<p>We’re between a Honda CRV and Hyundai Tucson.
Went to touch and feel both today (soooo convenient that the two dealers are side by side on the highway just miles from us).
Liked the look of HOnda exterior a bit more. Honda interior seemed pretty sparse and minimalistic. DH absolutely thought the Tucson had better head clearance for driver. The interior seemed nicer and the front legroom for both driver and passenger are great.</p>
<p>No time for test drives today…we also need to confirm that the Honda back seats fold flat, couldn’t see that in short time we had. The Tucson seats did seem to fold flat.
DH quite enamored of the Hyundai warranty as we keep our cars for 10-12 years.</p>
<p>The CRV has rear seats that fold flat (60/40 split,) but they also unhook from the back and can “tumble” forward to allow more storage room. It is like folding the seat up on it’s front end if that makes sense. You can see pictures on the Honda website, just look for interior views.</p>
<p>So, a mere 8 month later, we test drove both the 2011 CRV and the 2012 Tucson today.
Yes, we move slooooowly in our family.</p>
<p>2001 Chrysler minivan is now on it’s very last legs and so we can’t procrastinate any longer.</p>
<p>DH has fallen in love with the Tucson. Much better driver legroom. Plusher interior.
I love the warranty. The GLS AWD comes with heated front seats…something we have never had in our family of basic cars.</p>
<p>The CRV was ‘fine’ but not exciting. Seats seemed minimalistic and interior sparse.
Louder on the highway.<br>
Still, I admit it’s hard for me to NOT buy a car that has been a best seller and reliable purchase for so many years…but for us the Tucson is just a better fit.
Kinda like the ‘right’ college!</p>
<p>Now, I’ll start the online bid thing…Costco, Buyer’s edge, or Truecar…and find our new
Tucson.</p>
<p>If you buy through a Hyundai dealer, check if they still have the oil change card deal. When we bought our Elantra (which I am still very happy with 8 months later), we bought one - I think it was $89 for 6 oil changes.</p>
<p>Ours turned to to be a spectacularly good deal. The first two oil changes (I drive 500 miles+ a week so rack up the mileage), the card had not shown up, so the dealer just gave us free oil changes. Then the card showed up. Then a few months later a second one showed up. We told the mgr they had accidentally sent us a second card and he said to just keep it. So we got 14 oil changes for $89. You probably won’t get quite such a deal as $6 an oil change, but $15 still isn’t bad.</p>
<p>Yes, there seem to be dealer specific perks at Hyundai. Maybe all dealers?</p>
<p>Even though we told ‘Joe’ that we weren’t buying today, he put all the enticements out there…one year of oil changes and the first tire rotation free; free loaner car for the 5 yr warranty period if you use their service dept; and roadside assistance free for 7? years.</p>
<p>swimcatsmom- glad to hear you’re pleased with your Hyundai.</p>
<p>Maybe Honda would be offering similar stuff but we’re not going to get that far I don’t think.</p>
<p>We have a 2005 Santa Fe and a 2010 Elantra so far so good. The 2011 Kia Optima has received some good press also. I believe Kia and Hyundai are related companies.</p>
<p>I get free oil changes for life on the Elantra</p>
<p>Get the Tucson - it’s a more exciting car than the plain Jane CRV. It’s also a reliable car with a better warranty. A friend has a 2005 Tucson and it’s been a great car - would definitely buy again.</p>
<p>It was an incentive when car sales were down. I think it really is for up to 7 years when I read the fine print. I kept my last car about 17 years.</p>
<p>I like my 2010 Elantra. It has an adjustable drivers’ seat and steering column, by the way. Definitely not a luxury car, but the stereo works well and it gets 32 mpg highway driving. Had it for a year come the end of this month, and it’s up to 16K miles, so I definitely put it to a challenge, and it’s done fine. </p>
<p>My mechanic suggested Elantras or any Hyundai because of the great repair record.</p>
<p>The 2011 and forward have a much higher fuel efficiency.</p>
<p>And the dealership is really trying to keep their customers. Got a robocall yesterday, and an email because they figured I was due for an oil change and they hadn’t seen me in 8 months. I fired an email back saying that when I tried making appointments I couldn’t get one within 7-10 days, and also made a suggestion about changing something said on the robocall. Exactly five minutes later I got a call from the head of the service department offering me my next oil change free, a note in my file that they should always fit me in withing 2 days because of my unpredictable work schedule and high mileage/year, and offering to swap cars with me on my service days because he and I live near each other and 30 minutes from the dealership. So, Hyundai car with highend customer service for me!</p>
