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Honda Civic vs. Hyundai Elantra
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Comments
Contrary to clear logic, I went with the Elantra and really have no regrets to this point. This car handles remarkably well, and is well designed. I get the sense that at Hyundai, the company is directing its energy to dominating the auto compact market.
The deciding factor for me in choosing the Elantra, was of course Honda's prices. The Civic was considerably more expensive. For the price of my new 4-DR fully loaded Elantra '00, I was comparatively looking at a basic 2-Dr Civic '00 hatchback.
Given Hyundai's bedrock written five year "bumper to bumper" warranty, I feel that this is a good calculated risk.
I agree with you that the ultimate test will be how well this car "ages" in the next five years. If the Elantra ages as gracefully as the Civic, Honda will be facing very stiff competition in the future.
Right now, I'm pretty happy in knowing that if my decision should prove wrong, at least it would not have cost me anything because of Hyundai's impressive warranty. But so far, I am very impressed with this car's quality and performance.
Lots of luck and happiness in your new Civic... Bob MSEd.
Its funny that AcuraGRL mention about Acura being a competitor for Mercedes Benz or BMW. Someone that choose the Acura RL (flagship of the Acura line) against the BMW 5 series or the MB S series (or even Lexus LS430) can easily be put in the same position as people that choose Elantra over Civic in term of value. Except that the RL doesnt offers much against its competitor (it only has a v6 where everything else is V8) while Elantra offer much more than Civic in term of features.
Honda only enjoyed outstanding reputation here in the USA. Even in its homeland, Honda is an average performer. I guess its gotta be tough to have to go against a giant like Toyota, with minimal resources that Honda has.
bri70: No my idea of good research is knowing the facts and being able to back them up. A comparably equipped '01 Honda Civic LX is about $2,800 more than a '01 Elantra. According to www.kbb.com the Civic is worth $4800 more (98 w/ 30,000 example used) and according to Intellichoice is the among the least expensive cars to own over a 5 year period. Impressive considering how overpriced they seem to some people. So after 2 years you will have made back the extra $2,800 and made an extra $2,000.
The Tiburon keeps getting redesigned because of the hideousness of the thing. I'm sure more than one of Hyundai's designers saw a picture their 3 year old nephew drew and were like "hey that looks cool" then saw it actually going down the street and almost wrecked their cars because of the instantaneous vomitting and convulsions the Tiburon causes.
luifei: There are some major differences between comparing an RL to the Mercedes (the RL competes with the E-class by the way not the S-class), BMW 528, and the Lexus LS430 has left the RL's class in terms of engine AND price. It starts out at $58,000 vs the RL's price of $38,000. A Lexus GS300 is more comparable to the RL in terms of price, size, and engine and even it costs $9,000 more than the RL. The Mercedes E class starts out at $10,000 more for an E320.
But the biggest difference is that while the Hyundai falls flat on it face when comparing reliability and resale to the Civic the RL actually meets or exceeds all of it's competitors in resale and reliability. In the last JD Powers the RL was ranked THE most trouble-free car in initial quality.
And another fact that a little bit of research on your end would have produced is that Honda just overtook Nissan to become the #3 automaker in Japan. And Honda's limited resources have brought us cars like the S2000 (accolades), the Odyssey (accolades), the Insight (accolades), the CVT transmission (accolades), the MDX (accolades), the Type-S CL (accolades), the Accord (accolades including being named a 10 best car 15 out of 18 years by Car & Driver), the Type R (accolades). Geez...I'd hate to see what they would be capable of if their resources weren't "limited".
12K difference instead of 20K. There's approximately 23% price difference between them,
similar to the difference between Elantra GLS and
Civic EX, and you get that V8 in the LS430, while
the Elantra at the very least has all the standard
features of the EX and a better engine than the
Civic, so why cant we compare them?
The GS430 start @47K, more of a direct competitor
for the RL, at least pricewise, although V8 vs V6
translate to no contest in performance, and the
E320 start @47K, only 5K differences not 9K & 10K.
