2018 Elantra vs 18 civic vs 18 cruze

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Gooday folks,

I had a very great deal on a 2018 Elantra GL SE fully equiped with the 2.0 L mutiport injection with the very smooth 6 speed auto.

Now, I head good thing about the new cruze and the civic of course, which has been a class leader for years.

The only "plus" the civic has is the suspension. Not a fan of CVT.

The cruze, not a fan of the auto start system, wonder if its reliable.

Any of you have experienxe with any of these three cars? Please share your inputs. Thanks!!!
 
In my mind, elantra is jack of all trade, not too shabby but not impressive beside the interior space. Cruze may have good chassis even though reliability may not be the forte. Honda typically has firm short suspension, so this may or may not be liked depending on the preference, but seems you like it and the fuel economy of Honda should be great. Auto start system nowadays should be ok, but of course it means more expensive battery and more wear and tear on starter motor.
 
I actually like the elantra a lot, great engine, extremely nice transmission. Sunroof, 17 wheels, 4 wheels disc brakes, great comfort. And 0% financing LOL
 
If your looking for fun, go with the Civic, if your looking for long term durability go with the Elantra.
 
Originally Posted by gregk24
If your looking for fun, go with the Civic, if your looking for long term durability go with the Elantra.
It seems like a Sad day when the Elantra is the reliable choice over the Honda.
 
I test drove all three and started threads on a 2018 Cruze diesel and a 2018 Elantra Sport.

The Elantra is the best looking of the three imo.

I am NOT a fan of a dated twist beam suspension
used on the Cruze and most Elantras.
Only the Elantra Sport model has an independent rear suspension
designed by a poached BMW engineer which is better than the Civics in handling and ride. A rare feat.

Consumer Reports got the best gas mileage of any gas powered non hybrid car with
the impossible to find Elantra Eco. Beating the EPA numbers by a long shot.
But that car uses technology shunned by many members on here.

The Civic wins on resell. I do like the Civic hatch, but all Civic hatches are assembled in England
and don't have quite the same reliability of the trunk models supposedly.


The Cruze feels cheap. GM attempts to use a few "high quality" materials in a spot or two
in the interior to trick you.
One area the Cruze excels at is freeway road noise.
The 2019 Cruze will supposedly have a way to turn off the auto start/stop.

The Elantra SE your looking at uses time tested drivetrain technology and the car is a very good value new.

You cant go wrong with the Elantra. I wished all models had the IRS, but it is what it is.
 
33K on my Civic Touring, nice package even with the CVT transmission, no dealer visits other than a recall (electric parking brake software reflash) Here's the view from a Hyundai,


.

P1040223.webp
 
I like the Cruze and don't feel its cheap compared to others in its class. With that said the Elantra is also really nice. You can't wrong with either IMO so test drive both and see which you like more and price them out.
 
You're in Canada, so you're lucky. You can get an Elantra GT hatchback with the panoramic sunroof and the manual transmission for $22k. In the US, the panoramic sunroof requires a $6000 package, and automatic only, and ends up costing $26k.

If I was up there, my choice would be the Elantra GT with the sunroof and manual. If I could afford a new car, I'd go up there and buy one.

We cannot get a Civic hatch with a sunroof and manual at all. But you can.

You should also consider the Mazda 3
smile.gif
 
Looked at all these cars recently. Really like the Elantra. Very nice car for the money. One negative with the Hyundai is resale value. Honda is way better in this department. Honda is very fond of their cars and usually have a price that reflects this. Had a bad experience with previous body style Cruze. Not a fan of the GM turbo engine nor the 6 speed GM auto.

One thing to consider if this matters. Hyundai is changing the body style on the 19 Elantra. So if you don't ind not having the latest or greatest they probably will have some closeout special to move the old bodystyle.

I really like the simple MPI and regular 6 speed auto in the Hyundai. Should be a good car.

Here's a picture of the 2019 Elantra: (hope you like triangles)

[Linked Image]
 
Looked closely at the Elantra GT and the Civic.
Surprised at the wonky dynamics in the Hyundai, considering it was the sportiest offering, with the "good" rear suspension.
It had a nasty wobble when exiting corners when driven in a mild spirited manner. Even my wife noticed that right away.
Heard from Veloster owners they are experiencing the same problem.

The Civic is a bit too soft in the front but the rear tracks beautifully.
 
Saved for future reference if I ever can figure out how to access my posts on this new forum.

Note to the mods, my stuff no longer comes up, and there is no longer any link at the top of threads to save a thread for future reference.
 
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A friend's 2004 Civix LX, 200K + miles, beat to ...
With a blown head gasket just sold at a wholesale auction for $700.

Honda's hold their value. Like crazy...
Just sayin'...
 
Civic all day long. Pick up sport hatch with manual trans ( or even LX trim) - absolutely amazing car for the money. 22K on mine - love it!
 
Originally Posted by CT8
Originally Posted by gregk24
If your looking for fun, go with the Civic, if your looking for long term durability go with the Elantra.
It seems like a Sad day when the Elantra is the reliable choice over the Honda.


I wouldn't say this is across the board, I just know the new 1.5T has had some issues, not so much with the Civic but with the CRV.
 
I have just over 13k miles on my 2017 Elantra SE. I bought on price so Civic was not even an option. Engine and transmission very smooth. Very easy to change oil and maintenance needs minimal. I can easily get over 40 mpg highway. I kinda misjudged traffic today and pulled out and two cars must have been going faster than the speed limit. Put her in Sport mode, squealed some tires and was fine. It is an economy car but has enough get up and go when you need it. For me the suspension is fine.

They put millions into the 2019 update which is not for me. But something keep in mind.
Here's the Refreshed 2019 Hyundai Elantra
 
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