Honda vs. GM - How times have changed

[ScooterMcTavish]

As I contemplate the fact that I just bought a Sonic, something occured to me. One of the Sonic's chief rivals for purchase was a heavily discounted 2012 Civic. Over the five years of financing, the Civic was more, but the Sonic was also heavily discounted.

If I was buying a 2013 Sonic, the pricing would have likely been equivalent.

But after looking at the shapes of the vehicles, it occured to me that the table has completely flipped from the mid 1990's.

For example, Honda Civic Hatch, 1996:

Versus:

Anyone else happen to see the delicious irony here? GM (Chevy) is now the one making the fun-to-drive sporty compact, while Honda is the one making the boring kid hauler. How the heck would you even mod a new Civic?

 

[ScooterMcTavish]

And to further drive the point home (and avoid having more than 3 pics in a posting), here is how the 1995 Cavalier stacks up against the 2012 Civic:

Ugh.....

Not quite as "ugh", yet very vanilla ice cream:

.....still chuckling.

Nothing wrong with the Civic, but it's like the "Freaky Friday" of cars.

 

[rdss]

If I could have kept my 09 Civic Si Sedan and bought my 10 Sierra I would still have it and not a Sonic. I do see your point though, but I drive a Sonic sedan that leans back towards the current Civic sedan look.

 

[ungawd]

That side profile reminds me of a Dodge Stratus.

 

[mitdr774]

If the tired ass engine in my 98 cavalier didn't start giving me issues, I wouldn't be in a sonic. That being said, a new engine will be built for the cavalier. Hopefully around 300-350whp when done.

 

[Kuntryboy865]

Yeah the older Civics are the nicer looking ones, they screwed up when they designed them.

 

[Dragcamaro]

the civic is technically out of the sonics class.

I do respect your point though, it would just be more valid if you compared it to the fit.

id never own a cavalier. The only car i can think of that i despise more is the early generation of the new beetle

 

[lambertsonic]

You do get a more for your money and driving fun with a sonic vs fit / civic . The major advantage for the fit and civic over the sonic is build quality and reliability . The sonic still has to prove itself in term of reliability . The sonic is a good car , but the interior of a fit and civic is made with higher quality materials and it a difference you can feel .

 

[slitzell]

Maybe to a LS sonic. A rs has very nice interior features and comfort which i believe out does the civic and fit

 

[sx sonic]

Haveing worked on a number of Fits I still find the interior nicer on the sonic. I am a Function over form person and Do Not like a number of things interior wise on the Fit. I'll take my better ergonimcs/ controls layout over a marginally better door card or dash and in my opion the fit doesn't offer anything better interior wise. It may have better materials/texturing in some spots in the sonic and I didn't notice them because of the goofy frt door windows or less than ideal control layout or weird but not cool instrument cluster.

Alas I do think chevy is surpassing many manufacters in this generation of small cars, so I do see OPs vie

 

[ScooterMcTavish]

the civic is technically out of the sonics class.

I do respect your point though, it would just be more valid if you compared it to the fit.

id never own a cavalier. The only car i can think of that i despise more is the early generation of the new beetle

Hey Dragcamaro, I should clarify that I'm comparing on price vs. Class.

The MSRP on the Civic I was looking at was $20,800. The MSRP on my Sonic was $22,300. However, the heavy discounting of the Sonic gave it a serious price advantage.

If the incentives on the Fit had been a bit better, we may have even gone that way.

However, the "fun" level of the Sonic absolutely killed the Civic. Buying the Sonic felt like buying my 90 T-Bird. Buying the Civic would have felt like buying my 93 Aerostar. One was a fun purchase, while one was utilitarian.

 

[ScooterMcTavish]

You do get a more for your money and driving fun with a sonic vs fit / civic . The major advantage for the fit and civic over the sonic is build quality and reliability . The sonic still has to prove itself in term of reliability . The sonic is a good car , but the interior of a fit and civic is made with higher quality materials and it a difference you can feel .

I'm with slitzell and sx sonic on this one too. What immediately impressed me about the Sonic was the quality of interior materials and their layout. I've owned a number of economy cars over the years (86 Omni, 93 Grand Am Quad 4, 95 Neon, and 97 Escort), and none oozed class to me like the Sonic. Although the Fit's interior was nice, the Civic's made me throw up in my mouth a bit.