Get your fact (or at least your calculator)
straight first before telling other to do so, (I thought you as a car salesman has to be at least proficient with the calculator?? Hope you dont mess up too many deals with wrong calculation). ^__^
At least you willing to admit that the RL really
can't compete with the LS. Unlike some of Acura's
owner who keep thinking that RL is a worthy
competitor of the LS, and shunned when people
compared it to the GS like you just did.
With the financial trouble that Nissan had in the
past years, are you really surprised that their
production & sales drop? They have to cutback,
especially with new management in there.
Also, Honda's posted a decline in revenue (around
10-15%) due to yen valuation and stronger competition (can't recall exact number), while Toyota gain 10% in revenue.
When their resources aren't limited, maybe they
can try to catch Toyota's shadow, but at least for
now, they have to survive and hopefully doesn't get buy out by another maker.
Sorry for the digress, now back to the regularly
schedule Elantra vs Civic.
But it really all has to to with how the owner cares for the car. You said those civics were abused. Yea, and look what happened. [non-permissible content removed] broke on them. CV axels/boots, etc. You invested money into them and then they ran fine. Being reliable means not having to mass amounts of money into it. but you dumped 1500 into that civic. The same thing could go for an excel when something broke and dumping money like that into it. Then it would run fine. So that really doesnt count.
So get your facts straight. Hyundais are reliable now...just as reliable as Hondas. Forget the past. The past does not affect us. Its over and done with. The present and future is what counts now. Your posts are based on passed cars. talk about present models because hyundai is kicking major [non-permissible content removed] now. You just cannot accept it and are bullshitting with passed POS's. Yea, Honda has a built up reputation. Hyundai is working on that now. Give it 5-10 yrs time and people will be saying "when did hyundai ever suck?" because at the rate they are going, they will have the same repuation as honda has now. That is the only defense you have here acuragrl: reputation. Value, performance, quality, engine, warranty, etc. all of those hyundai has bagged. End of story
Hyundai Elantra Honda civic
-14 hp more then high end Proven civic reliability
-Weighs 200 lbs more and still resale value
beats it in 0-60mph
Power everything STANDARD
-equipped better and still cheaper
-save about 4-5k with haggling
-10 yr warranty
this is a no brainer. Now, can you argue this without hyundais passed experience with the excel because the elantra had no major problems. WE KNOW HYUNDAI USED TO SUCK, BUT THEY'VE CHANGED OR WOULD HAVE GONE OUT OF BUSINESS. dont argue resale because resale doesnt have an influence, because I plan on keeping the car till the end. So, with a great warranty to cover my [non-permissible content removed] till 100k vs the civic for 3 yrs. I end up saving even more money in case something goes wrong. So that on top up the thousands i save in the begining when buying it, its common sense to go with the elantra. In review, ask yourself this question: why would you pay more money for less of a car? Both cars are reliable now. Its been proven by Car and Driver, Daily record newspaper and a consumer digests best buy. If you dont plan on selling it...with that warranty, which is a wiser investment in the long run?
What I said was - CR and Edmunds and the like are not credible - certainly are biased. Let's face it - they have ideas of what they like as well.
What one should do is drive the cars they are comparing, if one is better than the other driving/feeling/performing wise, then that is the one to buy. Ask friends, ask co-workers. REAL people that actually OWN the cars...not just sit in them for a thousand miles. That is CREDIBLE advice.
The problem with the Honda owners is this: They can't stand the fact that their cars, while nice cars, have been AT LEAST "equalled" in the marketplace. The Elantra performs just as well, if not better in some areas, has nicer warranty, and the price is just the deal sealer. And why wouldn't it be? Call me cheap, but I would not be driving a Honda or a Hyundai if I had money to burn. And - the Civic is just not enough car for the money that Honda wants for it.
The reason that Hyundai's "rep" in the marketplace is bad is because it is treated as a throwaway car. I even treat mine like that.....but I can still recognize the fact that a non-throw away car (Civic - who wants to throw away $17k?) has NOTHING on the Elantra. Not even the "reliability"....
All I can say is - we shall see. Honda might not be "going down", but Hyundai has stepped up and improved. Sales prove it. In this time of economic prosperity, everyone can buy Civics and pay the high price , but they CHOOSE not to....if Hyundai's were bad, they would have been gone a long time ago. The fact that people buy Elantra's, yet have the money to buy Civics and Corollas, says it all.
