Consumer Reports recommends both. The Elantra is "not as agile as the Civic" and overall mileage is 27. The SE has electronic stability control which is recommended (all cars will have to have it by 2012). It runs $14 - 17K. The Civic gets 28 MPG (31 with the manual); is noisier, and has better crash results. Also, many more after-market options. But the cost is $15K to $30K - the high one is the hybrid.