The Honda Civic has always been somewhat of a boss when it comes to the compact car sector, but Motor Trend thinks all of that is about to change in 2011 and 2012.
With the introduction of the '11 Chevy Cruze and the '12 Ford Focus, things are looking bleak for the Civic, which recently switched to a five-year life cycle, compared to its usual four.
Its biggest competition, however, comes from the new 2011 Hyundai Elantra.
Motor Trend says the 2012 Civic isn't poised to be as sleek as these other vehicles and will certainly pale in comparison to the Elantra's $15,500 base price, stellar rating from the EPA and six-speed automatic transmission.
The auto magazine also says that Hyundai will add special features to the new model such as heated front and rear seats, touch-screen navigation and an iPod/USB connection, for an additional cost.
The Civic doesn't need extra competition, but another possible challenger could be the 2013 Subaru Impreza, which the company has designed with the guiding principle of "confidence in motion."
In conclusion, Motor Trend says, "Compact sedans are the new midsize vehicles. And the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla will have a tough time staying dominant in the segment."