We've heard you the first time.
EVERYONE: Lets give acuragrl a round of applause.
OVER!
Now, let me tell you something, I do not need to exagerate or lie. I had the money to buy a Honda Civic EX '01 (i actually walked in there with cash in hand), but I walked out, not impressed with the car. I bought the Elantra fully loaded '01 and I so happy with it. It drives with so much power than the Civic, (even the Civic EX model). And to me HP is very important, especially for a car at around the same class (size, etc.). Did you check out the specifications for the Civic and compared them to the '01 Elantra? From your previous posts, I bet you didn't. Too stubborn to admit that the new Elantras are better then the Civics? Or too blind to see?
Also, my Elantra has the 10 yr bumper to bumper warranty and Powertrain warranty, I'm all set to go! And since you don't own a Hyundai, you really don't know that the warranty covers, well let me tell you, it covers everything! (except the maintenance, like an oil change and things like that). Also, I don't care about resale value, because I'm not planning to sell. We'll keep the Elantra to the end. I like to maintain my cars, I take good care of them, so I know my Elantra will take good care of me!
I agree with Justin00 that all cars have their faults. As long as you keep up with the maintenance schedules, and not abuse the car, the car should be fine.
The fact of the matter is that I've compared both cars, the Civic '01 and the Elantra '01, and for my reasons chose the Elantra. Plain and simple. Nothing more to it.
I just love the Hyundais so much, that who knows, in a couple of years, I'm even planning to stack on a couple of more cars, like the Sante Fe and the Sonata.
And for those Acura-Honda lovers of the world, be happy with your overpriced cars, but don't insult our "new generation" of Hyundais!
Who needs credible sources like JD Powers, CR, or Edmunds? Who cares about resale value, or the security of knowing your car is going to be around for a long time?
Ask your friends? It seems evident that if you're not a bright person, neither are most of your friends. Talk about bias, your friends are bias. I think I'll stick to professional research, and a proven reputation. You guys can stick to believing the Hyundai dealer down the block.
If you want to ignore the reputations of the two car companies, fine. But you're only fooling yourself if you think that Honda and Hyundai are equal. If you can't rely on the past FACTS, then what are you suppose to rely on? High hopes it sounds like.
"Oh they would have went out of business...blah...blah...blah. HELLO! They are bankrupt and no one wants to invest money in them. That shows that you're right for once. They are desperately seeking capital because they HAVE been building crappy cars.
As for the sales figures mentioned a while ago, you just "happened" to overlook one very important fact and that is that Toyota and Honda established an excellent repuation for foreign car companies. I bet half of all Hyundai owners don't even know that it's not a Japanese car. Honda and Toyota plowed the way for Korea. Then Korea jumps in, selling their cars for about $5, and of course they are going to have good sales figures(thanks to T&H). Let's also take into account the growth of the population since the 70's that would account for a portion of the increase in sales figures.
To show you I'm not as biased as you try to make me out to be, i stopped off at the local Hyundai dealership the other day. The new designs that Hyundai is bringing to the market is impressive. The Elantra has never looked better and the Sonata is beautiful too. They come very well equipped, and the colors that customers can choose from are also very nice. The prices are low, (not so low around here) and the salesman was knowledgable and helpful. I don't mind admitting to any of that. But don't talk crap and say that Hyundai is equal to Honda. No one knows if Hyundai has improved reliability. All you new car owners can't tell me that your car is as good. It's brand new, come on already....
But... It would help if you had actually drove a 1999 to 2001 Elantra, Sonata, or even better an XG300. That way you would be able to see that the quality of Hyundai vehicles have greatly improved. If getting inside a Hyundai (which has a pronounciation very similar to Honda)is beneath you, perhaps a glance at Edmunds and other automotive reviewers can be enlightening.
You stated:"A comparably equipped '01 Honda Civic LX is about $2,800 more than a '01 Elantra"
You proved my point. You are spending more for a car with an inferior warranty, less power, and still has less features- where are the side airbags? Oh, another extra. Once again, with the 2001 Elantra- you can not buy it without side airbags. And you pay $3000 dollars less.
