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#123 of 296 Re: The "new" Civic and Corolla? [smallcar1] by fordcustsrvc

Feb 25, 2011 (7:18 am)

Replying to: smallcar1 (Feb 16, 2011 11:36 pm)

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• hackattack5 (Feb 28, 2011 6:30 am)
  • fordcustsrvc (Mar 03, 2011 6:44 am)

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#124 of 296 Re: The "new" Civic and Corolla? [backy] by GBrianK

Feb 28, 2011 (2:24 am)

Replying to: backy (Feb 23, 2011 7:56 am)

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• aviboy97 (Feb 28, 2011 11:20 am)

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#125 of 296 Re: The "new" Civic and Corolla? [fordcustsrvc] by hackattack5

Feb 28, 2011 (6:30 am)

Replying to: fordcustsrvc (Feb 25, 2011 7:18 am)

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• fordcustsrvc (Mar 03, 2011 6:44 am)

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#126 of 296 Re: The "new" Civic and Corolla? [GBrianK] by aviboy97

Feb 28, 2011 (11:20 am)

Replying to: GBrianK (Feb 28, 2011 2:24 am)

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#127 of 296 Elantra by sandman_6472

Feb 28, 2011 (8:40 pm)

Funny, I felt the interior was pretty nice so it's really all based on personal perception. Doubt we'll seriously consider a Ford product, we just don't like the brand...again, our preference. Nor would we ever consider a VW, BMW or a Benz. Nice cars & all, but we basically just need economical transportation with some bells & whistles...since we'd never ever finance, we try to keep the price at around $18k with a trade in. Just the way we were raised, we're not fancy folk & don't require the best or top of the line. Though I did fantasize about the C Class, I knew it was just a dream and had fun test driving it, never serious about a purchase...again, out of our comfort zone.
 
Time will tell what she ends up with, but it'll last us for many miles down the road. We'll start test driving after tax season is over for sure.
 
The Sandman

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• plekto (Mar 01, 2011 2:40 am)

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#128 of 296 Re: Elantra [sandman_6472] by plekto

Mar 01, 2011 (2:40 am)

Replying to: sandman_6472 (Feb 28, 2011 8:40 pm)

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#129 of 296 Test Drive by sandman_6472

Mar 01, 2011 (6:57 am)

It was the best experience when I took one for a test drive last August, like nothing I've ever driven before in my life. I still get letters asking me to come back down & work out a deal. In my dreams, but if I ever did take the plunge, wifey would probably want it. When I was going to trade for a Volvo S40 two years ago, she was already telling me that we' be "sharing" it which I shot down immediately. We have different driving styles. She accelerates, lets off the gas, accelerates again, etc. which gives me a headache with the choppy, lurchy ride. Very annoying & her mpg's in her Mazda3s are pitiful. I, on the other hand, keep my foot on the accelerator & adjust my foot to stay at a constant speed with none of the lurching & I get 30 mpg's in the city with the Civic. That's why she doesn't drive my car at all...it's still as tight as when I bought it while her car has rattles & looks to be in fair condition. Top dollar we won't get...a perfect private sale car I'd think.
 
The Sandman

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#130 of 296 Re: The "new" Civic and Corolla? [hackattack5] by fordcustsrvc

Mar 03, 2011 (6:44 am)

Replying to: hackattack5 (Feb 28, 2011 6:30 am)

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#131 of 296 US content of compacts by backy

Mar 05, 2011 (11:18 am)

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#132 of 296 Compacts at the auto show by backy

Mar 12, 2011 (5:50 pm)

I made my annual pilgrimage to the Greater Twin Cities Auto Show today. I especially wanted to compare the newer compacts: Cruze, Elantra, Focus, Forte, and Jetta (and toss in the Verano and the refreshed Corolla). I was very disappointed that there were no Foci to touch or sit in--just a sedan on a turntable, guarded by a nice looking young woman with a P90 (ok, kidding about the P90). The Focus looked nice inside and out, but I really have to get closer to it. But there was no new Civic at all, so at least Ford had a Focus to look at.
 
Chevy had several Cruzes in their large display. To their credit, they even had a stripped LS, at $17k MSRP. And I really, really liked that stripped LS. I think it's a great value. It has a high-quality interior--maybe best in class; nice two-tone treatment on the seats and dash; all the safety equipment one could hope for; a very smooth short-throw 6-speed with a knob that would look OK in a car twice the price; 8-way adjustable drivers seat and passenger seat; power windows and locks with remote locking; decent-looking wheel covers; and good FE ratings (26/36 I think). And I know dealers in my area put big discounts on LSes. However, I don't see a Cruze LS in my garage in the future. Chevy made the bone-headed decision to not offer cruise on the Cruze LS, not even as an option. Since I do make long trips on occasion, I really need cruise. I could even live with the manual mirrors. In order to get cruise, I'd have to spend nearly $20k list on a 1LT with an options package (and spare tire and license plate bracket too). Very disappointing.
 
So on to the Elantra. I'd sat in the new Elantra a couple of times before, so this was a refresher. I still like the Elantra a lot, as it has a great combo of high FE, big interior (great leg room in back), sharp styling, and a good price for the feature content. And cruise is easy to get. So it's on my "A" list, in GLS with AT form (maybe Preferred package also; those alloys are pretty sharp).
 
The biggest surprise in this class was the Jetta. I was prepared to not like it very much, based on what I had read about it. This was the first time I'd seen it, and sat in it. And it's a pretty darn nice small car, based on looking and sitting. First, it doesn't look bad at all in person. Conservative, yes, but the rear evokes Audi and the lines are clean and honest. Second, the back seat leg room is fantastic--even better than the Elantra's. And the seat cushion is high and there's good head room also. I was very comfortable in back, and in the driver's seat. VW hasn't lost its touch there, even though there's few adjustments. The main difference between the new Jetta's interior and old Jetta (and current Golf) is the new Jetta has hard plastics throughout. But they are decent quality plastics. The doors close with a solid thunk. The main problem I see with the Jetta is, in order to get competitive FE, and a low price, you need to go with the 2.0S with 115 hp. It might be a best fit for someone who wants the back seat leg room of a midsized car but smaller outside. But then, the Elantra fits that bill also--not as much head room in back as the Jetta though.
 
I checked the Forte also and didn't like it quite as much as the Elantra, but noticed that one can get the EX with alloys and a moonroof for just a bit more than the Elantra GLS with Preferred package. And the dash is fine, if not as fancy as the Elantra's, and the back seat had more headroom if a bit less legroom. So it's on my "A" list, a bit lower than the Elantra. (Also the Forte comes in a spiffy hatch model.)
 
The Verano was on a turntable, not available to sit in, but looked quite luxurious inside. But not what I'm looking for in a small car.
 
The Corolla was... quite sad. Actually, the whole Toyota car display was a ghost town, except for a display of two future Prius models. (The trucks/SUVs had more traffic.) The interior had a few little improvements but still the cheap plastics and cheap-feeling HVAC controls and hard-to-adjust driving position. And the back seat is one of the worst in the class now in leg room. The relatively spartan LE on display lists at $18.8K--more than a much nicer Elantra or Forte or Sentra and about the same as a much, much nicer Cruze or Mazda3. And the FE is pretty low for the class now. Hard to understand why so many Corollas are sold now.

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• lofquist (Mar 18, 2011 3:13 pm)