Buy a 2018 Honda CR-V or 2018 Hyundai Tucson?

[OrangeBirdGirl]

First I'm not sure I would worry about what car holds its value as your current vehicle is 18 years old. So if that's the norm on how long you keep cars the value point isn't too relevant.

I would stay away from the Tucson though because it was a fleet/rental. Many people I know that has had a rental car or drives a fleet car from work doesn't drive them like they do their normal car, meaning they beat the crap out of them. Not necessarily all the time but just don't treat them like their own car. Now some have the rationale you know the maintenance is always kept up on them. Likely a true point. We have many fleet vehicles at work and maintenance is always done according to owners manuals. But it also seems there are little things with the car that wouldn't be happening if it was your car, such as brakes being replaced more often. And, our fleets aren't driven a lot maybe 10-15k per year.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

I just asked her. She said she smells it occasionally but not nearly as bad.

Thank you so much for checking with her and reporting back!!!

 

[DLgal]

Both cars we are considering are at a reputable Honda dealership and we’ve seen the Carfax on both. That’s how we knew the Hyundai had been a rental. We’ve bought a rental from Enterprise in the past - a Ford Explorer when we were first married and poor. It worked well for us, so I’m not dead set against buying rental cars. Although I know some folks are not comfortable with it.

Well, then get the Honda. Any issues that come up will be covered under their pre owned warranty.

 

[tvguy]

I would stay away from the Tucson though because it was a fleet/rental. Many people I know that has had a rental car or drives a fleet car from work doesn't drive them like they do their normal car, meaning they beat the crap out of them. Not necessarily all the time but just don't treat them like their own car. Now some have the rationale you know the maintenance is always kept up on them. Likely a true point. We have many fleet vehicles at work and maintenance is always done according to owners manuals. But it also seems there are little things with the car that wouldn't be happening if it was your car, such as brakes being replaced more often. And, our fleets aren't driven a lot maybe 10-15k per year.

I don't know, our family has purchased 3 former Hertz cars and none has had a single issue related to them being a rental car.
2006 Ford Taurus purchased in 2007 with 25,000 miles on it for $9,995. My son totaled it with 180,000 miles on it last year. AC compressor and alternator both went out, but both failed well after 100,000 miles
2007 Ford Taurus purchased in 2008 with 29,000 miles for $9,500. My daughter drove it for 10 years before giving it back to me 2 years ago when she bought her own Hertz car. Brake master cylinder went out, at about 60,000 miles, but that isn't related to it being a rental.
2017 Ford Fusion Hydrid DD bought 2 years ago with 16,000 miles for $16,250. A power lock didn't work, but it was still under the Ford 3 year 36,000 mile warranty so Ford fixed it for free. No other repairs.

 

[SaintsManiac]

We have a 2006 and 2016 CR-V, so I am biased.

 

[cvjw]

I suspect the Honda will be more expensive to insure, and depending on the state you live in, $7,500 price difference is going to hit you every year when you renew the registration. And here in California with 7.25% sales tax, that Honda is going to cost you an additional $540 over the Hyundai.

Not all states make you pay an ad valorem tax each year with registration. Here is Georgia, we pay 6% when we purchase the car, and never pay any more. We just pay a $20 tag fee every year. They switched to the new taxation system a few years ago, and I really like the change.

OP, I would get the Honda. When I had to lemon out a Nissan, I wanted a new vehicle that would be trouble free since I spent almost a year of my life taking that Nissan to the dealer for multiple problems. The Honda fit the bill. No issues on my odyssey except the power lift gate, which was an easy fix. Just got rid of the odyssey and purchased a 2019 Honda Pilot elite. Love the new car so much!

 

[tvguy]

Not all states make you pay an ad valorem tax each year with registration. Here is Georgia, we pay 6% when we purchase the car, and never pay any more. We just pay a $20 tag fee every year. They switched to the new taxation system a few years ago, and I really like the change.

OP, I would get the Honda. When I had to lemon out a Nissan, I wanted a new vehicle that would be trouble free since I spent almost a year of my life taking that Nissan to the dealer for multiple problems. The Honda fit the bill. No issues on my odyssey except the power lift gate, which was an easy fix. Just got rid of the odyssey and purchased a 2019 Honda Pilot elite. Love the new car so much!

So in Georgia the $7,500 higher price would also cost you an extra $450 in sales tax at purchase time. Unclear the difference in insurance. $20 flat registration fee is amazing.

 

[ItsNotMuchofaTail]

I love my '18 CR-V. I was concerned about the oil/gas thing but the salesguy told me the software fix takes care of it. It was only the second new car I have ever bought, I was researching for years, and I couldn't find a more reliable car for the money. I bought it to replace an '06 CR-V I passed down to my daughter. I have owned that one since '09 and it is a great car. I actually tried to be more interesting than a mom who buys a CR-V when I already have a CR-V, but...what can you do, lol.