You just cannot accept the fact that a "Korean" car is just about equal to honda. Well, accept it and maybe you wont be so damn ignroant. Listen to what Baber said. older hondas sucked. older hyundais suck. Hondas are good now. so are hyundais. this is all true. accept it. he has had no probelms with his accent nearing 40k miles. its all about the owner. what is your problem? from that last paragraph, i thought you sounded somewhat mature. but i was wrong. So take your 10 year old discontinued model Honda and get out!
Freakncrx probably confused Hyundai to Daewoo.
I wonder if anyone has any figures regarding the total number of auto both Honda and Hyundai manufactured worldwide?
Freakncrx, you want to take that "i bet half of all Hyundai owners don't even know that it's not a Japanese car" bet? Hyundai owner aren't as stupid as you think.
Btw, you wonder why people may think and choose Elantra over Civic? Lets see, Elantra has better engine, better waranty, better price, while Honda has its reliability and reputation against all that. That usually translates as better VALUE for your money. How hard is it to explain that?
Also Edmund, which you said yourself to be a very reputable sources in the auto industry, rated Elantra higher than the civic when they do their comparison (no.3 vs no.6, if not mistaken). C&D, another prominent source, also rated Elantra higher than the Civic on their comparison. Elantra is also a best buy in the Consumer Report/Consumer Digest.
You see, even the experts & the professional reviewer (not just as biased hyundai owners) recognize something in the Elantra that makes its more worthwile than the Civic. Quite contrary to what you believe eh?
You can accept it or ignore it, but don't critize people because their belief is different than you.
It could be worst...you could have purchased a General Motors product, certified by the kings of sloppy engineering themselves.
Hondas are fine. They are smooth, efficient machines. They also happen to be more expensive than they need to be, they are not any more reliable than any other Ford/GM built here in the U.S., (except the Focus) and they are BORING. Except the Honda CL Type S.
Anyway DaimlerChrysler bought a 10% stake (with the option to purchase more) in Hyundai. Why would they do that if they saw no value in the company?
To each his/her own!
I personally chose an Elantra because I saw the car and fell instantly in love with it! While I've only driven it 500 miles so far, it has proven rock solid in feel. No rattles, no oddities...nothing but solid feel and look.
And the roominess! Man! I'd have had to buy a darn Accord to match the interior roominess and accoutrements! No WAY do I have the money to buy an Accord! It feels like soo much more car than what I paid!
No, it's not perfect....but what car IS perfect?
No, it's not going to suit everyone, and that's why there are dozens of different car makes AND models to choose from.
The Civic is more in line with the Accent as far as roominess. However, the Accent is definitely more noticeable as a budget oriented car. The feel isn't as quality and comfort oriented as the Civic is.
With all this said, I find the peeing contest going on here to be rather...silly.
Mark-
The new Elantra's do look kind of European from behind....saw a pretty red wine colored one today...quite impressive.
Give up. Let me tell you.
Well, its nontheless, HYUNDAI! Yes, it is. Now, one of the most luxurious cars in the world uses Hyundai robotics to assembly their cars! Now, if Benz cars are assembled by a Hyundai robot, then who is assembling the Hyundai cars? Wait, let me tell you. Hyundai Robots!
Also, Hyundai uses the same 7-step painting process as used on the Mercedez Benz (of course, Benz uses much more coatings of paint).
By the way, I'm in no way comparing the Hyundai Motor Corp to that of the Benz, but just informing you on what are some of the strategies that Hyundai is implementing to improve their reputation, but still leaving in value.
Any comments?
First of all, let's talk about the magical word named "quality". Quite frankly, its as much personal bias as physical reality. Case in point: Toyota Corolla vs. Chevy Prizm. These two cars are made at the same plant on the same assembly line and are identical in every way down to the last bolt. The only difference is the badge on the front. Public opinion says the Toyota's quality is exceptional. Yet, the Prizm's public perception is "not up to Japaneese standards". How can this be? Because people expect the Chevy to be worse since its "American". They'll notice flaws they'd gloss over in the Toyota.
