Honda Civic v VW Golf

Gael23

Just looking for some opinions on these? Thinking the Civic is a better buy but a bit concerned that the driving position could be very low in it.

Matthewjohn

It would depend on year and engine.

Gael23

Both new and 1.6 diesel in both

Matthewjohn

The interior in the golf is far better but the Honda has a better engine.

JohnBoy26

Why limit yourself to just two cars, there are other very good cars in this class also, a kia cee'd and hyundai i30 for example.

Gael23

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

Why limit yourself to just two cars, there are other very good cars in this class also, a kia cee'd and hyundai i30 for example.

Depreciation would be the reason as its usually a lot higher on Hyundai in particular.

JohnBoy26

ryanf1 wrote: »

Depreciation would be the reason as its usually a lot higher on Hyundai in particular.

Ok fair enough, I take your point

Gael23

I've only heard good things about the new i30 but in 5 years time it will have a very low value compared to its rivals

colm_mcm

ryanf1 wrote: »

I've only heard good things about the new i30 but in 5 years time it will have a very low value compared to its rivals

How does a diesel i30 compare to a similarly specced diesel gol after 4 years? Take new price difference into account.

I already know the answer to this.

Also any links to bargain priced i30 diesels would be appreciated

I think the current civic is an awful looking yoke too

JohnBoy26

ryanf1 wrote: »

I've only heard good things about the new i30 but in 5 years time it will have a very low value compared to its rivals

I don't think the depreciation is as bad as that tbh and it's certainatly no where near as bad as it used to be with hyundai's of old(accents.. etc).

JohnBoy26

colm_mcm wrote: »

I think the current civic is an awful looking yoke too

It looks nice at the front imo, the sides however are bland and the rear is just pure ugly imo.

CreepingDeath

ryanf1 wrote: »

Thinking the Civic is a better buy but a bit concerned that the driving position could be very low in it.

I've a 2007 Civic and I only really notice the lower driving position when I drive the girlfriends Opel Corsa which is like driving a transit van.

Maybe you can get a booster cushion

But I still have good visibility in front... although I don't like the split rear windows.
While I can see safely out the back, sometimes you need to bob your head up/down to see specific items obscured by the split window.

Honda did score #1 in the manufacturer reliability tests recently.

I only drove a Golf about 10 years ago, and think it was a 1.4 or 1.6 petrol, but very heavy and sluggish.

Zcott

The previous generation of Civics are great to drive but have a few rattles. Also, on the diesels the clutches are made of chocolate and slip in high gears. I'd definitely get another though because they do look great and are fun to drive.

JohnBoy26

Zcott wrote: »

The previous generation of Civics are great to drive but have a few rattles. Also, on the diesels the clutches are made of chocolate and slip in high gears. I'd definitely get another though because they do look great and are fun to drive.

The current Civic is poor enough styling wise and as with the previous gen Civics lacks the sophisticated suspension the civics of old had.

bazz26

I'd go for the Civic because it is not the default choice for the masses. I reckon the rarity of the current model will keep resale values strong too, Civics were always easy to sell on at decent money.

Zubeneschamali

ryanf1 wrote: »

a bit concerned that the driving position could be very low in it.

Try a test drive?

Gael23

=CreepingDeath;83607764]I've a 2007 Civic and I only really notice the lower driving position when I drive the girlfriends Opel Corsa which is like driving a transit van.

Maybe you can get a booster cushion

But I still have good visibility in front... although I don't like the split rear windows.
While I can see safely out the back, sometimes you need to bob your head up/down to see specific items obscured by the split window.

Does that spoiler on the back have a big impact on your view? I did think of that but then discovered all but the entry level model have a rear view camera so that could help a bit.
I haven't actually seen one yet but on the last model it just looks like you sit very low down in the front and for a short person that could be an issue but that depends on how adjustable the front seats are.

colm_mcm

The rear window is a bit of a pain alright for a few reasons.
No rear wiper
Heated window only does the top half which is useless
You don't notice cars behind you in the evenings because the spoiler is blocking your view of their lights
The bottom half is supposed to have a water reprelling coating but it doesn't work all the time.
Reversing is tricky in the rain

NobodyImportant

That 1.6 Diesel in the Civic is meant to be awesome.

Gael23

NobodyImportant wrote: »

That 1.6 Diesel in the Civic is meant to be awesome.

Heard that too but if there are too many shortcomings in the car itself than theres no point in getting one.

Zcott

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

The current Civic is poor enough styling wise and as with the previous gen Civics lacks the sophisticated suspension the civics of old had.

True, but the plus size is a massive boot.

The new 9th gen Civics are a refinement of the previous one, so they put back the rear wiper and apparently improved rear visibility. And the 1.6 is the new DTEC engine which is a refinement of the older I-CTDi. The styling isn't quite as nice as the previous Civics though.

The new 2013 Golf is a fraction bigger than the previous model and is really nice. I'd be reluctant to buy a brand new model of car and would rather buy something that's been built for a while so they can figure out how to make them better, so I'd say the Civic over the 2013 Golf.

NobodyImportant

ryanf1 wrote: »

Heard that too but if there are too many shortcomings in the car itself than theres no point in getting one.

Whats turning you off the Civic? What shortcomings?

Its reliable, got a great engine with more bhp and better mpg/co2, practical etc. Its a less dull choice too.

Golf is a solid motor and looks, er, 'good'. Dull though.

Gael23

NobodyImportant wrote: »

Whats turning you off the Civic? What shortcomings?

Its reliable, got a great engine with more bhp and better mpg/co2, practical etc. Its a less dull choice too.

