We were in the market for a spare vehicle the past few months. We were hoping for a used car, but became frustrated at how little price difference they were over new. So we opted for a 2012 Honda Civic.
Well we picked up our Civic EX Sedan last week. Despite the poor "reviews" by outfits such as Consumer Reports, we test drove it and was overall pleased with how the car performed. We put on 50km on the test vehicle, taking it through the city and onto the highway.
I am pleased with the overall design of the exterior. In fact, I like it more than the previous generation. However, I think I like the previous gen's interior more. Having said that, in the 2012s, I like the digital gauges, the I-MID display and the overall space, but I don't like the stereo controls --they are somewhat ugly. The way the stereo controls are tilted to towards the driver, it reminds me of the old Pontiac Sunbird. As for the dash, the "rice paper" look will take some getting used to, but overall, its okay.
As for the ride quality, its on par with the competition. Merging onto the freeway is adequate. Noise level is fair.
We knew that there were other choices available to us such as the Corolla, Focus, Cruze, Elantra and Mazda3.
We didn't buy the Corolla because the gf already has a 2003. Warranty expired ages ago. Not a single problem with it. Great car.
We didn't buy the Focus because we thought they are overpriced. It looks good, but for less money, I can buy the Civic. My parents are loyal Ford customers, but they always seem to have a large out-of-pocket expense soon after the comprehensive warranty expires. Hmmm....
We didn't buy the Cruze because of my gf's past experience with a variety of GM vehicles. Nothing but bad luck. She vowed never to drive a GM again. You know the saying: happy wife, happy life.
We didn't buy the Elantra because of the terrible experience I had with my 2010 Tucson, which I got rid of after only 1 year. I think from a mechanical standpoint, it still has a long way to go.
We didn't buy the Mazda3 because the local dealership removes all the window stickers from their new inventory. I have a problem with that. With all the options available on the Mazda3, how do I know what I am buying and what I am paying if I don't have a written summary on the window? It becomes a trust issue. The next closest Mazda dealership is 250km away.
At the end of the day, we went with the Civic because of Honda's history of reliability. I've owned a Honda for the past ten years and have been impressed with the reliability and relative low cost of maintenance.
Well we picked up our Civic EX Sedan last week. Despite the poor "reviews" by outfits such as Consumer Reports, we test drove it and was overall pleased with how the car performed. We put on 50km on the test vehicle, taking it through the city and onto the highway.
I am pleased with the overall design of the exterior. In fact, I like it more than the previous generation. However, I think I like the previous gen's interior more. Having said that, in the 2012s, I like the digital gauges, the I-MID display and the overall space, but I don't like the stereo controls --they are somewhat ugly. The way the stereo controls are tilted to towards the driver, it reminds me of the old Pontiac Sunbird. As for the dash, the "rice paper" look will take some getting used to, but overall, its okay.
As for the ride quality, its on par with the competition. Merging onto the freeway is adequate. Noise level is fair.
We knew that there were other choices available to us such as the Corolla, Focus, Cruze, Elantra and Mazda3.
We didn't buy the Corolla because the gf already has a 2003. Warranty expired ages ago. Not a single problem with it. Great car.
We didn't buy the Focus because we thought they are overpriced. It looks good, but for less money, I can buy the Civic. My parents are loyal Ford customers, but they always seem to have a large out-of-pocket expense soon after the comprehensive warranty expires. Hmmm....
We didn't buy the Cruze because of my gf's past experience with a variety of GM vehicles. Nothing but bad luck. She vowed never to drive a GM again. You know the saying: happy wife, happy life.
We didn't buy the Elantra because of the terrible experience I had with my 2010 Tucson, which I got rid of after only 1 year. I think from a mechanical standpoint, it still has a long way to go.
We didn't buy the Mazda3 because the local dealership removes all the window stickers from their new inventory. I have a problem with that. With all the options available on the Mazda3, how do I know what I am buying and what I am paying if I don't have a written summary on the window? It becomes a trust issue. The next closest Mazda dealership is 250km away.
At the end of the day, we went with the Civic because of Honda's history of reliability. I've owned a Honda for the past ten years and have been impressed with the reliability and relative low cost of maintenance.
