Choose 2012 Prius Five or 2012 Elantra Limited?

Our is a 2006 4cyl. It gets the job done and the 4wd came in handy during a rare butterfly count we did last year. lol We haqd to dig out a root ball of a large tree to get by on a narrow trail. We ended up hanging one tire over the edge. The GF was NOT happy!

 

Nah, that's my professor and local ecologist. i'm driving. The pic doesn't look like much but it was a beastly undertaking. The "gulley" we went through was so rocky and steep that the truck ran out of torque and just stopped near the top despite pressing the throttle to the floor. We had to back up and floor it earlier to crest the hill. lol

Thank you for your reviews on the Elantra. I find them helpful when suggesting cars to friends.

 

Not bad for 20 grand! And they have them on the lot.Just saw another new one in the neighborhood!Better compared to a Corolla or civic!
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd-0hdOyigc&feature=feedf]YouTube - ‪2011 Hyundai Elantra Review‬‏[/ame]

 

The Sonata Hybrid has untested hybrid technology. They use a standard ICE w/6 speed transmission & have replaced the torque convertor with an electric motor. This vehicle is aimed at the lower priced hybrid market and people that want to say I have a hybrid, but will seldom push the "blue" button. Rather, they really want the acceleration & top end!

Furthermore, yes, the warranty is better, but if the vehicle is in the shop very often, what about the inconvenience? People I know who have Elantras & Sonatas, have already had numerous electrical, mechanical & Blu-tooth problems. Please don't be deceived by the low price, you often get what you pay for!
I have three Prii, 2007, 2009 & 2010 V/ATP; not a single problem with anyone of them! Need I say more! :cheer2:
P.S. Unless you plan to run these vehicles into the ground, the resale value is extremely poor. That goes for KIA as well(Parent Co.).

 

Let's put some more research oriented results up against the cheerleading;

By comparison the Sonata was Consumer Reports top vehicle for reliability for like two years in a row and Hyundai overall has average or better than average reliability for all models produced in the last eight years compared to all other manufacturers.

I like the Prius as much as the next guy (and am still considering one) but the cheerleading is pretty heavy handed especially considering one only has to flip through the first few pages of this, or any other Prius forum, and see plenty of owners with their share of maintenance issues.

I will grant you that the Sonata Hybrid system is unconventional in the sense that they use a traditional transmission and an electric motor for torque splitting, but Hyundai has spent years studying hybrids before introducing their first model and as noted jumped past NIMH technology straight to Lithium Polymer tech for their batteries (after 300K mile simulated duty cycle testing in the lab the batteries still showed over 90% original performance).

Most of the problems being reported by HSH owners appear to be generic problems with things like trim, etc, with only one specific issue (a faulty vacuum sensor) being something that is part of the hybrid setup.

I would imagine that by the time the 2012s roll out they will have a handle on most of these issues, although admittedly it will take a solid 10 years to know how their tech really stacks up against Toyota and Ford.

The claim of "you get what you pay for", while sounding good, is not entirely true. I have a $3500 Omega watch and it doesn't keep time any better than a $100 Citizen.

 

Mike, I want to tell you how much I am enjoying your review!

I am also in the process of trying to decide between a Prius (III) and a 2012 Elantra Limited...so reading about your experiences is really very informative :rockon:

I've been lurking on some Hyundai Elantra forums since early 2011 and I've been pleasantly surprised at how few people have complaints about the 2011/2012 Elantra. And of the few issues that have been noted, many seem to be dealt with through TSBs (that can usually be handled during routine maintenance checkups) and/or changes in the 2012 models that are on sale now.

Before I make any final decisions I also intend to rent an Elantra for a few days too, but in the meantime I love reading about your experiences

I have been lurking on the PriusChat board for several years (!) and it's the enthusiasm and shared experiences here that keep the Prius high on my list of possibilities...and hopefully someday soon a local Toyota dealer will have a Prius I can at least test drive. A salesman called to tell me they expected a shipment this week, but he hasn't called to say they got here. I may call him about a test drive in a used 2010 they have on the lot which will at least give me some kind of actual experience in a Prius!

 

I would love to get an extended test drive in a Prius but it has not been possible in my area due to incredibly limited supply.

I also have not had any luck in finding one available for rental in my neck of the woods (Denver area).

 

You're comparing a mechanical movement to a quartz movement, unfair comparison!

Originally Posted by Consumer Reports Reliability Data
The redesigned 2010 Toyota Prius, hurt by antilock brake problems on early vehicles, scored only average. That is quite a drop from previous years. (We've reinstated our recommendations for eight Toyota models that had problems with sticking accelerator pedals.)

The so called brake problems and sticking accelerator pedals where proven to be unfounded!

At the end of their life cycles the Toyota Prius will be the clear winner!

 

It's kind of funny that you have posted several times in this thread bagging on Hyundai reliability and "you get what you pay for" being extremely dismissive of our Korean automaker friend. Many of the same things were said about Toyota autos only 25 years ago.

The Toyota Prius (and most other Toyotas) are excellent vehicles. Excellent, overpriced vehicles. We'll see how many Prii are being sold after gas prices dip again and more competition arrives in the market. At the $25K+ proposition for a stripped down economy car, the Prius is a tough proposition for drivers like me who are used to driving luxury cars.

Honestly if Toyota does not get their act together, Hyundai and Ford are poised to eat their lunch.

 

Please write back when either company tops the Prius in fuel efficiency and price point. Until then you are speculating.

 

Thanks F8L!! Furthermore, why wait until the HSH matures; after all it might take twenty-five years!

 

With no disrespect intended, I get the feeling that you have some loyalty to the country of origin(S.Korea) rather than the product itself(HS or HSH). Ford will not sustain against the competition, they too are building new vehicles at a low price point and use the same less reliable parts from S. Korea & other Asian countries!
If you are use to driving luxury cars, I suggest you stay with them, rather then bashing Toyota!