First heads-up review I've seen of these new gen cars.

http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews...cus/index.html

 

I like the new Focus but in that picture it's really ugly! The Hyundai isn't great looking either. In real life I think the Ford is decently looking in all but he nose. The Hyundai isn't really that great looking from any angle. The designers figured they needed just as many creases as they used on the Sonata but on a smaller car. The Honda is the cleanest looking in that picture but I know in my head it's got Tuarus lights in the back.

 

I agree- in the photo above the front of the Ford doesn't look good at all- it probably has to do with the angle and the color of the car. With that said I think the Focus' front is the most "upright" of the three.

 

My personal conclusion
If Honda continues to play it safe and relies on brand loyalty they are going to find them selves sitting on smaller sales figures, much smaller figures

Over and over and over I am told people are buying more and more based upon price and content. Period.

 

I think the Elantra looks great!





To me the Civic is just old and stale, the exterior design is a very mild workover of what was, yet somehow they managed to make it more bland. I love the Focus ST 5-door, to me that is the best of the best, but the review was right, the 5-door should not have been in this review, it should have been the Focus sedan, and if that had been the case, Elantra would be the clear winner for me. I see the Elantra selling very well.

 

I think the previous gen Civic looks good on the outside. The Elantra just went too far with the curving creases for my taste. The lines in the trunk look like the car had chiseled lines but was left in the oven. The inset of the front bumper between the two air intakes (one above, one below) doesn't look good to me. I didn't like it on VWs and Audis, I don't like it on the CTS and I don't like it on this car. Finally, something I really like about the Honda and dislike about this car are the headlights that stretch back to over the wheel arches. Those will look horrid once they get hazed and yellowed. I do think the stance of the car is good. It's not hideous either but I think it says Hyundai was trying too hard. Ford, excepting the nose, and Honda minus the taillights did a better job with exterior styling.

BTW, I'm OK with the 5 door being in the review as that would be the version I would get. I have a 5 door SAAB right now. There aren't enough 5 door hatches on the market these days but damned if they aren't useful.

 

Hard to see how people are touting this as proof of anything except possibly that Ford rules (I haven't seen that claim yet). Even that that would require ignoring the fact that the Ford they were supposed to test broke its transmission. Apparently a common issue these days with the dual clutch Ford gearbox.

Anyways, the crowd favorites (Civic and Elantra) did NOT win the comparo. Secondly, the Focus was a hatchback, not a sedan, which gave it some improved usability compared to the other two, plus it had a manual transmission (vs the auto transmisions in the Civic and Elantra) which would improve perceived sportiness. Three, this was a brief test as they did not even record test times (acceleration), braking numbers or fuel economy in real life. In other words, it was not a full comparo as we typically see. Heck, they didn't even comment on the Elantra's interior!

As I've said before, I'm still waiting for a full comparo to see real world acceleration, handling and fuel economy numbers so they can declare a real winner.

 

And has the worst handling and ride and is the least sporty. Also, that should read best EPA mileage (they didn't get real world numbers). And it still finished LAST in this comparo, overall, in the eyes of those that drove the cars.

As an ENTHUSIAST, you're claiming the car that's the least enthusiastic is the clear winner.

 

The people buying this class vehicle are not the enthusiasts
The enthusiasts will buy the ST from Ford, and the Si from Honda
The enthusiasts will not buy the Hyundai because there is no plan to make a performance model
The vast majority of people buying these cars are not people who understand oversteer, understeer, torquesteer........
The vast majority of people buying these cars are people who understand how much does it cost, what's the gas mileage, what's the warranty, does it have enough room............

Oh wait, looks like we have a winner, the Hyundai Elantra

 

I think the point here is that the Civic is a very average car in light of the competitive landscape today. Heads-down loyalists will buy it, especially since its so similar to the current one, but those looking at the competition might be swayed away, especially with a car like the Hyundai, which costs a good amount less, gets better mpg, comes with a much better warranty, and now has good reliability and word of mouth behind it as well.

I think Honda has been selling its brand loyalty for years, and considering the confusion around the development and final Civic, I don't see that possibly changing until the next gen now.