2010 VW Jetta 2.5 vs 2010-2011 Honda Civic

[jeepman3071]

I've been doing a lot of driving for work lately, and I'm thinking about getting a commuter car. Something smaller, a bit newer, and a bit better on gas. I'll still be keeping the Jeep for winter and trailer towing duty as well as offroad trips. I've been looking at the 8th gen 2010-2011 Honda Civic. My family has owned a few Hondas and they are reliable and familiar. Recently I drove a friend's 2010 VW Jetta 2.5 with the 5 speed and was fairly impressed by it. It seemed like a solid car for having over 190k miles and had some nice options. Honda Civic pros: -simple and reliable -not as expensive to maintain -familiar for me to work on and service -a bit better fuel economy than the 2.5 VW Honda Civic cons: -hard to find in a manual -manual models are usually stripped down with no options -quite a bit of road noise -insurance is high VW Jetta 2.5 pros: -easier to find a manual car with leather and options -2.5 has no turbos or timing belts to break -engine seems to have a decent amount of torque -prices seem a bit cheaper -seems to handle a bit better and is quieter inside -insurance cheaper VW Jetta 2.5 cons: -maintenance is a bit more expensive -mpg with the 2.5 is worse than the Civic -country of origin is Mexico? -electrical issues? -A bit harder to work on If anyone has input on these cars that would be great. This would primarily be a daily commuter vehicle. I'm looking at mainly 2010-2011 low mileage cars because they seem to be fairly reliable, and within the price range that I'm willing to pay cash for. I could get into a brand new vehicle but don't want a car payment or the big depreciation loss. I have driven only a 2011 Honda Civic auto and 2010 VW Jetta 2.5 manual. Both cars have lots to offer but I'd like to hear from owners of these particular vehicles. My only real experience with VW was bad, but that was mainly auto trans related on a 2001 Jetta my sister owned. I do all my own maintenance and I'm not afraid to turn a wrench, but don't want a nightmare.

 

[Mr Nice]

Honda family here... Don't forget the Corolla and Mazda 3.

 

[robertcope]

I think either would be great. We have a 2008 Rabbit with the 2.5L. It's a solid motor. We've had zero issues with the car. I change the oil and that's about it. I did struts and lowering springs on it about 100K miles just to freshen it up a bit. Otherwise, it just goes. Not a particularly exciting engine, doesn't get particularly good gas mileage, but it should run forever. The car is fun to drive, IMHO. Probably the Honda is, too? I'd drive them both and see which you liked better. robert

 

[KGMtech]

VW has fully galvanized body, a big benefit IMHO compared to rusty Hondas. I think the Jetta has a better seating position, and will put more smiles per mile on your face.

 

[jeepman3071]

Yeah I'm trying to get opinions from owners of the cars. Honda and VW obviously have their reputations, but when I drove the 2011 Civic it seemed kind of cheap, particularly the dash.

 

[Rolla07]

Think of comfort if driving alot. Try and take extended test drives..i get that mpg is important but a small mpg trade off might be worth it for having a bigger ride. Another idea is going for the Jetta with the diesel engine. Might save you in mpg even moreso and provide same features that you like. I find that smaller cars have less padding and back support, which is what I would recommend if driving alot or for extended periods...

 

[stephen9666]

The 2010 Jetta was the last of the semi-premium Jettas. We have a 2.5 manual version. The engines/trannies in these cars are solid. There are some issues. The door latch mechanism failures are a frustrating problem. I've replaced one and another one needs replacing. The 2.5 doesn't get great mileage. The best I've ever gotten on 87 is 29 mpg on a road trip. The transmission really needs a 6th gear as it spins above 3k at highway speeds. Ours has had one check engine light for a dumb VW-style electrical issue. I forget exactly what it was now, but it was something where a sensor reading goes out of range, even though it's operating properly. There's a software update that widens the acceptable range to keep The CEL from going on. I reset the light and it hasn't returned yet. They're nicely built cars with a high-quality interior and good driving dynamics. The not amazing mileage and few common issues are the downsides.

 

[DrRoughneck]

Honda is far better than VW in terms of statistical reliability. Having owned both, it is also my experience. 6 years is right around the time my last VW started falling apart. Never again.

