And then you say: I say go buy the Sonata

    I checked your profile and you're from AL which means you can't ride the fence, sooner or later you have to choose either Alabama or Auburn. There can be no mixing of the two. I'm asking the same here. So what is it? Volkswagen or Hyundai?
  • yodaroniyodaroni Member Posts: 23
    No I am not Jefferyg, I own an 06 Passat, will not even drive the Sonata as a rental, the reason I said the gas mileage of the Sonata is better than the Passat and he should go buy one, is that he gave the mpg as the only reason he wouldn't buy a Sonata, which I don't buy it, you see they all talk nice about the Sonata but no one is willing to put their money where their mouth is and buy the Sonata

    Again we are comparing apples to oranges, they should compare the Sonata with the Kia maybe
  • yodaroniyodaroni Member Posts: 23
    oh btw I am not from Alabama, don't know why is that there???? :confuse:
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