Another case in point, Hyundai did a "blind" test of its new XG300 against a Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, with the badges removed. People generally rated the XG300 above the other two cars. Hyundai then did the test again with another group of people with the badges on. The result was that the Hyundai was rated the worst of the bunch. People have been conditioned to see the Hyundai as a cheap car, and so expect it to be bad.
So let's drop the mysterious "quality" term in favour of fit and finish. In this case, Acura girl is right. The Honda's fit and finish is exceptional. She's also right in the fact that Honda is a moving target. Hyundai may never catch up, but then again neither will Ford or VW or DaimlerChrysler. The latest generation of Hyundai has matched the previous generation of Hondas, which is not a bad thing.
The Honda also has the Hyundai beat in the resale issue. As Hyundai's quality has improved, so has its resale. It may never catch up with Honda or Toyota, but its finally reached "industry average". But lets talk economics here, a car is a depreciating asset, no matter what the brand. The fact that some people are talking about the Honda as some sort of investment is ludicrous. If your planning to replace your car every two years or so, it makes sense. However after five years or so the resale value of a car makes little difference.
So let's compare the two cars on their facts alone:
Engine: Advantage Hyundai (140 hp vs. 127 hp)
Wheels: Advantage Hyundai (15" vs. 14")
Gas Mileage: Advantage Honda (32/37 mpg vs 24/33 mpg)
Emissions: Advantage Honda (ULEV vs LEV)
Ergonomics: Advantage Honda (By general opinion)
Passenger space: Advantage Hyundai (94 cu. ft vs. 88.1 cu. ft)
Cargo space: Advantage Honda (12.9 cu. ft vs. 11 cu. ft)
Resale value: Advantage Honda (historically)
Warranty: Advantage Hyundai (5 yr vs 3 yr bumper to bumper)
Standard Features: Advantage Hyundai (Power group, A/C standard on single model offered)
Safety Features: Toss up, ABS standard on Civic EX, not available on other models. Hyundai has standard side airbags in U.S.. In Canada (where I live), the Elantra doesn't have side airbags and ABS is not available at all (!).
Style: Depends on your personal preference.
So there you have it. Based on my needs, I've decided on the Elantra as my next car. However, I won't ridicule those who chose a civic. My advice to the Honda people is to stop flogging the dead horse (or should I say Pony) of Hyundai's reputation, and for the Hyundai people to recognize the Honda has a very well deserved reputation for its superior engineering. After all, the Civics fit and finish is considered superior to many luxry cars, let alone the Hyundai.
Another point.. Hyundai front passengers and drivers fare reasonably well in crash tests (likely due to the front AND side airbags as standard equipment, but fare worse than average for rear seatc passengers.
This is acceptable to me because I very rarely carry passengers. To someone who maight carpool frequently, or carry children about, they might want to consider a car that fares better in crash tests.
Final note: I'm not certain if the latest Elantra model was tested or last years' model.
Mark-
I just bought a Civic, but looked very carefully at the Elantras before I did. For me the gas mileage and side impact crash ratings decided me in favor or the Honda. In most other aspects I liked the Elantra better.
If the Hyundais built today hold up as well as the Hondas and Toyotas built today 5 years from now; Hyundai will be the moving target that everyone else will have to chase.
I think that Hondas are great, but perhaps just not built to handle the "abuse" that I heap on my cars. They are reliable - just not too "durable"...
The 2001 Hyundai is scheduled for front impact testing in January of 2001, and side impact in March of 2001. You can chech the test results of the Hyundai (and any other car as far back as 1990) at http://www.nhtsa.org
For those who wish to know, the 2001 Honda Civic has been tested. It recieved 5/5 stars for front impact tests, and 4/5 stars for the side impact. Interestingly the extremely popular Sunfire/Cavalier has fared far worse than any other car in this class. 3/5 stars front driver's impact, 1/5 stars side driver's impact. Even the bargain basement Kia Sephia has a better crash score.
P.S. The last time the Civic was investigated was in 1993, for steering wheel lock-up.
