The Honda Civic has been the best compact car in its segment for the past 24 years, and Canadian consumers still make it their first choice in droves.
Competitors are working hard to take that position away from it, and Hyundai's new Elantra has been a very serious product since last year. However, Honda, which redesigned its Civic last year, still has some cards to play, so its model remains the benchmark.
Basically, the Civic is just too strong. Let's take a look at what sets it apart from the Hyundai Elantra.
Its powertrains
With both models, there are variants offering different powertrains. That's great with Hyundai, but Honda's offering is unbeatable. With the basic versions, both companies offer a 2-litre 4-cylinder engine. Honda offers more power (158 vs. 147 hp) and more torque (138 vs. 132 lb-ft).
And in use, the flexibility of the Honda powertrain is incomparable.
As you move up the lineup, you find more powerful versions. The Civic Si and Elantra N Line models are similar, but the Civic's chassis allows for more committed driving.
Then, at the top of the hierarchy, Honda offers its Type R and Hyundai its Elantra N. Here, we're practically at the same address, but the Type R offers a much more devilish powertrain with 315 horsepower (276 for the Elantra N) and 310 lb-ft of torque (289 for the Elantra N).
Reliability
And while we're on the subject of powertrains, we have to talk about reliability. Hyundai has experienced some minor glitches in recent years, so caution is advised. With a Civic, we know that the powertrain and its performance will be the least of our worries.
The design
The new Elantra is distinctive, to say the least. Its design is striking. It's aesthetically bold and successful at the back, more twisted and disturbing at the front. It's not clear that the model will age well.
With the Civic, the opposite is true, while the design from stern to bow is dramatic, clean and effective. The style of this car will stand the test of time.
Resale Value
Take all the elements we've looked at so far: design, powertrains and reliability. You could add to that the build quality. Well, all of this plays into an aspect that is often overlooked by buyers: resale value. With the Civic, you get a win-win situation, as the model will retain 10% more of its value over a 36 to 48 month period. That's a lot of money.
All in all, it still doesn't do better than the Honda Civic in the compact car category, although a model like the Elantra represents a serious attempt.
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