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Sedans Nissan Sentra Hyundai Elantra vs Nissan Sentra
66 messages, Last post on Jun 03, 2007 at 9:34 AM
You are in the Nissan Sentra Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
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Replying to: moparbad (Nov 01, 2006 12:00 pm) * It complains that the Mazda3 they tested might be too sporty. When was the last time you saw C/D say that about any car? Also, which Mazda3 did they choose for the comparo? The Mazda3i, which has less-aggressive tires/rims and would have easily fit under their self-imposed $18k price limit? No. They chose the Mazda3s, s as in "Sport".  * The Mazda3 took top honors in braking, roadholding, lane change, 1/4 mile acceleration, performance, steering feel, brake feel, handling, and ride. But it was ranked below the Rabbit in "fun to drive." * The Civic was top-ranked for ride, even though the review complains about the suspension being "surprisingly noisy over road impacts" and a "crisp" ride. Anyway, back to the subject, Elantra vs. Sentra... It appears they suffered the same fate. C/D is not looking for a car to do what most of us do with cars--drive around town or cruise on the interstates. No, they want a car with sporty ride (read firm) and handling so when they carve those canyons, they can have fun. And that's fine. But it's something to consider when reading the review. Here's what C/D said about the Elantra: * "Scores high on value" with the lowest price of the group * Nicely styled interior with "top-quality materials and details" with "sophisticated use of texture and sheen" and "sit-all-day" seats and lots of storage compartments * Front buckets have a "plush feel" * "Top marks" for space and comfort * Light controls and a slick shifter and clutch. * Smooth ride; "at metro traffic speeds the car feels agile and trusty. Grab it and go, like you're old friends." * Tested fuel economy was 3rd best in the test, 28 mpg (behind Civic and Corolla) * Noise at idle and at 70 mph cruise were lowest in the test * 5-60 mph (more useful in real world than 0-60) was quickest in the test Sounds like a car that would make an excellent commuter (especially if carrying a carpool) or family hauler. Which is what economy sedans are tasked to do by most of us. If you want sporty, there's the Mazda3--as long as you don't want too sporty!  The Sentra similarly was praised for its interior room and denigrated for lack of "driving fun." The knocks on the shifter were curious though. They said the clutch was "heavy" (although they knocked the Elantra's as maybe too light, hard to know what they like) and the shifter is limp. I found the Sentra's clutch firmer than, say, a Civic, but acceptable. The shifter was anything but limp--it was actually a little notchy, but seemed crisp to me. And the ride was if anything too firm, not "tippy" and "plush" as noted by C/D. They harped on the small door pockets (they are) but begrudingly noted all the other storage space in the car, including the HUUUGE glove box. The illegibility of the Sentra's gauges with polarized sunglasses was a good catch though--that could be a real problem for many drivers. I am amazed that got past Sentra's engineers. They like to harp on styling too, calling the Sentra's "tortured". I don't happen to like the Sentra's styling, but I think "tortured" is over the top. Besides, styling is completely subjective, so why include it in the scoring? (Other publications e.g. CR do not.) |
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Replying to: bamacar (Nov 01, 2006 10:58 am) 1st Civic/Corolla 33 mpg 3rd Elantra 28 4th Mazda3/Sentra 27 6th Rabbit 24
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Replying to: bamacar (Nov 01, 2006 5:07 pm) On Mazda was this with the 2.3L engine? Stick or auto? If auto this is pretty good considering Mazda 3 has a bigger engine, more power and low end torque. Still waiting for my C/D issue.
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Replying to: spmrebel (Nov 01, 2006 10:37 pm) Comparing mileage costs between the Elantra and Civic, you'll be saving roughly $200 at $2.50/g for 15K miles a year. Over a 5 year period, factoring in depreciation savings with the Civic, any difference in cost between the 2 cars will evaporate quickly. Basically, since it's pretty much a wash, buy the car that you like the most.
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Replying to: germancarfan1 (Nov 02, 2006 6:36 am) |
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What do you mean by "polarizing style"? The only thing a little on the odd side is the short overhang of the Civics hood and longish dashboard inside up to the windshield. I personally like the look and am glad I got the sedan instead of the coupe. If I didn't have the spine problems that have been getting much worse since my accident, I would've jumped on the coupe. But the longer & heavier doors plus the somewhat claustraphobic back seat area made me go for the sedan. I did sit in the Elantra before I bought, but the seats for me were a deal breaker. I couldn't get comfortable and my spine really hurt just sitting in the showroom. I did my "sit test" and the only cars that passed it were the Corolla & the Civic. The Sonata seats were great for me, especially with the power function, but the size knocked it out of contention, as well as the mpg's. The Sandman 
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Replying to: sandman46 (Nov 02, 2006 5:46 pm) "I dig the futuristic, artsy look." "I hate everything but the way it drives." Did you sit in the 2007 Elantra before buying your Civic? BTW, there is a Civic vs. Elantra discussion... |
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Replying to: sandman46 (Nov 02, 2006 5:46 pm) 
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Replying to: backy (Oct 31, 2006 4:30 pm) |
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Replying to: herotakesafall (Nov 02, 2006 7:05 pm) .
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