No one has been able to come up with any substantiated facts. It's alot of opinions and heresay used to back Hyundais. Sure the Hyundai has more power on paper but alot can be said for engine refinement. The Toyota Camry has one of the most underpowered engines in a family sedan yet it is the top-selling car in the country. The Hyundai has more room in some areas but the Civic has more room in others. The Civic gets better gas mileage, I don't think anyone has disputed that, as well as having a very high ranking in regards to environment issues.
I have seen alot mentioned about the Elantras standard side air bags. Does it matter if they don't make the car safer than the Civic? As mentioned before the Civic was just awarded a very high ranking from it's crash tests. Just one star behind the much bigger and more expensive Volvo S80. Pretty good company to keep don't ya think? The Hyundai doesn't do too bad though. Maybe they should give Daewoo and Kia some pointers.
On price, yes the Civic is $2,800 more at the beginning. But in 2 years it is worth $4,800 more and as I said before it was listed as the cheapest car to own over a 5 year period by Intellichoice. Let's say that your big selling point was the 100,000 mile powertrain warranty. If you buy a Civic for $2,800 more get a 6 year/100,000 mile bumper-to-bumper extended warranty you are at $3,600 more but you have a bumper-to-bumper warranty vs powertrain only on the Hyundai and 2 years later your Civic is worth $4,800 more so you have actually saved $1,200 over a 2 year period if you buy the Civic. And for those who say they will keep their Hyundai's for 5 years so it doesn't matter think of it this way. Eventually you are going to have to sell that Hyundai. It is a tough sell on the used marketplace. The Civic isn't. Even 5 years down the road the Civic would have a significant resale value advantage still making the initial cost balance out.
So look at all of the facts, not the ones that are favorable to your opinions.
disagree regarding that current Elantra only comparable to Civic from 5 year ago. Both Elantra and Civic are redesigned for the 2001 year model, and in most aspect they're pretty comparable. Both has minus and pluses (which has been pointed way too many time in this forum).
acuragrl:
By the same token, you said Hyundai quality hasn't caught up to Honda, do you have any substantial proof for that too?
I personally don't believe much of the hype that comsumer reports, edmunds, C&D, etc say, but if you want to, that is fine.
Read the comparo test on Edmunds of economy sedans. OOOPS - the Civic is almost LAST PLACE. What about Car and Driver? Not faring too much better than Elantra there either. Please don't bring up Consumer Reports....they do not count. It is obvious that any mag that tries to purposely "take a car down" (the Trooper), just because those idiots don't know how to drive, has obviously lost all credibility.
Where else on paper is the Civic better than ANY car, especially the Elantra?????? Besides in your scrap book I mean....
Civic/Elantra? Elantra/Civic? Resale value in the long run, etc., etc. Since when buying a car has been so complicated! Its not like you're spending 40k -60k on the car, then start debating.
To me, the new 2001 Elantra is the better value, and for the Canadian people on the forum, the Elantra in the U.S. comes standard with front and side impact airbags. Its optional on the Civic, even on the Civic EX!
And the horsepower on the Civic DX and LX models is 115 hp; the Civic that has the 127 hp is on the EX model only (which would cost 19.5K), and at that price, you could probably get an Accord LX).
And you people talking about prove this, prove that, we are not on trial here.
http://www.fool.com/car/Buyingacar.htm?ref=MFDcar
I have a feeling that she's contemplating in getting herself a Civic and is irritated by the fact that the Elantra is a much better car, and she needs to be convinced that is it by making other people on this forum come up with the 'substantiated facts' for her.
Acuragrl: debate no more. Go with your gut instinct. Get the Elantra!
No offense to the acuragrl, in the case that she's not interested in the Hyundais or the Hondas, then she should be joining the Mazda/Protege/Acura forum, instead of spending time sharing her negative comments about the Hyundais in this forum and defending the Civics so much. (If I were to get a Honda car, it would be the Accord Ex --which I already have -- and not the Civic).
Actually, acuragrl sell mitsubishi and has an accord ex v6. Dunno if she already go ahead and trade it for that Acura CL.
I find it interesting when she "critize" the Camry 4cyl as grossly underpowered, yet defending the same "underpowered" civic.
