rewrite this title with different wordingHyundai Sonata 2.0 vs. Honda Civic RS Turbo | Two Most Expensive PKDM Sedans

So you’ve got about 9.8 – 9.9 crore PKR. If you are not in the mood to buy the German brands that will give you pain in the neck during repairs and are planning to buy a PKDM sedan, you’ve got two good choices from two good brands: the Honda Civic RS Turbo and the Hyundai Sonata 2.0. We’re going to compare both vehicles and POV to determine which car is best for whom.

Hyundai Sonata 2.0 and Honda Civic RS Turbo

Sonata and Civic RS are both cars of different classes and made for people with different mindsets. One is for luxury and elite Generation x people, while the Civic RS is for those who love the performance, a sense of driving, and red accent sporty-looking interiors. 

The Civic RS is the Civic’s top-of-the-line variant, while the Sonata 2.0 is the Sonata’s base variant. But there’s a catch: The Sonata’s base variant still outperforms many German C-segment cars in the same 9.9 million budget. 

Sense of Driving

Winner: Tie

The sense of driving is different in both cars. Sonata, as previously mentioned, falls in the executive segment. Whether you drive it at 180 or 220 km/h, it remains smooth. You won’t realize you’re driving at 200+ km/h until you check the speedometer.

Civic RS, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. It’s made to give you a sense of feel. If you’re going above 200+ Km/h, you’ll surely realize it even if you don’t look at the speed-o-meter.

The Civic has a turbo and a V-tec engine, so when it kicks in, you’ll realize that you’re sitting in an R variant car. Moreover, RS has a stiffer sports suspension, while Sonata has a soft and comfortable suspension, so at high speeds, stiffer suspensions will give you a sense of speed.

Another major thing is the Civic’s turbo, which boosts to 1.5 PSI. The turbo’s quick acceleration will push you back, and the Sonata—indeed, it has a 2,000-engine and 152 HP—can’t compete with the turbo’s acceleration. 

Overall, if you want an adrenaline rush, Civic RS is the best choice. If you’re an executive gentleman, Sonata is the best choice.

3s Dealership Customer Support

Winner: Hyundai Sonata

Now that’s something you can only rely on 3rd party owner reviews and the experience of people.

Honda has good customer support, but Hyundai’s customer support is on another level. Their waiting areas and customer dealing are better than Honda’s; that’s what we got from user reviews. 

Hyundai’s parts sourcing is also quicker than Honda’s, especially for the Civic. Even the most common known issue of the Civic, the steering rack problem, takes 6 months to claim. On the other hand, Sonata’s tire bubble issue, which is the most commonly known issue, only takes 20-40 days to replace. 

Individuals’ choices might differ; some might prefer Honda 3s support, or some would adore Hyundai’s 3s support, but the majority’s opinion is written above.

Resale Value

Winner: Hyundai Sonata

Very few consumers would purchase a locally assembled sedan in this price range. Most of them either go for an SUV or pick-up like Revo or Fortuner or save money and go with a locally assembled crossover. Others who need luxury sedans would go with German cars like Mercedes and Beamer. 

Sonata and Civic are still wise choices over German in terms of the same price. Sonata and Civic will be brand-new, with official 3s support and 10 years of warranty. German in that budget will be used for at least 6-7 years, with no official support in Pakistan, and there is a high chance of accidental and diagnosing errors, which is a pain in the neck.

But still, most people buy Germans in this budget because in that budget, most would look for a status symbol rather than practicality; if practicality were a preference, Fortuner or Revo would be the people’s first choice.

Still, those who want to buy a local PKDM Seadan car under a 1 cr budget would prefer a Sonata over a Civic because Civic is considered an overpriced car. Of course, it is; who would spend a 1 cr budget on a locally manufactured C-segment car that already has the well-known issue of a steering rack?

So, any wise man would prefer a Sonata 2.0 on a 1 Cr budget. 

Built Quality

Winner: Sonata

Sit in both cars, and you’ll realize the difference in built quality. Sonata is a lot better built than Civic, both interior and exterior. Sonata uses all leather seats and a leather dashboard, while Civic, in a 1 Cr budget, still offers an ABS plastic dashboard. 

There are many other built-quality issues in the Civic, e.g., an armrest that wobbles as if it were Mehran’s third-party armrest. The exterior paint quality isn’t so good compared to the Sonata. If you get a chance to see the white Sonata and then the white Civic, you’ll realize the difference in paint quality in both cars.