Honda Civic vs. Hyundai Elantra

1641 messages,  Last post on Feb 17, 2010 at 3:54 PM

You are in the Hyundai Elantra Forum.

What is this discussion about? Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Sedan

#1637 of 1641 Hyundai Elantra Touring bests Honda Accord and Fit by srslle

Oct 27, 2009 (8:09 pm)

I love my new Elantra Touring. I like it better than the Honda Acoord and Fit. It is more car than the fit and a better upright ride, with alot more room than the Accord. Though it doesnt have the drag-racing quality of the Mazda 3 it is alot of fun to drive. The handling is precise, it has great pickup and even has a little of the go-cart quality of the Fit. That's a good thing. With XM radio its even more fun. I bought the lifetime subscription to XM. If I ever sell the car the subscription goes with it, so there's no loss in value.
 
I was a little concerned about mileage but I am getting 30 mpg or more consistently in suburban driving here in Westchester county, NY.
 
It's the best car I've ever owned. And I only paid $18,800 for the full SE version. Oh and those heated cloth seats are great. No cold-to-the-touch sensation when you first get in.
 
It's also got almost all the safety equipment thats out there. All it needs is daytime running lights. Perhaps there's a kit available for that.
 
When you test drive it make sure the tires are properly iflated. They come off the truck with too much pressure and that affects the ride.

#1638 of 1641 Civic or a Hyundai? by eloise88

Feb 17, 2010 (3:54 pm)

#1639 of 1641 Civic or a Hyundai? by eloise88

Feb 17, 2010 (10:17 am)

I'm making my first car purchase and I'm trying to decide between a 2010 Civic and a 2010 Hyundai. I'm leaning toward a Civic b/c of Honda's reputation and reliability, but I also know that Hyundais are improving in terms of quality, performance, and the incredible 6 and 10-year warranties. Hydundai is also about $2000 less. Please help me decide!!!!

#1640 of 1641 Re: Civic or a Hyundai? [eloise88] by stush

Feb 17, 2010 (3:00 pm)

Replying to: eloise88 (Feb 17, 2010 10:17 am)
What type of Hyundai are you looking at. I would look at the Elantra. Maybe a little bigger than Civic. Not sure. All I can say is that I have 2 Hyundai's now. 02 Santa Fe and a 07 Entourage. The SF has 81,000 miles on it and it's been bullet proof. A couple of small problems with the Entourage that were common with the early models. Now at 55,000 miles and not a thing since about 8,000 miles. Never owned a Honda but Hyundai is on a roll. Give them a fair chance. You won't be disappointed.

#1641 of 1641 Re: Civic or a Hyundai? [eloise88] by backy

Feb 17, 2010 (3:54 pm)

Replying to: eloise88 (Feb 17, 2010 10:17 am)
Depending on trim level of the Civic you are considering, you could go for either the Elantra GLS, Elantra SE, or even a Sonata. If you wouldn't mind a bigger car for the same money (or less) than a Civic, the Sonata is a very nice car and there's big deals available now on the 2010s as they are moved out for the all-new 2011s. You could get a Sonata GLS with more equipment than a Civic LX (e.g. ESC, iPod connector, and XM radio) for around $15-16k before T&L.
 
On the Elantra, the GLS is most comparable to the Civic LX, and the SE with optional moonroof more comparable to the EX. The SE has a sport-tuned suspension and also ESC.
 
I recommend you drive the Civic and Elantra back-to-back and see which you prefer. You might try the 2010 Sonata also if you could use a bigger car.
 
Another car you might check out is the new-for-2010 Kia Forte. It's about the same size as the Elantra, but is priced a little lower. Kias have the same warranty as Hyundais. But the Forte has a more modern powertrain than the Elantra, e.g. an all-aluminum 156 hp 2.0L or a 172 (?) hp 2.4L I4, and a 5-speed automatic is available (Elantra has only a 4-speed automatic; the Civic has 5-speed auto). I think the Forte also has standard Bluetooth, if that is important to you. Both the Forte and Elantra are roomier than the Civic, especially in back. Finally, the Kia Optima is a very nice car for the money. It has the same I4 powertrain as the Sonata and like the Sonata has standard ESC. It has a little crisper handling than the 2010 Sonata GLS, which you might prefer if you like Hondas. You can probably get a 2010 Optima LX with automatic for under $15k before T&L.
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