Quite ironic imo.
kmycamp:
If we follow The Fool's Guide, than no one will buy a new car no more. I rather spend more to buy a new one rather than buying a used one, unless I'm aware of how the car has been taken care in the past. But you're right, buying a car is not exactly a pocket change and quite important for most people.
Well, call me a fool if you'd like, cause I fell in love with the Elantra!
--Kyle
Maybe I do have a closed mind but it's with just cause. The Civic has better resale value, bullet-proof reliability, exceptional fuel economy, high safety rankings, and interior room is on par with the top of the class. Why shouldn't I be biased? I have also had a bunch of Hondas and I love the way they drive. It's like defending a family member.
Motor Trend did name the PT Cruiser as Car of the Year. It is a significant car in it's own right and is very unique. Just like the Beetle when it was car of the year. It's an award that Honda and several other manufacturers have won before. It doesn't mean that it's the most reliable car built or the best car built, it just means that it was a note-worthy entry into the 2001 lineup.
Look at JD Power. The Elantra was average at best. And that is looking through very rose-colored glasses.
alese: As was mentioned I do not own a Mazda although I came close to wanting a Protege ES for a while. Very nice driving car and with the deals that can be had on Mazdas it is also a much better choice than the Hyundai.
I am not contemplating buying a Civic. I had a couple. A 98 EX sedan and a 89 wagon. Currently, as said before, I have a 2001 Accord EX V6 Coupe and a 92 Acura Integra. The most recent car before the '01 Accord was a 1999 Accord EX sedan. So as you can see, no I don't own a Mazda or a Hyundai.
I do not sell cars anymore. I am still with the same company but the sales hours got kind of tiring and I need to focus on school right now so I transferred to another department. Funny, in the year and 1/2 that I sold cars I never sold a Hyundai. Maybe that's because a couple of our lenders think they are so bad they refused to finance them so we try to avoid buying them at all costs.
And I am not still thinking about trading for the Acura CL. When I bought this Coupe back in October it was between the 2 but I decided on the Accord instead of the CL.
But all of this is really irrelevant. The Civic is better. End of discussion. Anyone who wants to argue otherwise needs to bring some un-biased facts to the table. Not comparison tests (I can throw a million at you tha say the Civic is better), and not opinions.
"bullet proof reliability". WRONG. I've heard plenty of horror stories about honda accords with transmission problems in late 90's. and blown head gasket in mid 90 civics. So, don't say something that is untrue. Reliable...yes. bullet proof, no.
Deals on mazda's the same on hyundais!? Hell no. I got my car for $10,800. Try getting a protege equipped similarly. I bet you can't get it below $14000.
And the reason why you never sold a hyundai is because you are so ignorant. You won't even research it and have facts to back yourself. So you see, i was once like you. I thought one company was all that from what people told me. then when my "ultra reliable" toyota corolla DIED at 64,000 miles. (Thats right, a TOYOTA, Japanese quality...(sarcasim) I had to look for another car. baseing it on used cars, I didnt want somebody elses junk. I would settle for a brand new "econobox" rather then a used midsize. My price range was $10,000. I was looking at used VW Jettas. Damn do those cars hold their value! Forget that. 10 grand w/ 4 yrs old and 50k miles with no options and hubcaps. Yea right.
Then my father mentioned hyundai. Like you, i said "hell no. i aint buying that garbage" then he said look into it. so, i did. And soon enought i bought one. The sales, reliability stats show that hyundai is not what it use to be. You can argue resale all you want. Yes, HONDA WINS RESALE. NO ARGUMENT THERE. But bullet proof relibility, think again. I can get plenty of people who have owned honda civics and never would buy one again. Remember what i said earlier. a car is as reliable as the owner treats it. END OF STORY
The '01 Civic is a great car and I congratulate anyone who decides to buy one. I expect they will love their car as I did my Civics. I love my Elantra and don't miss for a moment that the "H" emblem on it is not the Honda emblem.
P.S. AcuraGrl, just to set the record straight on Edmund's review in which the '00 Elantra pasted the '00 Civic: remember that the '00 Elantra was also redesigned about the same time as the '00 Civic, back in '96 I believe, so it was a fair comparison. As was Car & Driver's. I know you would want me to mention this because I know you like to get your facts straight. You're welcome.
