Faults:

Rad finally blew (was running on the ORIGINAL, STOCK RAD TO OVER 300k).

Minor Honda rust (rear quarters, starting on the hood) but only because it has NEVER been rust proofed in the winter.

General Comments:

Quick for what it is (1.6L with 127hp) and handles really well due to the beefed-up suspension over the Civic, which is the same car.

Bought this car from a relative who ran it up to 290,000 KM, and I've been putting it through some very hard driving, redlining whenever I get the chance, keeping it revved high in turns, etc, and it still takes the abuse like a champ, even with over 300,000 km on it. I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever be able to kill it?

Also very good on gas (when driven conservatively) around 550-600km on $35, or 400-450km when driven very, very hard ha ha.

Faults:

Had to replace window mouldings and drip rails.

Replaced sun roof weather stripping.

Vtec solenoid replaced at 132,000kms.

Transmission is a little louder than it should be, something to keep an eye on in the future.

General Comments:

Fantastic car for the price. I picked it up off lease from Honda Canada Manufacturing through my work, Orangeville Honda. Before I took delivery, I had the dealership replace the struts, pads, rotors, shoes and drums. Flush out the coolant, tranny and oil, and replaced the tires. It drives and behaves like a brand new car, and looks 1000 times better than any civic that it's based off of.

For a car that is a daily commuter, it gets taken through its paces every day. The redline isn't anything new to this car, and knock on wood, it has loved every power shift, and a few hot laps around the local track for fun.

The car has never been overdue for an oil change or any other service. And I have every receipt to prove it.

Slightly underpowered in the low-end, but a performance filter, advanced timing and synthetic oil fixed that problem very easily.

The braking could be a little better, I'm not sure why they never put discs all around, instead of drums in the back.

Put on high-performance tires and they made a huge difference! Especially in the rain, and it now handles beautifully.

I'll have to see how it behaves in the winter months. I picked it up when the snow was melting and wasn't really an issue.

Faults:

Not enough power to accelerate when you get in to the free way (100 km speed)

General Comments:

Wonderful car with nice look, very economical.

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

One of the most reliable cars on the road, what you pay extra on top of the price of a Honda Civic will pay off in spades down the line.

There just is nothing like the EL for reliability. While friends talk of nightmare scenarios and spiraling costs and hassles of fixing countless problems with their Fords or their VWs, my EL has given me no problems whatsoever in the four years I've been driving it. Nothing. Nada. Zip. No breakdowns, no faulty components, no electrical problems, no fit and finish quality issues, no expensive repairs, no tow trucks required.

There are more powerful cars available (the 1.6 EL struggles a little when carrying 4 adults, for example) and many that are more luxurious, but you'll pay more for them and you'll be far more likely to end up broken down on the side of the highway waiting for a tow truck instead of enjoying the long weekend.

The build quality of this car is exceptional - nothing is falling apart or requires replacement. There are no leaks, no problems with the electrics or air conditioning, no rattles, nothing that needs replacing beyond those items Acura recommends be replaced after certain periods of time or kilometers driven. It's quite amazing. I haven't had so much as an oil leak.

It also looks smart and handles very well in most driving conditions. Road feedback is excellent and the car never feels out of control.

Minor niggles include excessive wind noise on the highway and seat heater switches that are annoyingly easy to turn on by mistake, which on a hot day does not make for a comfortable ride. But these are pretty much all I can find wrong with the car.

Overall this was absolutely the right purchase for me for my first car. I've driven many others and the EL outperforms and outhandles many more expensive and more powerful cars, and is the best in its class that I have come across. Even more importantly, I'd challenge anyone to name a more reliable vehicle on the road today.