Replacement for Civic ?

abhijitaparadh · 21st January 2010, 20:54

Hi all,

We have a 3 and a half yrs old Civic which has done close to 45k.
There is no problem with the car but over the period of ownership we have seen following flaws :
1. Low ride - Not comfortable for grandparents
2. Dashboard rattles over rough roads and Honda A.S.S. is unable to fix it in last 1 year.

When the road is smooth its absolutely joy to drive. Engine is flawless as are all other major systems.

So we decide to replace the car with something in similar price range. 2 options come to mind
1. Corolla - Too mundane looking in front of Civic.
2. Cruze - Looks great. But we already have spark and we are not fan of the engine. Its simple not as smooth as our WagonR (or Civic). So have doubts about Cruze engine. (We would go for Petrol only. Dad hates diesel). Also GM service is a concern. havent heard anything rave about it.

Does any of these cars address the "low ride" issue? Or both of them are similar to Civic in that respect ?

Any other car/SUV in that price range? Dad likes CR-V but its too expensive. And we want petrol engine. So Fortuner and Captiva are out.

karanraheja · 21st January 2010, 21:08

You dont have much options left , especially since you strictly want a petrol.
Altis seems to be the next best bet, but its kinda plain jane. Another good petrol car with a wee bit more budget is Laura 1.8TSI. One heck of an engine, nice interiors - but Skoda A.S.S.

Cruze doesnt have a good rear legroom , so i think you can stay away from it.
I think Altis would be the safer and better buy!

xenxer · 21st January 2010, 21:35

Cruze cannot be considered since i think it doesn't have a petrol engine. So the only options left for you are Altis and Laura. Of these considering the brand name and A.S.S I think the most suitable vehicle for you will be Altis.

csentil · 21st January 2010, 22:00

The ingress/egress is quite a problem especially for elderly folks!! Are they affected by the soft suspension as well?

Surprising about the rattle. I've had it a couple of times and Whitefield Honda fixed it without any issue.

After a Civic, what? Good question. Its pretty tough to choose. The Altis is a good bet. Solid Japanese build quality and lot of bells and whistles. But if that doesn't inspire you then frankly the choices are quite limited.

I wouldn't recommend Skoda after all the horror stories associated with it.

Howz the Sonata Petrol? I'm sure they have one. I'm not sure on the pricing though.

vkochar · 21st January 2010, 22:33

For a Petrol Sedan I'd recommend the below 2 options in your budget -

Toyota Corolla Altis - Top End Variant - Absolute Bliss to drive and much better than Civic in many areas.

Skoda Laura 1.8 Petrol - Again a very nice car and brilliant to drive.

Honda Accord - I am not sure what the base 2.4 costs, BUT I assume it will be about 17 lacs or so.

aaggoswami · 21st January 2010, 23:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by abhijitaparadh

2. Cruze - Looks great. But we already have spark and we are not fan of the engine. Its simple not as smooth as our WagonR (or Civic). So have doubts about Cruze engine. (We would go for Petrol only. Dad hates diesel). Also GM service is a concern. havent heard anything rave about it.

1) Spark and Cruze have engines from different parts of the world. The spark motor is not one of the best units and we all know this. Its a GM Ecotec IIRC, which is nothing but a motor that has its roots back in history and is not a modern unit.

Cruze engine is good. Its basically VM Motori's RA 420 engine that is also available in Captiva. The engine has turbolag, but after around 2000 rpm its a gives good performnace. There are threads running on Cruze on TBHP.

So spark and Cruze engine are not at all related and dont go by the spark experience. Its nothing but a worked upon Matiz.

Regarding service, GM and ford are actually putting in a lot of effort to reduce the spare part price and overall service experience.
IIRC, GM has its parts priced pretty low. Not sure about Cruze though, but I expect it to be cheaper than what VW and Skoda are dishing out under the " Premium " tag.

2) If you dont want Cruze or any other diesel, then you have very limited options. One is Altis. Do go by the looks. The car is not bad at all and though the sporty edge of Civic is not there, overall, it is much more practical car. Atleast do a TD.

3) Accord. If you are able to think about Fortuner and Captiva, then budget wise you can also consider Accord.

4) This is a segment below, but the car is not that bad. The G3HC i.e. ANHC. Yes, the Honda City. Has almost everything you want.

