New Honda Civic underperforms in Consumer Reports testing 08/10/2011
Consumer Reports recently reviewed the 2012 Honda Civic LX and they were not too kind to the new car, in spite of the Civic's history of success on their top pick lists.
The Civic fell short of Consumer Reports' standards for a handful of reasons. The interior design did not impress, and the road test revealed sub-par steering and long braking distances. The new car also lacks many of the standard features that are offered in other new cars in the class, such as the Chevy Cruze, Ford Focus and Hyundai Elantra. The one redeeming factor of the new Civic is its mileage – certain models of the new car can get more than 40 miles per gallon.
"Sure, the mileage was impressive, but Korean brands are upping the ante with game-changing improvements to their cars' interior," Tatsuo Yoshida, a Japan-based auto analyst at UBS Securities, told Reuters. "For people buying a new car for the first time, they're becoming an increasingly attractive option."
Hyundai was found to be the most-improved brand by JD Power, while Honda came in fourth, the news source reported. The 2012 Elantra gets 40 mpg on the highway, and boasts more interior space than the Civic. The Korean automaker also offers seat-heating in both the front and back seats.