I bought my Sephia in October of 1999. Honestly, the main reason was price. But I have to admit, I am quite surprised at the performance and value of this vehicle. True, it has not been around for as long as the Honda Civic, or Toyota Corolla, and has not yet built such a reputation. This is not a car to overlook, however, if you are in the market for a compact. The first concern for me when buying a compact was that I did not want something with a sewing machine for an engine. Many compacts offer small engines, with barely even 100 horsepower (base models usually). So naturally, the idea that the Sephia comes standard with a 1.8 125hp DOHC engine was a plus. Secondly, there are some thoughtful touches applied to this vehicle that are only options on other, more expensive cars, i.e. Civic, and Corolla. For example, the base model Sephia comes standard with body colored door handles and mirrors. This may seem trivial, but just because I'm forced to buy a cheap car doesn't mean I want it to look like an econo-box. In order to get colored mirrors and doorhandles on the Civic, you'd have to purchase the EX....that's right, the top of the line model. So you could still buy a Civic LX, with all the power options, but still have those cheap looking black plastic mirrors and handles? Is Honda so cheap that they are not painting ALL of the pieces of the car? The Sephia is also a very quiet ride. A friend of mine loaned me his Civic for a few days, and let me just say that in order to hear the radio over the excessive road noise, it had to be turned up more than half way. The Sephia is well insulated from road noise and other noisy distractions. Yes, some of the interior materials in the Sephia are a bit "plasticy" and cheap, but remember, IT'S A CHEAP CAR. What do you expect? In response to those who are having problems with their Sephia's, and feel like they purchased a lemon, I have news for you......THIS COULD HAPPEN WITH A MERCEDES BENZ JUST AS EASILY. It's bound to happen to some. I would just like to say in closing, that before you get lured into one of those "oh so common" Civics or Corollas, or even Saturns ('yawn'), check out the Sephia. Besides, aren't you tired of fearing for your life when merging onto a 70mph freeway with 96 horsepower?
Amount Paid (US$): 12400
Condition: New
Model Year: 2000
Model and Options: Base Model, Automatic Transmission, Air Conditioning, Premium Wheels