bfairweath

Anyone out there have a 2012 Civic? Consumer Reports just published a horrible review on it. Only car worse was a VW Jetta in the small car class. It's still a Honda - how bad can it be? My 2000 LX is about to blow the head gasket so I'm in the market for a new one. I went to my local dealer to test drive one a week or so ago and they had two new Civics on the lot (LX Coupes). The salesman said they can't get them because of the Tsunami in Japan. Makes me wonder if I should wait six months or so. They are probably getting parts anywhere they can. Hopefully GM and Chrysler aren't helping them out.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

yeah ever since 2001 actually the quality has gone WAY down hill. i dont think i could buy another honda again with all their problems. idk, go test drive one if its available. you may not even like the way it feels. its completely different setup compared to the older cars youre used to. and im honestly surprised it took consumer reports this long before saying anything. the ratings for 2001 civics were already terrible.

bfairweath

Consumer Reports rates the 2012 Hyundai Elantra the best in the small car class. You can't get one of those either, but for different reasons. I went to the local dealer to drive one of those about a month ago. They had none on the lot. They had one in the back, but I could only look at it. They wouldn't let me drive it because it was sold and being picked up that day. They say the demand is so high, they can't keep them in stock. There's a waiting list. Waiting list = paying sticker price. That's not going to happen. I guess I'll wait and hope my head gasket doesn't blow!

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

heh yeah its pretty crazy but hyundai really got their act together. the sonata (and hybrid) are also awesome cars for the money. not to mention a 10yr factory warranty.

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

haha...
And that because i refrained to post the CR link in here...
At the least, it was not completely dropped from the list - there are more out there that not even make it to the list, so i don't think it would be as crappy as a cavalier...
but much worse than what it used to be, unfortunately.

bfairweath

Well I checked back with my local Hyundai and Honda dealers today. They each had a whopping selection of two Elantras and Civics each. I test drove each of them. Honestly, I liked the Civic much better. It was much better equipped than the Elantra. I thought it rode better and was quieter. If I had to choose right now, I'd go with the Civic. I want to check out a Nissan Sentra, Ford Focus, and Toyota Corrolla though.

I asked the Honda salesman I was working with if he knew about the CR article. Let's just say he was very aware of it. He told me that Honda America put out a statement to all the dealers about it. He wouldn't really elaborate on what it said - only that they were surprised and disappointed about it. Then he mumbled something to the effect of "Honda must have pulled their money out of Consumer Reports." I've heard things in the past about auto manufacturers putting up alot of money behind the scenes to support Consumer Reports.

One bright spot in the CR article was that the new Civic got 47 MPG on the highway in their testing (the window sticker says 40). Can anyone that has one verify this?

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

i wouldnt be surprised about the money thing. same goes for BBB you are just buying the A rating by paying their fees. if you dont, they will give you a bad score. and if you suck but pay the fees, they will change your low score into A+ lol. its all a joke. and 47mpg has to be the hybrid. regular civic no way is getting anywhere near that.

marccayen

Idk I work with these civic's everyday and I could say honda cut cost on the interior but Im sure it would outlast any hyundai on the market. I have test driven hyundai's to compare to some honda model and I wouldn't drop the cash on one. Only other company I would buy a car from is toyota and it not for the looks but mainly the reliability.

I will soon have myself a new 2012 Si in the driveway soon next to my 7th cant wait.

And dont worry honda isn't seeking help from anybody for parts

Gen-EX

Love my 2012 EX coupe...awesome car. Went to the dealer intending to purchase a 2011 but after driving both....though the 12 was a much nicer ride. Don't know why CR has a problem with it....I think the hyundai is an extremely ugly car....dont care for it at all but suppose everyone has different tastes.

I averaged 42 mpg (regular civic) and didn't really try too hard...this thing just sips gas.

Vaff4

Just picked up a '12 LX 5 spd sedan; I was leasing a '08 EX 5 spd sedan, but got such a good deal I decided to pull the trigger. I got into a new car for the same monthly cost as I was paying on the '08.

First impressions on 3 hr drive: The support on the base of the seat felt pretty high; I kept checking to see if I was sitting on the edge of the seat. I hope it goes down with more wear. As well, they were pretty aggressive with the amount of lumbar support on the seats. It may not be to everyone's liking, and could lead to some sore backs.

Visibility is better with the narrower pillars and side window configuration

Manual transmission is great, as always. Feels less sporty than the '08; the '08 was a bit notchier; the '12 is smoother.

Interior is a disappointment. I like the two tier design, but it feels very square and the quality of the material is poor. It made my '08 look and feel good, and I thought it was a step down.

I like the changes to the nose and tail; I think it has a more refined look and it will age well.

It's too early to see the affect on fuel economy; my car has less than 1 000 km on it; averaged 7L/100 km highway driving. Nothing to brag about yet.

Overall, I think the car will be fine, but Honda needed to do something a little more bold: bump the engine hp/torque 5 % would add a lot more zip with the weight reduction. A six speed tranny would have really improved fuel economy. I'm not impressed with the seats yet and I wonder if the "one size fits all" is really the best approach. Even manual control of tilting the seat, adjusting the lumbar support and adding an extension to the seats for tall drivers like myself (a'la BMW) would make for a much more enjoyable experience.

I think they have a good car, but four years ago there was no competition in this segment outside of the Mazda 3. Now Hyundai, Ford, and Chevy (to some degree) have comparable or superior products in performance, fuel efficiency and price. Honda got caught napping. I'm pleased with the car at this point, but not thrilled. However, that could change with time; or the first icy road when the VSA kicks in.

