I’ve had my heart set on a Honda Civic for sometime now…a used one…2005-2007. However, recently I’ve been reading good reports from both J.D. Powers and Consumer Reports that the Hyundai Elantra is a competitor to the Civic and a good value.
I’ve come across a 2007 Hyundai Elantra with 40K miles and approximately 4 years left of warranty for about $9500 total plus sales tax. The 2005 Honda Civic I like is $12,000, 56K miles and no warranty.
I know one gets what they pay for…but for someone like myself with limited resources…I am leaning towards the Hyundai.
I’d appreciate hearing from anyone with Hyundai Elantra experience.
Thanks!!!
Ingrid
Smart shopper GET MORE THAN WHAT THEY PAY FOR!!!
The Hyundai Elantra is an excellent car and getting a car 2 years newer for $3000 les shows that. A friend of mine has had one for 4 years now and it is just as bullet-proof as a Corolla or a Civic. The public just has not caught on yest that Hyundais are great buys.
In general, the gap between perception and reality is 8 years in America. So, when Hyundais have been good for 8 years the public will catch on and start bidding up the price. At the same time Volvos were really bad cars for 8 years before they started losing their good reputation.
And that $3000 you’d save by buying the Hyundai can go towards a lot of repairs(if any) you might need.
If you can, put that extra $3000 in a separate bank account and let it earn interest. If you have any repairs(brakes, tires, timing belt/water pump replacement are NOT repairs). Anytime you need to repair the Hyundai, take money from that account. When you get ready to get rid of the Hyundai, use the money you’ve saved in the bank for a down payment, or pay cash for the vehicle.
While I don’t have specific experience with the Elantra, I will say that (barring some very unusual circumstance) I’d not have to think twice about a car that’s two years newer, with 16K fewer miles, $2500 cheaper, AND four years left on the warranty.
Pretty tough to beat that, IMO.
Drive them both and see if you like them. Take a long ride in each, if you can.
The Hyundai will probably seem cheaper, but is a better buy.
I agree, the Hyundai is a better economic value and will be a fine car most likely. I also agree that it may seem cheaper and less refined. One reason Hyundais generally run less expensive than Hondas is because many of their finish materials, interior plastics, cushions and padding, sound deadening etc is not as high quality as Honda. But the car as a machine is just as roadworthy and nearly as reliable. Of course as with any car, reliability largely is based on the care you take of the vehicle.
If you can afford the Honda I’d recommend getting the Civic. It costs more to buy, but holds its value at a higher level longer. In quality of build, engineering, and design the Honda is a tad more refined than the Elantra.
It is hard to argue with a reliable car that is inexpensive to buy. So the Elantra wins on the more for the money argument. In the end you have to make the call.