Rationale for choosing betwen EX-L (with Sensing) vs Touring?

[firstblud]

I'm struggling with justifying the $1800 difference between the EX-L with sensing vs the touring!

1) Led lights to me just seem like another more expensive replacement compared to regular halogen bulbs.

2) The rain sensing wipers seem unrefined (according to the other thread about disappointments) and not really useful

3) Rear heated seats don't seem like it'll have much usage (maybe thinking selfishly here )

Basically the question in my mind so far is can I justify $1800 for the speakers and some nice bells?

What would be your rationale for choosing between an EX-L vs Touring?

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[hondo]

Given how long LED usually last, I wouldn't think we would ever have to replace them. My wife really wanted better headlights so that driving at night would feel safer.

The other extras are nav, power passenger seat, different rims, chrome door handles, turn indicators on the mirrors. On their own some of these are kinda are just meh, but all together it isn't too bad. It really boils down to how many of them you really want and how much the total additions are worth to you.

 

[CdnColin]

Decision is easier in Canada if you want the 1.5 turbo. We have no EXL option. EX-T or a Touring for extra $2,000

Touring adds:

Leather seats
17" wheels
450 watt audio 10 speakers
Auto-Dimming rear view mirror
Chrome door handles
8 way power driver seat
4 way power passenger seat
Navigation system
Rear heated seats
Led headlights with auto on/off
Mirror integrated LED turn signal
Rain sensing wipers
SiriusXM
Wireless charging

 

[benjaminh]

I'm struggling with justifying the $1800 difference between the EX-L with sensing vs the touring!

1) Led lights to me just seem like another more expensive replacement compared to regular halogen bulbs.

2) The rain sensing wipers seem unrefined (according to the other thread about disappointments) and not really useful

3) Rear heated seats don't seem like it'll have much usage (maybe thinking selfishly here )

Basically the question in my mind so far is can I justify $1800 for the speakers and some nice bells?

What would be your rationale for choosing between an EX-L vs Touring?

Fair question. Both cars are great, because Honda always makes sure that each model has a lot of bang for the buck. But let me try to answer some of your points.

First, LED lights are probably going to last the life of the car for most people. The average lifespan for LEDs is probably c. 15 years or so?

EXL with Sensing lists for 24,700 before destination, while the Touring is 26,500, giving a difference of 1700. Whether that's worth it to you is entirely subjective, but let me list most of the features you get for that and list my own very subjective estimate of what each feature would be worth to me....

LED Headlights: $300
built-in Navigation: $800
450-watt 10-speaker premium stereo: $400
chrome door handles: $100
unique 17" alloy wheels: $200
heated rear seats: $300
rain sensing wipers: $300
mirror turn indicators: $200
power passenger seat: $400

For me personally it seems like the Touring is "worth," subjectively, about $3k, making the $1700 difference a good deal.

But all that having been said, I myself am thinking about the EX-T model without sensing for c. $22,200. That model has the turbo engine, XM radio, etc., etc. for $2500 less than the EXL Navi, or $4300 less than the Touring....Mmmm. Decisions, Decisions.

 

[thomasok]

As has been said it is certainly a personal decision. For me, when it is time to buy (not for at least a year so time to see all the variants) it would be the EX-L. I don't want the Nav as my iPhone has it. I don't want the rain sensing wipers as I prefer more control and they sound flaky. I rarely have a rear passenger (which might even point me to the coupe) so the heated rear seat is no big deal. Don't care about the stereo - it's only a car so I don't expect much (if you heard my vinyl based home Hi-Fi you'd understand). LED headlights and the better looking wheels would be nice but not for that money. Chrome door handles and lights on the mirrors? Whoopie!

I'm not even convinced by the sensing but will reserve my decision until I experience it. (Not thoroughly convinced the car should be doing that much of the driving.)

So EX-L for me all the way.

But if you really want the sensing AND the Nav, the extra $800 for the rest of the goodies seems like a good deal. You even get a little thicker anti-roll bars. You pays your money and you takes your choice.

 

[Newflyer3]

This whole thread is garbage considering OP wants to compare an EX-L with sensing to a Touring but doesn't realize EX-L doesn't come with sensing even as an option. Honda assumes if you want leather and sensing you'd jump to the Touring.

@benjaminh you do realize that the LED lights are 2 grand alone in parts right? So clearly your expectations are way low on allocating the extra money to said features.