The new Elantra and the new Honda Civic are both redesigns....and the new Elantra would win the comparo yet again. The Civic EX (woo hoo big whoop, still a measly 127hp and motorcycle torque) costs to much to even compete. So the Elantra would again be against a Civic LX, and the LX would lose. Period. Actually, the NEW Civic LX would lose against an old Elantra to be honest.
This really should not be about Civic vs Elantra. It is not a fair fight. It should be Civic against Corolla. Or Civic against Neon. Not nice to put the Civic up against a REAL car....
Anyway, here are the competitors in this price range (I'm choosing the most loaded model in the range):
Chevy Cavalier
Dodge Neon
Hyundai Elantra VE (similar to GLS)
Hyundai Tiburon SE (similar to FX)
Honda Civic LX (coupe) LX-G (sedan)
Ford Focus ZX3
Kia Rio LS
Kia Sephia LS
Mazda Protege LX
Nissan Sentra SE
Pontiac Sunfire
Saturn S-series
Suzuki Esteem
Toyota Corolla Sport (hits the ceiling at $20 000)
Toyota Echo
Golf GL
Right off the bat I can knock off the Corolla and the Echo. I just find the Echo ugly, and being in my mid twenties I find the Corolla dull, even in "sport" trim.
I've also ixnayed the Saturns, mainly since I don't care much for their style and their "no dicker sticker" makes Saturns expensive. Did you know Saturn is GMs most profitable division? The make the no haggle dealing seem as though its better for the customer, but really it means massive profits for them, since how often do you actually pay MSRP in a real dealership?
The other GM offerings aren't really my cup of tea either. My father owns a Grand Am, which I enjoy quite a bit. But the Sunfire and Cavalier are small, cramped, and noisy. We had an old '92 Cavalier and everytime it idled the whole car would shake like the San Andreas fault.
The Dodge Neon was okay, but I found it didn't have much headroom. I'm 6' tall and my head was touching the roof.
I do really like the Focus ZX3, except the back. It looks like it was ripped of a Chevy Lumina minivan. The sedans are okay, but they're a couple thousand more.
We've all heard everything there is to say about the Elantra, so I'll skip that one.
Ooh, the Tiburon. How can such a fun car be had for so little. True, headroom is minimal forcing me to recline the seat and the back seat is there just to lower the insurance, but its far more appealing than the SC1 and far cheaper than a Celica GT. My practical side says no, but I'm still young so perhaps its "damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!"
The Kia Rio and Hyundai Accent are smaller than I'm looking for. For a commuter they'd be a good choice though.
The Kia Sephia is a car that's apparently reliable, but you'd wish it wasn't so you'd have an excuse to get another car. Still, the car made a noticeable improvement when Hyundai bought them out.
Honda Civic has also been talked about to death.
The Golf is a nice car. Even the base model is laishly equipped. The only thing I would have to add is air conditioning. Still, the base Golf has a rather puny engine.
The Sentra styling is supposed to attract younger buyers, but it isn't nearly as impressive as Nissan thinks it is. Still, the "mini-Maxima" is definitely pleasing.
The Mazda is a wonderful car too. Our eight year old 323 (before Mazda called it Protege)still runs like the day we bought it. There's still no squeaks or rattles, and the interior save a few stains from spilled drinks looks like it could have been lifted from a brand new car. Even sitting upright I have 3 inches of headroom and I can sit in the back comfortably. It's been in two rear end accidents, with no damage done, and one drivers side crash with an SUV (driven by a doctor who ran a stop sign, no less). There's not even a single loose piece of molding on the exterior. Of course, its maintenance needs are getting more costly, and we know it won't last forever. Still if the new Protege is at least half as good as the old one (its supposed to be much better). We chose it over the Civic since it was at a much better price. That price advantage doesn't exist anymore, which is why I haven't automatically gone for another one. Also, our family doesn't have any concept of brand loyalty. We've had Fords, GMs, Toyotas, even a Hyundai Excel (which sputtered on for 13 long years, though not very gracefully).
So, does anyone have any thoughts on this broader group of contenders?