£4000 used Auris or Civic?

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Sun 17 Nov 2019 10:09
£4000 used Auris or Civic? - TomStan
Hello,
I decided to spend £4000 for new used car from minimum year 2010.
I am looking at Toyota auris 1.6 automatic and Honda Civic 1.8 automatic. Performance and handling are not the most important things for me. I know that in this area civic is better car but what the most important for me are reliability(1000 miles trips), good mpg, and most important comfortable drivers cabin, seats and low noise inside a car. Will auris excel over civic in those areas?
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Sun 17 Nov 2019 10:44
£4000 used Auris or Civic? - sandy56

I found the Auris a very comfortable cruiser and would recommend. My son has a Civic and loves it , but of the two I still prefer the Auris.

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Sun 17 Nov 2019 10:53
£4000 used Auris or Civic? - Falkirk Bairn

At £4K it's the car in front of you that is important - a well looked after car, mileage, service history, condition is more important than the general picture.

A bashed about Auris/Civic is a worse than a well looked after Hyundai /Kia with service history........... private buy of somebody giving up driving due to age - assuming it's been looked after, serviced etc

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Sun 17 Nov 2019 11:13
£4000 used Auris or Civic? - thunderbird

Always wanted to like the late 00's early 10's model Civic. At least it was different to look at from the normal euro boxes. But then we tried a couple. Dreadful ride and dreadfully noisy.

Tried an Auris and as expected bland, but we did prefer it to the Civic.

At the time we bought a Focus. At least its good to drive and a nice place to be in even if its dull looking. Reliable as well and plenty about so finding a gem should be possible.

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Sun 17 Nov 2019 21:35
£4000 used Auris or Civic? - mcintosh

I have a 2nd gen Auris hybrid and find it very comfortable. The hybrid has a double wishbone rear suspension so maybe rides better than other models. Rear legroom is maybe a bit tight for the class - have never driven a Civic so can’t compare them directly.

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Sun 17 Nov 2019 11:22
£4000 used Auris or Civic? - Auristocrat

An Auris automatic (non hybrid) of around 2010 vintage will be the first generation Auris (2007-Nov 2012) and will use the Multi Mode Transmission - a manual transmission with automated clutch. These can be troublesome.

The later second generation December 2012-2019 uses a CVT, which is reliable.

Hybrids of both generations (from 2010) use an e-CVT which is very reliable.

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Sun 17 Nov 2019 11:46
£4000 used Auris or Civic? - nellyjak

I'd go for the Auris...CVT

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Sun 17 Nov 2019 12:16
£4000 used Auris or Civic? - gordonbennet

Wouldn't touch MMT with a barge pole, if Toyota can't make an automated manual work no one can, cost to fix can write car off.

Avensis if you don't mind going bigger a 2010 will have the CVT box, a lovely car to drive, the only downside is the electric parking brake which will cost a lot of money IF it goes wrong.

Civics are mostly reliable and efficient, but as we are finding out in the family as mileage rises suspension wear can be an issue, and make sure the aircon is working properly because it's not particularly reliable and seriously expensive to fix.

Both cars require decent brake servicing or calipers will suffer and seize up, Toyotas own servicing requirement includes (or did when i used them) proper brake servicing at every major service, typically every other service so every other year.

Honda service regime does not include full brake strip clean lube, so Honda calipers tend to suffer quicker if the owners haven't twigged and got the brakes serviced properly in addition to normal servicing.

Don't know the first thing about Honda automatics, doubt you'd get an Auris hybrid in budget unless its been to the moon and back, still worth considering if its been serviced properly including the hybrid checks.

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Sun 17 Nov 2019 12:16
£4000 used Auris or Civic? - madf

MMT is the spawn of the devil...

Run away.. Forums full of issues..

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Sun 17 Nov 2019 13:04
£4000 used Auris or Civic? - John Boy

GB said, "Wouldn't touch MMT with a barge pole, if Toyota can't make an automated manual work no one can, cost to fix can write car off."

Someone I know recently discovered just that with a 50K miles Auris. When he heard the price, his exact words to the dealer were "You're writing my car off!" Ultimately he went to an independent gearbox specialist, but it still cost a lot of money.

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Sun 17 Nov 2019 13:23
£4000 used Auris or Civic? - SLO76
Both Honda and Toyota experimented with automated manual gearboxes around this time both were horrid. Toyota had MMT and Honda I-shift. Don’t touch either. Otherwise their both decent cars but I’d add more options in to give you a better chance of scoring a good car.

Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra, Hyundai i30, Kia C’eed and Mazda 3 are all good small automatic family cars. But if you tell us where roughly you are we’ll take a look locally for recommendations.
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Sun 17 Nov 2019 13:58
£4000 used Auris or Civic? - TomStan
Ford Focus I heard has terrible automatic transmission, way worse than auris and I-shift. I shift actually I read that are not so bad, it is just a matter of personal taste.
I live in greater Manchester, work as electrician and need reliable car to get me to sites, usually I travel daily on motorway + country roads + some city in total between 10miles one day and other day it can be even 150miles round trip! But most of the time 30miles a day round trip.
I would like something with good ride quality, especially because greater mancheater 20 and 30mph limit roads are full of potholes , something quiet on motorway as well. Right now I have Mazda 3 2005 year but car is too firm, I can feel every bump, and is a little bit noisy on motorway, it’s not bad but could be little bit better


To be honest I love the looks of ford mondeo mk4 inside and out but heard nightmare stories about its reliability that can cost me fortune

Edited by TomStan on 17/11/2019 at 14:04

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Sun 17 Nov 2019 14:18
£4000 used Auris or Civic? - SLO76
The ride quality pretty much rules out the Civic then as it’s quite firm. The automated manual boxes on some Toyota and Honda models are not only a personal taste issue but quite troublesome as they age too. The Focus auto is fine, a straightforward torque converter setup and a Japanese designed engine, nothing really to fear.

The best bet if comfort is a big issue and a reliable automatic transmission a requirement would be to move up a size to introduce the Toyota Avensis, Honda Accord and Mazda 6. The Mondeo is fine too with the 2.0 Mazda petrol but the diesels can be problematic as they age, that said the 2.0 diesel is basically a good engine and has bags of torque which suits an auto well. The problem is the Powershift twin clutch automated manual is notoriously fragile and the older torque converter box robs the diesel of much of its economy and is quite rare.


Did spot one nearby though.

I just found a great car on Auto Trader:

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20190917232...2


Here’s a good bet. Better on fuel than the diesel Mondeo thanks to its CVT gearbox and no real mechanical worries other than the infrequent issues with the electric parking brake. I own one of these and it’s a comfortable, solid and utterly reliable big car.

I just found a great car on Auto Trader:

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20191113432...1

Heavily overpriced this one but looks in great condition. I wouldn’t pay more than £2,500 for it tops though, as a part exchange he won’t have been offered more than £1,500 so even that is strong money. But utterly reliable things if a fair bit greedier than the later model above.

www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/toyota-aven...l






Edited by SLO76 on 17/11/2019 at 14:36

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Mon 18 Nov 2019 13:02
£4000 used Auris or Civic? - Penumbra

Don't know about Civic, but tried a 2015 Auris recently. Regarding comfort, seats were good but I found the car seemed quite low (personal preference is for a higher seating position ) and the rear screen is tiny.

What put me off though, was dashboard reflections in the windscreen - so bad at one point I had to slow right down as I couldn't see a thing! I realise this might not happen all the time but it was enough to put me off buying the vehicle

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Mon 18 Nov 2019 14:24
£4000 used Auris or Civic? - Engineer Andy

Unfortunately small rear windows is a feature of most modern cars - less glass, stiffer bodyshells = safer in an accident and better handling generally.

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Mon 18 Nov 2019 15:10
£4000 used Auris or Civic? - merlin

A 2015 Auris will be a 2nd generation one. The seating position in the 1st gen was higher. Toyota lowered it for gen 2 presumably to make it more sporty. Pity as it put off a lot of older people.

I have a first generation hybrid Auris and have no problems with dashboard reflections.

My wife has the Lexus equivalent, a CT200h & that is lower & does have the reflection issue. It's better built than the Auris and goes round corners better too but the ride is compromised.

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Mon 18 Nov 2019 15:15
£4000 used Auris or Civic? - bazza

We have a 12 Civic 1.8 and an older Corolla. The Civic is more of an acquired taste and rear visibility is, well.... terrible really to be honest. But it's smooth quiet, comfortable and reliable. On balance I think the Corolla Auris might be easier to get on with overall. If I were buying again I would go with the Toyota as I rate them so highly

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Tue 19 Nov 2019 11:25
£4000 used Auris or Civic? - focussed

The rear vision on the Civic is always slated as being restricted by forum pundits, but combined with the proper use of the large door mirrors it is more than adequate.

I had an 07 FN3 Civic as a driving school car and never had a pupil fail for mirror use or observation.

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Tue 19 Nov 2019 12:28
£4000 used Auris or Civic? - Bolt

The rear vision on the Civic is always slated as being restricted by forum pundits, but combined with the proper use of the large door mirrors it is more than adequate.

I had an 07 FN3 Civic as a driving school car and never had a pupil fail for mirror use or observation.

I find most people slate it that have never driven it and assume its got bad rear vision, but you rarely see a rear damaged car from reversing, and visibility is better than most think, just looks odd!

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Tue 19 Nov 2019 03:26
£4000 used Auris or Civic? - Warning

I test drove a Honda Civic 1.4 petrol 2012 plate (manual). I loved the car, but it was small for my needs and the dealer wanted too much for it. The Civic had a great radio and was good to drive. I felt I could drive to all the way to Scotland. I have driven a few rental cars e.g. Micra, Note, Corsa, Golf, Fabia, Fiesta (good).... but the Honda Civic was one I would liked to have own and taken on a long trip.

I have not driven the Auris, so I can't comment. I test drove a Toyota Verso, but it seemed a bland and boring vehicle to drive. The only other rental car I liked other then the Civic was the BMW 1 series, but it was good in different ways.

Edited by Warning on 19/11/2019 at 03:30

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