Sn1p3r · 21st January 2010, 23:49

I am tempted to say Laura TSI but Skoda is famous, today saw another recovery truck and guess what was being towed, yes a new one at that. Gosh! wake up Skoda, I love the engine, give Indians a chance and we will love anyone.

I think Altis is the only choice for you if not a second hand Accord.

Cheers!

FlyingSpur · 22nd January 2010, 00:11

Go with the Cruze. I doubt you've heard rave reviews about ANY company's A.S.S.

sunilchakola · 22nd January 2010, 00:25

I suggest you to go with Toyota Corolla Altis...

aparth · 22nd January 2010, 00:48

I think Corolla Altis would be your safest bet. It's looks might be plain jane but it does come with a whole lot of features which the Civic is missing such as HID's, steering mounted audio controls to name a few. The performance is pretty decent too...

OR

You could go for the Laura 1.8 TSI, if Skoda's A.S.S is not too much of a concern for you and you also won't miss the sporty edge of the Civic.

Parm · 22nd January 2010, 01:13

im not amazed how the road conditions, fuel quality, service quality can affect the vehicle itself!

my civic is 2006 april model and today i got service done for 165,000kms, the civic still touches 200kmph without any extra booster!

go for SX4, its got bigger 16" wheels and very good GC.

lamborghini · 22nd January 2010, 05:47

Avoid the Cruze and the Laura.
If your grandparents weren't comfortable in the Civic, they wont be very impressed with the Cruze or Laura either. Atleast my father wasn't.
I would sincerely recommend the Altis. It may not be as sporting, or as spacious, but it is a very well built, reliable, comfortable day to day performer.
The engine is beautiful, but the suspension isn't as sporty as that of the civic. However, a change of tyres, and it will definitely give the Civic competition in the straights, though it will lose out a bit on the corners.

Sanjay1707 · 23rd January 2010, 23:37

There is no better car to match your requirement than Corolla Altis. It is comfortable to drive, great rear seat comfort and low cost of ownership.

GTO · 24th January 2010, 19:05

You stand to lose a substantial amount in depreciation on your Civic. Best for you to negate those losses and buy a used Altis AT. Not tough to find, and most probably, you'll not pay anything over at all. More like a zero value lateral upgrade.

aditbelw · 24th January 2010, 20:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO

You stand to lose a substantial amount in depreciation on your Civic. Best for you to negate those losses and buy a used Altis AT. Not tough to find, and most probably, you'll not pay anything over at all. More like a zero value lateral upgrade.

I Second that...!!!

Though given a second thought, Cruze is a good car, took a test drive recently, and was definitely over whelmed by the performance.

21st January 2010, 20:54	#1
abhijitaparadh BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 222 Thanked: 3 Times	Replacement for Civic ? Hi all, We have a 3 and a half yrs old Civic which has done close to 45k. There is no problem with the car but over the period of ownership we have seen following flaws : 1. Low ride - Not comfortable for grandparents 2. Dashboard rattles over rough roads and Honda A.S.S. is unable to fix it in last 1 year. When the road is smooth its absolutely joy to drive. Engine is flawless as are all other major systems. So we decide to replace the car with something in similar price range. 2 options come to mind 1. Corolla - Too mundane looking in front of Civic. 2. Cruze - Looks great. But we already have spark and we are not fan of the engine. Its simple not as smooth as our WagonR (or Civic). So have doubts about Cruze engine. (We would go for Petrol only. Dad hates diesel). Also GM service is a concern. havent heard anything rave about it. Does any of these cars address the "low ride" issue? Or both of them are similar to Civic in that respect ? Any other car/SUV in that price range? Dad likes CR-V but its too expensive. And we want petrol engine. So Fortuner and Captiva are out.
	() Thanks

21st January 2010, 21:08	#2
karanraheja Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Coimbatore Posts: 1,961 Thanked: 436 Times	You dont have much options left , especially since you strictly want a petrol. Altis seems to be the next best bet, but its kinda plain jane. Another good petrol car with a wee bit more budget is Laura 1.8TSI. One heck of an engine, nice interiors - but Skoda A.S.S. Cruze doesnt have a good rear legroom , so i think you can stay away from it. I think Altis would be the safer and better buy!
	() Thanks