Overall, I'm still driving a new Honda, and there are far worse fates in life than that.

bfairweath

Lots of reviews I've read have a problem with the interior quality, so you're right on there.

Let us know on the fuel economy when you get a few more miles under your belt.

kd5yov

So far I am liking the 2012 Civic Si, just got it on Saturday 10/08/11, it has Navi and it is the coupe with white. (first post)

random

Pictures, please?

sl33pyriceboi

iTrader: (3)

^dude.... thats mine!

ronvokool

I got one of the first 2012 Civic in this year... abt 5 or 6 months ago... It's pretty cool. I also had a 06 civic before. Comparing both, the 2012 is much better. When u switch to D3 u feel the gear is stronger and faster a lot. Check out my post to see my 2012 civic.. I got an EX-L

random

Sorry, beat you to it this time.

Crusty

I purchased my 2011 LX Coupe in late May of this year after driving both the '11 and the '12. Styling wise, I liked the '11 better. The '12's look like most everyone else on the road now. As far as the rest of the vehicle is concerned, the '11 seemed to have better throttle response, the transmission was firmer and the interior quality was better. The '12 transmission felt mushy, throttle response was inconsistent, and the seats were FAR too firm. It felt like I was sitting on a stack of cardboard. I also drove the Hyundai Elantra, KIA Forte, Nissan Sentra and Toyota Corolla. The only one that came close to the Honda was the KIA Forte. I came close to buying that one, but the dealer wouldn't deal, and the Civic priced out at just over wholesale. (the '12's were in. Duh!) I since have talked to a couple of people who have the '11 Forte, and I am glad I did not take that one. Seems that the durability is not where it belongs with the Forte. Regarding Consumer's Reports, it has been my opinion for years that they are not on the up and up. For much of that time I saw them giving high ratings on items, and not only cars, that were obviously POS. As far as cars were concerned, if it was not a rice burner, it was S@#$. Read their reports and take it with a whole shaker of salt.

Seby05

Between coupe and sedan id definately go with the sedan (si of course) it looks more agressive. Its like they "tamed" the coupe down, too smooth girly type look to it...

Midnight Run

great review! thank you!

kd5yov

For those with the NAVI unit, this link will be useful.

http://www.navigation.com/is-bin/INT.../Default-Start

fixitman43

new member with a new civic lx coupe, bought last week.
I like the interior & ride with 15in tires & replacement price of them. took a while to get use to the electric power steering. fuel mileage on mine so far seems to vary from 33.4 to 38 mpg city/ highway mixed,but it has less then 1k on it. dislikes are as follows. 0-20 syn oil 6.97 a quart, you can put your hand inside the front fenders with the hood raised & see the parking light mounts. backing the car up is a mirror use operation, back glass visibility isnt great. so far i like it & yes cr is fos. below is a pic attached.



































































,

maxtierney

iTrader: (5)

Well, Honda is definitely paying attention to the criticism. Refresh in 2013 to address the problem. One year sooner than planned.

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/31/h...dst-criticism/

02civicsi02

The new civics are junk just like the last gen. The only thing good out of them is the k motors out of the si model.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

lol refresh usually means slightly different heads and tails, maybe some better dash trim pieces and armrest. i dont know how someone could drive a 2012. i could hardly see anything at all. it felt like i was in my older civic with the car full of boxes. could barely see out the rear and sides, even the front windshield is way smaller. and this was with the car sitting in the dealer lot. no way was i brave enough to test drive it.

maxtierney

iTrader: (5)

Don't think the K is better than the last. Cast in exhaust manifold FTL.

random

What's the wrong with the oil? Too much? Too expensive?

What don't you like about seeing the parking light mounts? Why does that matter? Does it limit usability? Does it make it harder to clean or service?

daslicious

I just test drove a 2012 Civic and a 2012 Forte. The forte seemed cheap compared to the civic. Disclaimer: I'm no expert, just someone who likes driving. I drove the Civic first and I liked it. The steering seemed tight, appropriately responsive and intuitive to control. The pedals gave a similar feeling. It felt good to drive. The Forte not so much. The first thing I noticed was how disconnected I felt from the car when braking. Applying the slightest pressure on the brake would begin slowing the car with a jerk; and the pedal gave very little resistance for such a sharp reaction. The steering wasn't as bad as the pedals but still a far cry from the feel of the Civic. The feels of the Civic and Forte left me with the impression that the Civic is a much better car.

Nosepicker

I always stuck with Honda because of their quality and cheap parts list but you can pretty much say that about any manufacturer these days. The technology and cars are getting that much better...and Honda has to work that much harder to stay or top which they are failing IMHO.

Hyundai and Kia...100K mile warranty? Damn you can't beat that and their cars are that much better.

Me? Personally if my civic blows up, I'm either gonna contemplating buying a new or used commuter or just replace the engine. I'll decide if and when I get there. Just hope it's not any time sooner. =P

fixitman43

$7.00 a quart is whats wrong. Gap in inside fender where you can view the park light mounts looks hacked up & offers less stability to the fender in a crash. Other then what was mentioned, im pleased with car so far.

CraigW

iTrader: (1)

If you go with the MM suggestions ( I don't) You will go a long way between oci. If it is full synthetic...? then I might raise my 5k mile oci and possibly go the 7.5k.

Your fender is just a little above the thickness of an old style pop can, your crash safety will come from the use of high strength steel and the ace structure.

The chinese 100k warr is only powertrain after 5y/60k and will not transfer to a 2nd owner.

I think the 9th gens look great, and will be 100% Honda quality. All of the makers are cutting cost and tweeking.

Both my 05 and my 2010 have been great (100% stock)