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Auto Profile: Honda Civic v. Hyundai Elantra
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| Quick Comparison |
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| Updated |
Mar 17, 2005 19:41:50 |
| Rating |
 1622 ( -173 -10.66% ) | | Author | Phil Ruth |
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Description:
Few would dispute the idea that the Honda Civic is at the top of the small-car game. To stay there, Honda's redesigned 2001 Civic moves further away from its mini-car roots and adopts a more Accord-like air. That's understandable; if you were Honda, you'd want your best-selling smallest sedan (with more than 324,000 sold in 2000) to hang on to every one of its buyers - and find a whole lot of new ones. Honda apparently figures that moving more toward the Accord's conservative (and still wildly popular) sensibility will only benefit the Civic.
The biggest change toward that end was a switch from the previous Civic's racecar-inspired multi-link front suspension to simpler MacPherson struts. Street racers who loved hopping-up the nimble Civics of yore were disappointed to find this more plebian system in the new model, but those smooth-riding struts appeal to the mainstream core of Civic buyers. Along with taking up less room than the multi-link setup, the simpler MacPherson strut suspension also makes the Civic less expensive to build, which helps Honda to profit from a segment known for razor-thin margins.
The Hyundai Elantra, on the other hand, is a relative unknown in the field. Introduced in the U.S. in the early-1990s, it achieved respectable sales figures last year, which amounted to about a third of the Civic's volume. The Elantra, however, has also been redesigned for 2001, and the value it offers is beyond reproach. The most basic Civic DX costs $12,960 and has only the most basic of accouterments. The Elantra GLS undercuts that price by $461 and includes air conditioning, a multi-adjustable driver's seat and full array of power accessories as standard equipment. Its larger engine has 25 more horsepower, and there are four more cubic feet of room inside.
Of course, Honda's reputation for reliability is stellar. Hyundai's is less proven, but it offers an impressive 10-year powertrain warranty to compensate. The new Elantra's build quality is leaps ahead of the previous generation, too, so there's reason to believe that a long-term relationship with the Elantra could be rewarding. Which small sedan would be best for you? Find out by clicking on the research links below.
-By Phil Ruth
Honda Civic
Hyundai Elantra |
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