21st January 2010, 21:35	#3
xenxer BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: TVM Posts: 102 Thanked: Once View My Garage	Cruze cannot be considered since i think it doesn't have a petrol engine. So the only options left for you are Altis and Laura. Of these considering the brand name and A.S.S I think the most suitable vehicle for you will be Altis.
	() Thanks

21st January 2010, 22:00	#4
csentil Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,349 Thanked: 38 Times View My Garage	The ingress/egress is quite a problem especially for elderly folks!! Are they affected by the soft suspension as well? Surprising about the rattle. I've had it a couple of times and Whitefield Honda fixed it without any issue. After a Civic, what? Good question. Its pretty tough to choose. The Altis is a good bet. Solid Japanese build quality and lot of bells and whistles. But if that doesn't inspire you then frankly the choices are quite limited. I wouldn't recommend Skoda after all the horror stories associated with it. Howz the Sonata Petrol? I'm sure they have one. I'm not sure on the pricing though.
	() Thanks

21st January 2010, 22:33	#5
vkochar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Delhi / Agra / London Posts: 2,146 Thanked: 819 Times View My Garage	For a Petrol Sedan I'd recommend the below 2 options in your budget - Toyota Corolla Altis - Top End Variant - Absolute Bliss to drive and much better than Civic in many areas. Skoda Laura 1.8 Petrol - Again a very nice car and brilliant to drive. Honda Accord - I am not sure what the base 2.4 costs, BUT I assume it will be about 17 lacs or so.
	() Thanks

21st January 2010, 23:49	#7
Sn1p3r Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Germany Posts: 1,022 Thanked: 231 Times View My Garage	I am tempted to say Laura TSI but Skoda is famous, today saw another recovery truck and guess what was being towed, yes a new one at that. Gosh! wake up Skoda, I love the engine, give Indians a chance and we will love anyone. I think Altis is the only choice for you if not a second hand Accord. Cheers!
	() Thanks

22nd January 2010, 00:11	#8
FlyingSpur Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 3,934 Thanked: 1,422 Times View My Garage	Go with the Cruze. I doubt you've heard rave reviews about ANY company's A.S.S.
	() Thanks

22nd January 2010, 00:25	#9
sunilchakola BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 124 Thanked: 7 Times View My Garage	I suggest you to go with Toyota Corolla Altis...
	() Thanks

22nd January 2010, 00:48	#10
aparth Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: New Delhi Posts: 1,341 Thanked: 1,708 Times View My Garage	I think Corolla Altis would be your safest bet. It's looks might be plain jane but it does come with a whole lot of features which the Civic is missing such as HID's, steering mounted audio controls to name a few. The performance is pretty decent too... OR You could go for the Laura 1.8 TSI, if Skoda's A.S.S is not too much of a concern for you and you also won't miss the sporty edge of the Civic.
	() Thanks

22nd January 2010, 01:13	#11
Parm Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: in a Toyota! Posts: 2,753 Thanked: 890 Times	im not amazed how the road conditions, fuel quality, service quality can affect the vehicle itself! my civic is 2006 april model and today i got service done for 165,000kms, the civic still touches 200kmph without any extra booster! go for SX4, its got bigger 16" wheels and very good GC.
	() Thanks

22nd January 2010, 05:47	#12
lamborghini Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 6,113 Thanked: 5,760 Times View My Garage	Avoid the Cruze and the Laura. If your grandparents weren't comfortable in the Civic, they wont be very impressed with the Cruze or Laura either. Atleast my father wasn't. I would sincerely recommend the Altis. It may not be as sporting, or as spacious, but it is a very well built, reliable, comfortable day to day performer. The engine is beautiful, but the suspension isn't as sporty as that of the civic. However, a change of tyres, and it will definitely give the Civic competition in the straights, though it will lose out a bit on the corners.
	() Thanks

23rd January 2010, 23:37	#13
Sanjay1707 BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Mumbai Posts: 35 Thanked: 2 Times	There is no better car to match your requirement than Corolla Altis. It is comfortable to drive, great rear seat comfort and low cost of ownership.
	() Thanks

24th January 2010, 19:05	#14
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 70,530 Thanked: 300,724 Times View My Garage	You stand to lose a substantial amount in depreciation on your Civic. Best for you to negate those losses and buy a used Altis AT. Not tough to find, and most probably, you'll not pay anything over at all. More like a zero value lateral upgrade.
	() Thanks