Golf is a solid motor and looks, er, 'good'. Dull though.

Slightly worried about rear visibility through the split back window and there will be a low sized passenger in the front so worried the seating position might not be suitable,that really depends what adjustments are on it.
Really need to go see it but its definately a serious alternative to the Golf.
€25,095 is the list price so what extras do Honda put on top of that? I know with VW its €750

Tea 1000

ryanf1 wrote: »

Slightly worried about rear visibility through the split back window and there will be a low sized passenger in the front so worried the seating position might not be suitable,that really depends what adjustments are on it.
Really need to go see it but its definately a serious alternative to the Golf.
€25,095 is the list price so what extras do Honda put on top of that? I know with VW its €750

In fairness, my mother in her mid-60's has one and she's not that tall, so don't worry about the seats. She manages to reverse fine too. Just drive one instead of worrying on boards.ie about what it might or might not be like.

cpoh1

Am I the only one who opened this thread hoping for a Type-R v GTI discussion and left disappointed

NobodyImportant

Ah sure just get the one with the reversing camera and you will be grand! I have the older model 2007 version which has probably worse visibility. I manage ok with it. Might get a set of reversing sensors for it someday.

bazz26

OP, have you test drove either yet? Pointless ruling anything out until you do that much at least.

colm_mcm

Just saw a new civic on the motorway, has a rear wiper for the top half

NobodyImportant

Took this from another thread:

Honest John - "But VW doesn’t have an engine that holds a candle to the 1.6 i-DTEC. Or a body with the commodiousness and versatility of the Civic’s with its huge 467 – 1,368 litre load capacity and ‘magic’ rear seats"

Gael23

NobodyImportant wrote: »

Took this from another thread:

Honest John - "But VW doesn’t have an engine that holds a candle to the 1.6 i-DTEC. Or a body with the commodiousness and versatility of the Civic’s with its huge 467 – 1,368 litre load capacity and ‘magic’ rear seats"

Read`the review on honestjohn on the other thread- it does mention the lack of visibility through the rear window. Will be starting to look properly over the next few weeks, really waiting for the octavia to come out. Got a price of €26k for a golf comfortline which pretty much knocks that out

JohnBoy26

NobodyImportant wrote: »

Took this from another thread:

Honest John - "But VW doesn’t have an engine that holds a candle to the 1.6 i-DTEC. Or a body with the commodiousness and versatility of the Civic’s with its huge 467 – 1,368 litre load capacity and ‘magic’ rear seats"

I seem to remmember honest john also saying that the new Civic wasn't as good as an i30 or Kia Cee'd.

Zubeneschamali

The only complaints I've seen in reviews are that rear visibility is dangerously bad, it's ugly, and the instruments are a bit gimmicky.

Otherwise everyone seems to like it, so if those don't annoy you on a test drive, you're grand. (And actually, those are things which are more likely to annoy you when you get it first, but you'd get used to in time, I'd say.)

aidanki

the high spec golfs have the stop start technology do they not?

does the civic have this yet?

Zubeneschamali

aidanki wrote: »

the high spec golfs have the stop start technology do they not? does the civic have this yet?

If so, can you turn it off?

MuppetCheck

Yes you can turn it off. Thankfully.

robertxxx

I'd get the civic even if its just to be different, soon every Tom dick and Harry will have the golf, saying that the new golf is ment to be really good.

Make a pro Vs con list for both.

Gael23

They bought the Golf. The Civic was a fantastic car but not really suitable, it had a few too many buttons inside and the seating position was too low in the front.

edmundk92

I personally think Volkswagen is a better company for reliability, as I have owned both a civic and a volkswagen, not a golf but a bora which is next to the same as a golf. The golf is a better car to go for in my opinion, but thats just my opinion, its your decision in the end, two good cars at the end too.

Frankie Lee

edmundk92 wrote: »

I personally think Volkswagen is a better company for reliability.

JohnBoy26

edmundk92 wrote: »

I personally think Volkswagen is a better company for reliability, as I have owned both a civic and a volkswagen, not a golf but a bora which is next to the same as a golf. The golf is a better car to go for in my opinion, but thats just my opinion, its your decision in the end, two good cars at the end too.

Honda is miles ahead of VW for reliability especially their petrol models.

Gael23

Honda are supposed to be very high up on reliability, alot higher than VW. The Civic is a great car but not for them plus they got a price they ouldnt turn down on the Golf

shinkansen

as in the top for reliability more like., with petrols anyway.

bazz26

edmundk92 wrote: »

I personally think Volkswagen is a better company for reliability, as I have owned both a civic and a volkswagen, not a golf but a bora which is next to the same as a golf. The golf is a better car to go for in my opinion, but thats just my opinion, its your decision in the end, two good cars at the end too.

Dayor Knight

ryanf1 wrote: »

Honda are supposed to be very high up on reliability, alot higher than VW. The Civic is a great car but not for them plus they got a price they ouldnt turn down on the Golf

Was it a new model golf (the Mark 7) or the outgoing one? Am in the market for same - would love to know what sort a deal they got and where.... any chance you could pm me? Thanks a lot.

Gael23

Dayor Knight wrote: »

Was it a new model golf (the Mark 7) or the outgoing one? Am in the market for same - would love to know what sort a deal they got and where.... any chance you could pm me? Thanks a lot.

Yes it is a Mk7. Will send pm later.

Dayor Knight

ryanf1 wrote: »

Yes it is a Mk7. Will send pm later.

Thanks for the info, mate. Much appreciated.