I was just wondering before you purchased your Elantra, did anyone strongly consider the 10gen (2016-2018) Civic sedan first? If so, what made you opt for the Elantra over the current Civic, or any other car in the compact class for that matter?
anyone considered 2016-2018 Civic?
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Looks mostly. The civics are hideous anymore. The Corolla has a decent looking front end and OE HID's, but the back end looks like they got bored and just threw a back end from the "Cheap looking car bin". And the interior on the Corolla looks and feels cheap. The only other car I really liked was the Mazda 3. But I work at a Hyundai/Mazda dealership and our employee pricing on the Hyundai was significantly better haha
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Yes. The same here. I looked at the Civic and seriously considered it. But Hyundai had $3k off at the time while Honda barely had any off. Plus I read in real world use that the Elantra had better highway mileage. And boy it sure does.
AD is the current generation Elantra. I'll agree with you on the suspension though. I had a couple Civic racecars, 4th gens... An '88 and a '91. And they both had independent rear suspension. I don't understand with as nice as the Elantra's are they'd chose to cut corners there... Just as a marketing move for the sport, which does have the independent?
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One over riding factor for me not getting another Honda was the cost of Insurance. I have owned (all new) 82 Prelude, 89 Integra LS, 94 Accord EX and a 02 Civic. Love Honda's.. they go forever if you change the oil... that said, the 02 Civic.. 4 door sedan was more to insure than the new '17 Limited Ultimate Elantra... with the same exact coverage. Crazy right? Again, just one of the factors for me not getting another Honda.
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Ha, 1986 Civic was my first choice, but that was 1986. Did have some short comings, insufficient heat and AC, but learned to live with it, engine and drivetrain was bullet proof.
In every aspect, 2017 Limited has it all over Honda's and Toyota's, far superior quality, I know cars.
In every aspect, 2017 Limited has it all over Honda's and Toyota's, far superior quality, I know cars.
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Fun fact, the torsion beam suspension that the elantra's has actually allows for more rear seat space, and they don't have components that wear out as easily, plus it's a cheaper setup. Everything about designing cars is a trade-off, Hyundai assumes that most people won't notice the difference in suspension.
I had a '97 civic before my elantra, it had independent rear suspension. Paying to replace bushings on that thing was expensive. The heat here in arizona gets to them pretty quickly too.
IRS is like night and day compared to Torsion. I had a 2016 Elantra before my sport and the way it handled at times was borderline scary. Ill take a more planted car over less maintenance anyday.
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Elantra offers a lot more features for the actual selling price (net of dealer discounts & rebates). And even the top trim Civic (Touring) does not offer many features of the Elantra Limited/Ultimate such as:
1. Driver seat lumbar adjust
2. Passenger seat height adjust
3. Garage door opener (Homelink)
4. DUAL blind spot and rear cross-path safety alerts
5. Dynamic front headlights
6. Front door handle accent ("welcome") lights (minor feature, but surprisingly nice to have in a dark parking garage).
Then there's the better Hyundai warranty (5yr vs 3 bumper-to-bumper). And the questions about the reliability of this generation Civic (check out Consumer Reports or the CivicX forum) vs the top ranked reliability of the Elantra.
I strongly considered buying a Civic Touring (Honda's top trim level). Drove both extensively. Civic acceleration was clearly better, but handling was only a bit more precise. The Elantra's ride was a bit smoother & notably quieter. Interior controls on the Civic were a PITA with everything routed through the center touchpad (no separate HVAC controls, or stereo volume knob!?!). I ended up buying an Elantra Limited/Ultimate and 6 mo later I'm very happy with that decision. It's an all-around solid automobile that's very easy to live with for daily driving.
1. Driver seat lumbar adjust
2. Passenger seat height adjust
3. Garage door opener (Homelink)
4. DUAL blind spot and rear cross-path safety alerts
5. Dynamic front headlights
6. Front door handle accent ("welcome") lights (minor feature, but surprisingly nice to have in a dark parking garage).
Then there's the better Hyundai warranty (5yr vs 3 bumper-to-bumper). And the questions about the reliability of this generation Civic (check out Consumer Reports or the CivicX forum) vs the top ranked reliability of the Elantra.
I strongly considered buying a Civic Touring (Honda's top trim level). Drove both extensively. Civic acceleration was clearly better, but handling was only a bit more precise. The Elantra's ride was a bit smoother & notably quieter. Interior controls on the Civic were a PITA with everything routed through the center touchpad (no separate HVAC controls, or stereo volume knob!?!). I ended up buying an Elantra Limited/Ultimate and 6 mo later I'm very happy with that decision. It's an all-around solid automobile that's very easy to live with for daily driving.
When I test drove the 2018 Civic EX, I felt the ride was noticeably more smooth and refined than the 2017 Elantra.
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I seriously considered the Honda before buying the Elantra. My reasons basically boiled down to price.
Civic is a better car.
Elantra is a better value.
Civic has a better look and drive in my mind, but a comparably equipped Elantra was over $3k cheaper.