 

[krismoriah72]

Honda Civic with over 750,000 miles http://jalopnik.com/5885287/how-i-put-750000-miles-on-my-honda-civic-in-just-five-years IMHO if i were to pick from those two choices i would go with the civic. You can rack the miles up on it and in the end sell it to a kid that will be glad to rice it out with high miles. If i were to pick a car to rack up miles on it would probably be a Toyota Corolla S. They are sporty and reliable..best of both worlds. Here is one with over 600K http://jacksonville.com/business/2010-06-05/story/car-has-603500-miles-5-years

 

[gregk24]

The 2.5 in the Jetta has proven to be a pretty reliable engine, its not the most thrifty on fuel though. The late 1.8's in the Civic are also reliable, the early ones had a tendency to develop cracks in the block but that was rare and was resolved by the year(s) that you are looking at. The Jetta will have a more premium feel than the Civic, but the Civic will probably outlast the Jetta. Test drive both and see which one YOU like best. The main + for the Jetta would be driving dynamics and a more premium feel than the competition, the main + for the Civic would be reliability/efficiency. I am partial to Honda but my girlfriend owns a MKVI Jetta that I thoroughly enjoy driving, its a fun little car with the 1.8T.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: jeepman3071

VW Jetta 2.5 cons: -maintenance is a bit more expensive -A bit harder to work on

Just curious, but what why is maintenance more expensive and what makes it harder to work on?

 

[jeepman3071]

Thanks for the input so far. I do like the Civic, and I'm looking at the later versions of the 8th gen mainly because of the block cracking problem. I know there has been a warranty extension to cover it, but I usually keep my vehicles as long as possible. The problem for me seems to be finding a Civic in a manual. I have yet to test one because they are hard to find. I'd like to find a 2010-2011 sedan in manual. Si versions require premium fuel and insurance companies seem to think they are a super car for the rates they command. I think I will really need to drive a Civic 5 speed to make a decision.

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete

Originally Posted By: jeepman3071

VW Jetta 2.5 cons: -maintenance is a bit more expensive -A bit harder to work on

Just curious, but what why is maintenance more expensive and what makes it harder to work on?

VW parts seem to be a bit harder to find locally (as in AZ and Napa don't seem to stock many of them). Although online prices seem the same. My friend with the 2010 Jetta says he needed a few special tools to work on it, and bought some sort of VAG-com diagnostic tool. I'm not exactly sure what he meant by special tools. Like I said, I have limited experience with VWs but that seems to be the consensus whether it is true or not. This is why I'm asking the actual owners. I'm mainly asking for experiences because like any other brand some people say they are great, others hate them, and the internet amplifies everything.

 

[Delta]

My 08 2.5 has been rock solid so far. Nothing but oil and filter changes, the 2.5 is relatively simple. The only special tool I've bought is for the oil filter housing and a couple allen and triple square sockets. If you like driving or drive long distances the VW would be my choice. Feels more expensive than what it is.

 

[Nate1979]

Truedelta: Civic vs Jetta http://www.truedelta.com/Honda-Civic/reliability-109/vs-Jetta-280 In almost all years the Civic is much more reliable than the Jetta.

 

[KrisZ]

You mostly hear how Honda is great and VW is horrible. The truth is that Hondas aren't that great and VWs aren't that horrible.

 

[SLCraig]

I currently have a 2010 SI 6 speed, and I have owned a 2011 LX-S 5 speed. My girlfriend has a 2006 DX coupe 5 speed. The cars have all been reliable, with the 1.8's being the gas mileage champions of the 3 for sure, but the SI is a lot more fun. Around here the insurance price premium is 0 more over my previous Civic. It was an easy choice for me to trade into an SI. I love 8th gen Civics, they have been good to me and the GF. Solid thrifty cars.

 

[gregk24]

The 2.5 in the Jetta has proven to be a pretty reliable engine, its not the most thrifty on fuel though. The late 1.8's in the Civic are also reliable, the early ones had a tendency to develop cracks in the block but that was rare and was resolved by the year(s) that you are looking at. The Jetta will have a more premium feel than the Civic, but the Civic will probably outlast the Jetta. Test drive both and see which one YOU like best. The main + for the Jetta would be driving dynamics and a more premium feel than the competition, the main + for the Civic would be reliability/efficiency. I am partial to Honda but my girlfriend owns a MKVI Jetta that I thoroughly enjoy driving, its a fun little car with the 1.8T.

 

[dishdude]

Keep an eye out for both and if a clean, well maintained one at a good price appears jump on it. I think both have proven to be pretty solid and I'm sure any BITOGer could easily keep either going for 250k. When buying used, the more makes/models you'll consider the easier it is to shop.

 

[supton]

If you're handy then I don't see why the VW is a negative. Some of the repairs are harder yet if you go onto Vortex or the like it seems people manage. You've got a spare vehicle (the Jeep) so it's not like sudden breakage is that killer. Mine had decent rust protection, so I think that's a plus. In 11 years I did manage to get by w/o VAG-COM. I did have it read a couple times by locals with it though, so as to get codes and reset lights. It's not cheap software but OTOH it does read everything on a VW, so it may be worthwhile to buy--perhaps after waiting for something to actually break, that is.