<p>Don’t always get the free oil change, but annual inspections are free, and my husband can bring his Pontiac there for free inspections as long as I own the Elantra. Heck of a deal, since I owned my last car for 14 years and over 250,000 miles.</p>
<p>My husband bought an Elantra back in 2002. I scoffed at the time- they were dirt cheap and from what I had heard, they didn’t last too long. Fast forward to present day- my daughter is learning to drive on that same car. My dad just took it on a road trip of several hundred miles this summer and it did great. It doesn’t look great outside or inside at this point but it runs well, has no major problems and had been more than worth the money that was spent over ten years ago. We plan to keep it until we run it into the ground. I wasn’t a fan at the time but now I’d give them w thumbs up.</p>
<p>almost bought a Sonata but we ended up choosing the 2012 VW Passat. The price was similar, the Passat looked a little less “rental carish” as DH said. the real tipping points were free oil changes and service for three years, a free second set of tires and the fact that the Passat is now made in the US.</p>
<p>Our 10 year old Impala suddenly had transmission problems and we needed a new car quickly. We wanted a hatchback and looked at the Hyundai Elantra Touring, hoping for a lower price. To our surprise, we find it at about the same price point as Honda & Toyota for the similar type of models. We ended up getting a Toyota Matrix, for the same price quoted for the Elantra.</p>
<p>OP - good choice in not picking the Crosstour (commonly referred to as the “Crossturd”), one of the ugliest vehicles on the road today.</p>
<p>The Sonata is a good all-arounder; it’s styling is a bit polarizing, some people love it while others think it is too “busy” (for the refresh, Hyundai has changed the grill).</p>
<p>If one is looking at the Sonata, I would also look at the Kia Optima - which has the same mechanicals but a totally diff. sheetmetal and interior.</p>
<p>The Optima is one of the best looking sedans on the road today; has won numerous auto design awards and is better looking, imo, than luxury mid-size sedans like the E Class, 7 Series and A6.</p>
<p>And while I prefer the design of the Sonata’s centerstack, the Optima’s dash is made out of higher grade materials.</p>
<p>The Optima in LX and EX trim drives a little sportier than the Sonata and in SX trim (the best looking version), drives a good bit sportier than the Sonata in SE trim.</p>
<p>For the Optima, I’d look into the 2012 MY - the seats have more bolstering and padding than the 2011 MY.</p>
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<p>The outgoing Camry has one of the worst interiors in its segment (cheap plastics everywhere and misaligned panels).</p>
<p>The new Camry is much improved interior-wise, tho the sheetmetal is as bland as ever.</p>
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<p>How is that any diff. from any other industrialized country?</p>
<p>well, I’m bracing for the onslaught of dealers emails and calls tomorrow since I finally
sent out he online quote requests for our new Hyundai Tucson.</p>
<p>And I’m the one whining on the other thread that we need a new dishwasher.
There will never be a time when money is just piled up to buy this new car so why not now?
The thought of trying to get through another NE winter with the old minivan is frightening.</p>
<p>Finally stopped shopping and bought a car.
Went with the 2012 Hyundai Tucson GLS AWD.</p>
<p>It IS beautiful, iris blue with black interior.
When you don’t buy new cars often is is amazing to see the improvement in performance and amenities. The heated seats, AWD, heated exterior mirrors and bluetooth are all novelties to us. The ride home was quiet and smooth. The view while driving is incredible, like there are no obstructions like in our old minivan.</p>
<p>Thanks to all my CC friends who helped us with the purchase!
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!</p>
<p>MM, if you don’t mind, what % or invoice or sticker? DD has signed up for an internship through her HS where she’ll leave after lunch three days a week to get some Vet experience, but travel is on her. We have a pretty hilly terrain and a mean Jan/Feb so I’m about to enter the market now for a better vehicle for her, and what to know how things age. We’ll be looking at AWDs, start with sedans, and look at SUVs and wherever else the market is going these days.</p>
<p>Our 1.5 hour trip for Thanksgiving dinner was great. It was fun watching the miles/gallon indicator climb while using cruise on the highway. I do hope the car lives up to its rep and we don’t have to use its nice long warranty.</p>