Also I was buying a tool more than a car. The Elantra is a second car for me to take on long commutes, so I didn't want to spend a ton on a work car. I did however want something with the new Android auto capability, with good gas mileage, solid warranty, and easy/cheap to maintain. I got all of that in my Value Elantra for about $16.5k out the door where a comparably equipped Civic would have been around $20k.
Civic is a better car.
Elantra is a better value.
Civic has a better look and drive in my mind, but a comparably equipped Elantra was over $3k cheaper.
Also I was buying a tool more than a car. The Elantra is a second car for me to take on long commutes, so I didn't want to spend a ton on a work car. I did however want something with the new Android auto capability, with good gas mileage, solid warranty, and easy/cheap to maintain. I got all of that in my Value Elantra for about $16.5k out the door where a comparably equipped Civic would have been around $20k.
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Interesting to read other perspectives. I generally keep my cars for many years so I invest my time before investing my $$$ when shopping. I was interested in the top trim lines (C Touring vs E Limited), so that is the basis of my opinion (not the C EX trim vs E Value or SEL). The 2 brand dealers near me are within blocks of each other, and local Honda dealer even let me take home a Civic for a day. Over some weeks I spent too many hours in both sedans making a point to drive both back-to-back over the EXACT same (typically bad) Midwest roads.
The C Touring had the better engine (1.5L turbo) and a bit more precise handling suspension. HOWEVER the C's CVT, although a nice one, still had the annoyances of a CVT tranny. The C's chassis firmly transmitted every expansion joint bump and road surface irregularity that the E smoothed out. At steady cruise the E was amazingly quiet for this class, while the C had notably more wind and road noise. And the C Touring clearly falls short of the E Ultimate in overall features and 'creature comforts'. Styling is personal preference, and IMHO both are decent looking.
Civic a better "car"? I agree if you define a car by its engine & suspension. For a day at the track I would take the Civic every time (despite the CVT). But I look at a "car" as a total package... to LIVE with every day. Including features, controls, ride comfort, reliability, etc. From my perspective the Elantra Limited (vs Civic Touring) was the better car....and where I put my hard-earned $$. YMMV. After all, that's basically what makes the auto industry interesting
The C Touring had the better engine (1.5L turbo) and a bit more precise handling suspension. HOWEVER the C's CVT, although a nice one, still had the annoyances of a CVT tranny. The C's chassis firmly transmitted every expansion joint bump and road surface irregularity that the E smoothed out. At steady cruise the E was amazingly quiet for this class, while the C had notably more wind and road noise. And the C Touring clearly falls short of the E Ultimate in overall features and 'creature comforts'. Styling is personal preference, and IMHO both are decent looking.
Civic a better "car"? I agree if you define a car by its engine & suspension. For a day at the track I would take the Civic every time (despite the CVT). But I look at a "car" as a total package... to LIVE with every day. Including features, controls, ride comfort, reliability, etc. From my perspective the Elantra Limited (vs Civic Touring) was the better car....and where I put my hard-earned $$. YMMV. After all, that's basically what makes the auto industry interesting
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This is what key auto magazines say about the Civic Warranty:
"Those customers seeking the best warranty coverage may be better off looking at a competitor such as the Hyundai Elantra. Honda does not supply complimentary scheduled maintenance, a feature that’s offered on competitors such as the Chevrolet Cruze and the Toyota Corolla"
With exception of the Elantra listed above, the other three have a 36K or 3 year basic warranty and a 60K or 5 year, for both, whichever comes first. So if they are so darn good, why is the warranty so short?
Ha, my wife told me to look at a Subaru Outback, 60K PT warranty, with the four cylinder that rubber band had to be replaced for the valve drivetrain, kit cost 600 bucks if I did it myself, for a timing belt? To get a timing chain, $12,000.00 more, but still 60K miles. Didn't walk, ran.
Subaru is also advertising the safest vehicle on the road, but if you hit a brick wall with your safety belts on about 40 mph, still will be dead, these ads really turn me off.
When I first opened the hood on an Elantra Limited, I fell in love, really fell in love with a test drive sure got a ton of goodies for only a thousand bucks more. Civic was just another car. But your choice.
"Those customers seeking the best warranty coverage may be better off looking at a competitor such as the Hyundai Elantra. Honda does not supply complimentary scheduled maintenance, a feature that’s offered on competitors such as the Chevrolet Cruze and the Toyota Corolla"
With exception of the Elantra listed above, the other three have a 36K or 3 year basic warranty and a 60K or 5 year, for both, whichever comes first. So if they are so darn good, why is the warranty so short?
Ha, my wife told me to look at a Subaru Outback, 60K PT warranty, with the four cylinder that rubber band had to be replaced for the valve drivetrain, kit cost 600 bucks if I did it myself, for a timing belt? To get a timing chain, $12,000.00 more, but still 60K miles. Didn't walk, ran.
Subaru is also advertising the safest vehicle on the road, but if you hit a brick wall with your safety belts on about 40 mph, still will be dead, these ads really turn me off.
When I first opened the hood on an Elantra Limited, I fell in love, really fell in love with a test drive sure got a ton of goodies for only a thousand bucks more. Civic was just another car. But your choice.
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I grew up in Motown & worked for a Big3 automaker at one point.
