2012 Honda Civic
Matt: Miss. I'm disappointed with what I see. Too many years have gone by since the last Civic and this car is simply an obvious evolution of a nearly seven year old car. No engines have been announced nor has an interior been unveiled but they had better be special. Competition in this segment is fierce and Honda cannot afford to offer up a TV-diner of a car. In the end though, I'm probably wrong as people will continue to buy this car as though it was going out of style.
Mike: Hit. Whatever Honda does to the Civic, it will sell well because its reputation of spacious interior accommodations, reliability and frugal fuel consumption will follow through. Its styling may not have been dramatically changed (especially the front end), but I think it looks better than the current model. Something would have to go really wrong for the 2012 Civic to fail.
Luc: Miss. Did Honda engineers just switch positions with the company's accountants? The new Civic is basically kicking the current-generation model to the curb in response to a number of people finding its design too radical. Well, the sedan concept introduced at the NAIAS looks so plain and uninspired that it might as well bear a Corolla badge. I'm not kidding! Honda seems to be waving the white flag as the surprisingly-hot 2011 Hyundai Elantra looks poised to take over the segment.
2012 Hyundai Veloster
Matt: Hit. Hats off to everybody at Hyundai, especially those responsible for the modern Hyundais. These cars are some of the most exciting in the business and the Veloster is the hottest thing visually from Ulsan since the Genesis. The Veloster rocks the status-quo and pushes the limits of what can be done with a simple hatchback. Its novelty and originality alone will insure success.
Mike: Hit. I like the car’s styling, and should be a good rival to the Honda Civic Coupe, the Scion tC and the Kia Forte Koup. Many manufacturers offered compact sporty coupes in the ‘80s and ‘90s, and it’s nice to see them slowly coming back. Some might criticize the car’s 138-hp output, but that’s fine with me until we actually drive it.
Luc: Hit. The Veloster is proof that passion still drives car buyers. This fabulously-bold, futuristic-looking coupe is unique both inside and out while relying on a proven powerplant. Sure, rearward visibility is microscopic, but at least drivers who wish to stand out will get their money's worth, no doubt about it.
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| Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com |
Matt: Miss. I'm disappointed with what I see. Too many years have gone by since the last Civic and this car is simply an obvious evolution of a nearly seven year old car. No engines have been announced nor has an interior been unveiled but they had better be special. Competition in this segment is fierce and Honda cannot afford to offer up a TV-diner of a car. In the end though, I'm probably wrong as people will continue to buy this car as though it was going out of style.
Mike: Hit. Whatever Honda does to the Civic, it will sell well because its reputation of spacious interior accommodations, reliability and frugal fuel consumption will follow through. Its styling may not have been dramatically changed (especially the front end), but I think it looks better than the current model. Something would have to go really wrong for the 2012 Civic to fail.
Luc: Miss. Did Honda engineers just switch positions with the company's accountants? The new Civic is basically kicking the current-generation model to the curb in response to a number of people finding its design too radical. Well, the sedan concept introduced at the NAIAS looks so plain and uninspired that it might as well bear a Corolla badge. I'm not kidding! Honda seems to be waving the white flag as the surprisingly-hot 2011 Hyundai Elantra looks poised to take over the segment.
2012 Hyundai Veloster
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| Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com |
Matt: Hit. Hats off to everybody at Hyundai, especially those responsible for the modern Hyundais. These cars are some of the most exciting in the business and the Veloster is the hottest thing visually from Ulsan since the Genesis. The Veloster rocks the status-quo and pushes the limits of what can be done with a simple hatchback. Its novelty and originality alone will insure success.
Mike: Hit. I like the car’s styling, and should be a good rival to the Honda Civic Coupe, the Scion tC and the Kia Forte Koup. Many manufacturers offered compact sporty coupes in the ‘80s and ‘90s, and it’s nice to see them slowly coming back. Some might criticize the car’s 138-hp output, but that’s fine with me until we actually drive it.
Luc: Hit. The Veloster is proof that passion still drives car buyers. This fabulously-bold, futuristic-looking coupe is unique both inside and out while relying on a proven powerplant. Sure, rearward visibility is microscopic, but at least drivers who wish to stand out will get their money's worth, no doubt about it.