 

[tcufrog]

Hondas hold their value longer because they last forever. I drive a 2013 Civic that has never been in the shop for anything. It's the most reliable car I've ever had.

A friend had a Hyaundai that was nothing but trouble from day one.

I find this interesting because my family has had the exact opposite experience. I've had nothing but problems with Hondas and Honda dealerships and my sister, who has only driven Hyundais for the past two decades has found them to be extremely reliable and cheap to maintain. She drives them into the ground as you do.

 

[Anthony1971]

First I am a Honda and Toyota lover.
But I have driven Hyundai's as rentals and they do compete very well. As far as reliability well I can not answer that except there are a lot of them around I know they have improved a lot from years past.
Hondas and Toyota have their fair share of problems but they are more swept under the rug... Honda had faulty transmissions which they did nothing about in many of the older 6 CYL cars across the board with the 4 speeds in the early 2000's. Personally the tried and true Honda 4 CYL can last with little to no issues.. The new turbo engines... well Turbo's themselves have issues and require more maintenance it is truly unknown if the new engines will be as maintenance free as the old. No matter how you cut the cake a Turbo burns out after X amount of miles and will need to be replaced it is a in the end a sort if fan blade spinning at almost 20K RPM at idle and can be well over 100K up to almost 200K at full throttle. I would be looking for the 2018 CRV with the 2.4 not the turbo engine personally if I planned on keeping the car 10 plus years.

 

[lynlynch]

1. We owned a Hyundai Elantra rental and never had a mechanical issue with it other than routine maintenance. The rental information may give you an indication of where it was used (in our case, we determined it drove across the country and back, actually a good break-in).
2. I own a 2018 Tucson and have no idea what the negativity is about. It has a slight hesitation upon acceleration in SOME selected city-driving circumstances, but entering and driving on the highway is not one of them. My mileage is about 26/city, not bad for the size of the vehicle. There is a lot of storage, and after 2+ solid years of driving it, never a mechanical issue. Check Hyundai's warranty - it's the best around and will transfer to you. We switched from Toyota to Hyundai when Toyota no longer produced their Matrix. So far, we had 4 Elantras and the current Tucson, and what you get for the price far exceeds all other manufacturers with whom we compared.
3. My suggestion is to take the cars to your local mechanic and ask his/her opinion. All reputable dealers will allow this and that will give you another perspective. Please don't be afraid of a Hyundai based only on other opinions because you may miss out on a very good experience. 4. I echo the opinion of another poster - the car's value is irrelevant unless you plan to trade it in within a few years. For those who keep their vehicles for a long time, it's the warranty and mechanics that matter.
5. Another thought - we owned Toyota Corollas for many years and only one had an engine issue. They are reliable, affordable, and for those to whom it is important, maintain their value.

 

[MickeyManiac]

I have a 2018 CRV turbo and I live in Utah and have had no problems. Our winter temps range between teens and high 30's. I have had 3 Subaru's but decided on a CRV this time and I couldn't be happier. I love my car!

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

I love my '18 CR-V. I was concerned about the oil/gas thing but the salesguy told me the software fix takes care of it. It was only the second new car I have ever bought, I was researching for years, and I couldn't find a more reliable car for the money. I bought it to replace an '06 CR-V I passed down to my daughter. I have owned that one since '09 and it is a great car. I actually tried to be more interesting than a mom who buys a CR-V when I already have a CR-V, but...what can you do, lol.

This is exactly what I’ve found through my research. Our friend who works at Honda confirmed it as did our sales rep and the Honda mechanics at the dealership near us. Thank you for sharing your experience!

 

[DLgal]

I love my '18 CR-V. I was concerned about the oil/gas thing but the salesguy told me the software fix takes care of it. It was only the second new car I have ever bought, I was researching for years, and I couldn't find a more reliable car for the money. I bought it to replace an '06 CR-V I passed down to my daughter. I have owned that one since '09 and it is a great car. I actually tried to be more interesting than a mom who buys a CR-V when I already have a CR-V, but...what can you do, lol.

LOL. This is going to be me. My 2007 CR-V still hasn't passed the 90k miles mark. It will be passed down to my son who turns 16 this summer, but probably not fully until he is 18 and has a steady job and needs a car. At that point, I fully intend to buy myself a new CR-V, unless I can convince my husband to let me get an Acura MDX. I LOVE those (still a Honda, really). I'll probably end up with a CR-V, though.

 

[Budzooka]

I just bought a 2019 CR-V in November and love it. Much roomier than I expected and a smooth ride. Can’t comment on Hyundai.