Always thought the concept of "best car" was rather pointless. It's just an opinion that clearly had to be based on various suppositions. What's Chevy's 'best' car? Most immediately think Corvette. But even a Chevy Sonic would be better for taking your best friend and their date out to dinner :grin2:
Always thought the concept of "best car" was rather pointless. It's just an opinion that clearly had to be based on various suppositions. What's Chevy's 'best' car? Most immediately think Corvette. But even a Chevy Sonic would be better for taking your best friend and their date out to dinner :grin2:
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Ha, if you want to buy a Honda, look at their lawnmowers and snowthrowers, nobody makes better ones, last for years.
Can't knock the suspension on my 2017 Limited, torsion bar with independent springs and external shock absorbers. takes corners as almost as good as my Supra that has a CG of .95.
Would be better with a longer wheel base, but then I would not get 50 mpg.
Can't knock the suspension on my 2017 Limited, torsion bar with independent springs and external shock absorbers. takes corners as almost as good as my Supra that has a CG of .95.
Would be better with a longer wheel base, but then I would not get 50 mpg.
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When I went shopping for a car last year to replace a 20 year old Corolla I looked at the Corolla, Civic, Elantra, and Forte in that order of preference. My needs were mostly to get a car I could use to get me from point A to B reliably but at the same time provide convenience comforts and with decent style such as having alloy rims and matching tires to go with it.
I crossed out the Forte early on mainly because there were only a few dealerships near the place I live. The Corolla was crossed out the list too mainly because of the high price they were charging for the package I preferred. The other problem was that the front of the car and the dashboard looked tacky. The lack of Apple Car Play and Android Auto support also killed it for me plus it did not help that the transmission offered was CVT.
It was then a matter of choosing between the Civic and Elantra. Here the main differentiator for me was the sticker price for the packages offered. A comparable Civic would have cost me at least 3k more. I also did not like the "space age" looking instrumentation and the rear lights design plus the aforementioned CVT transmission on the Civic... Checking the reliability scores on Consumer Reports plus reports of problems with the electronics on the earlier Civics also dampened my enthusiasm for it. So I ended up getting the Elantra and am very happy with the choice.
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I crossed out the Forte early on mainly because there were only a few dealerships near the place I live. The Corolla was crossed out the list too mainly because of the high price they were charging for the package I preferred. The other problem was that the front of the car and the dashboard looked tacky. The lack of Apple Car Play and Android Auto support also killed it for me plus it did not help that the transmission offered was CVT.
It was then a matter of choosing between the Civic and Elantra. Here the main differentiator for me was the sticker price for the packages offered. A comparable Civic would have cost me at least 3k more. I also did not like the "space age" looking instrumentation and the rear lights design plus the aforementioned CVT transmission on the Civic... Checking the reliability scores on Consumer Reports plus reports of problems with the electronics on the earlier Civics also dampened my enthusiasm for it. So I ended up getting the Elantra and am very happy with the choice.
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Wasn't too long ago, Kia was a bad joke, later Hyundai was introduced, new marketing and engineers attempted to change all this to gain a stronger market share.
Built two new plants in Alabama, body and engines are built there, steel is galvanized, regardless of what you buy up here, will be a pile of rust up here.
One problem in the entire state of Wisconsin, only have a total of 7 dealerships, closest to me is 37 miles, got them all to due a competitive bid for the lowest price. The one closest to me finally came down to the lowest price. But I sure good tell the quality difference between they Hyundai/Kia compared to other vehicles.
How about getting the Infinity sound system, improved rear end, factory GPS, electrically heated vented seats, power lumbar, a sunroof for a thousand bucks. Finally went back to a radiator cap, and all new neoprene coolant hose with clamps on them, others are using plastic. Double weather strip on all the doors, even door sill plates, others are painted. Just a host of these little things.
Did lie about 38 mpg on the highway, more like 50, can put up with a lie like this. Bugs on the paint with other vehicles required a clay bar and elbow grease, on this thing, a hose gets most of them off, rag for the tougher one.
Had four loose screws, four on the door handles, one on the negative battery cable terminal, outside of this, perfect.
Built two new plants in Alabama, body and engines are built there, steel is galvanized, regardless of what you buy up here, will be a pile of rust up here.
One problem in the entire state of Wisconsin, only have a total of 7 dealerships, closest to me is 37 miles, got them all to due a competitive bid for the lowest price. The one closest to me finally came down to the lowest price. But I sure good tell the quality difference between they Hyundai/Kia compared to other vehicles.
How about getting the Infinity sound system, improved rear end, factory GPS, electrically heated vented seats, power lumbar, a sunroof for a thousand bucks. Finally went back to a radiator cap, and all new neoprene coolant hose with clamps on them, others are using plastic. Double weather strip on all the doors, even door sill plates, others are painted. Just a host of these little things.
Did lie about 38 mpg on the highway, more like 50, can put up with a lie like this. Bugs on the paint with other vehicles required a clay bar and elbow grease, on this thing, a hose gets most of them off, rag for the tougher one.
Had four loose screws, four on the door handles, one on the negative battery cable terminal, outside of this, perfect.
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