If you take the 2k worth of LED lights and subtract the halogens you're not getting the difference is still $1200 most likely.

 

[thomasok]

This whole thread is garbage considering OP wants to compare an EX-L with sensing to a Touring but doesn't realize EX-L doesn't come with sensing even as an option. Honda assumes if you want leather and sensing you'd jump to the Touring.

Sorry but Honda Sensing is available on all trim levels including EX-L.
http://automobiles.honda.com/mobile/civic-sedan/price.aspx

 

[dick w]

Different in Canada vs. US................

 

[Newflyer3]

Sorry but Honda Sensing is available on all trim levels including EX-L.
http://automobiles.honda.com/mobile/civic-sedan/price.aspx

Oh it's available I guess. My bad. I'm more familiar with Canadian models

 

[dick w]

@benjaminh you do realize that the LED lights are 2 grand alone in parts right? So clearly your expectations are way low on allocating the extra money to said features.

He specifically said it was his own "own very subjective estimate of what each feature would be worth to me". I.e., the value he'd place on having the feature.

But, as long as you are going down that road, the difference in parts price between a Navi and a no-Navi EX-L is $0. (But as parts you don't get the separate, but downloadable, Navi OM.) Shocking but true.

 

[hondo]

To each his own. I think each trim level is a bargain for what they offer. For those who want the bells and whistles the touring trim is a bargain. For those who want the upgraded engine and leather the ex-l is a bargain.

 

[dick w]

I'm struggling with justifying the $1800 difference between the EX-L with sensing vs the touring!

1) Led lights to me just seem like another more expensive replacement compared to regular halogen bulbs.

2) The rain sensing wipers seem unrefined (according to the other thread about disappointments) and not really useful

3) Rear heated seats don't seem like it'll have much usage (maybe thinking selfishly here )

Basically the question in my mind so far is can I justify $1800 for the speakers and some nice bells?

What would be your rationale for choosing between an EX-L vs Touring?

I'm not clear whether the 10th Gen Civic rain sensing wipers are unrefined or people expect them to work in ways they are designed not to work. Rear heated seats, heated seats period, are useless where I live, even on those two or three occasions in our life with the car that somebody will sit in the back. (HDradio and SXM are also useless where we live. Not clear if anybody here broadcasts RDS.)

If I could justify it, and I'm sure I can't in $1,800 worth of purely monetary terms, my reasons would be:

1) LED headlights, mirror lights, and rain sensing wipers,
2) Integrated navi, even if rarely used, is way more user friendly than having to plug in the phone and keep AA working and stay in cell coverage,
3) Audio might be a little better with the higher power--more deafening when deafening was probably already good enough--and the extra drivers,
4) Touring exclusive wheels are a little better looking,
5) Never having to wonder why I didn't spend the extra $s for ____ when I had the chance.

OTOH,
1) I think the chrome door handles look worse,
2) I'd be tempted to remove the decklid Touring badge and I've never been a de-badger before,
3) The passenger seat position almost never gets moved anyway,
4) Rear seat bun warmers in a Civic just seems OTT to me.

 

[spets]

@benjaminh you do realize that the LED lights are 2 grand alone in parts right? So clearly your expectations are way low on allocating the extra money to said features.

Wrong. LED headlights are $900 in parts.

 

[takemorepills]

The more money you spend/go up trims, the faster the car will become outdated. Except for the LED headlights, things like Sensing and Infotainment are just a mid cycle refresh away from being outdated.

Just imagine, for a moment, where the industry will be in 3-4 years. The 7" infotainment system will be a joke to all of your "cool" friends, the Honda Sensing will be so antique that museums will be trying to buy your car from you.

People need to get off of the LED's nuts because we are not just talking about a LED emitter connected directly to 12VDC, the LED headlights also have integrated electronics in them. Just because it is a theoretical advantage that the LED emitters may last 15 years, the rest of the electronics are at risk of failing early. I like the LED lights, but let's keep it real. No one has real world data on how long they will last. With added complexity comes reduced reliability. It's just a damn fact.

Rear heated seats...eh, had them in 2 of my Infiniti's. Who uses them anyway? When I would tell my passengers that their seats are heated, they seemed unimpressed. I don't think they ever were used????

 

[SPEEDANDTECH]

Wrong. LED headlights are $900 in parts.

is it plug and play?

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