Looking for a car for my daughter. Should the presence of stability control on the Elantra trump the proven long term reliability of the Civic? She is entering the field of social Work, so this car will need to last a LONG time.
Both cars are very reliable and should last a long time. The Civic probably will use slightly less gas. Spare parts will be available fro a very long time for both cars, although there will be more aftermarket spares for the Civic.
Personally I would buy a car with the fewest comlex options or standard equipment. Traction control will be more expesnsive to repair later.
If you want the longest, most reliable, and most economical life, buy a basic Civic with only such options as automatic and air conditioning.
Other choices would be the Mazda 3, and if you can find a 2008 Toyota Corolla in basic trim. The 2009 Corolla has not proven itself yet.
Thanks for the reply! I have looked at all of the above and used Accords and Altimas. I agree with keeping it simple on the tech side, although the Hyundai warranty is somewhat reassuring.
Just remember that that warranty is not usually transferable to another owner, so you’d hafta buy new to have it
The one she likes better is the best one, especially if she will own it a long time. Both are top tier but one will appeal more than the other to her. A car for a long time you do not like is a sentence based on my 9yr/225k ownership of a 95 Civic.