Hyundai Elantra 2001-2006

jimbeaumi

My Elantra is at just over 27K miles in 20 months. This car has been very reliable, very comfortable, and -- hey! -- still has original headlights. I have found it to be nothing but enjoyable, and it is good to see Hyundai brand quality continuing to surprise people, me included. This is what happens when a company works hard at improvement.

collegecar, this is the one to buy.

canpam

I was just wondering if Hyundai thought about the possibility of putting a V-6 in the Elantra? I think it would be a great idea--or is this just wishful thinking? (170hp) I could even see a diesel in the Elantra! Your thoughts please.

Additionally, is Hyundai thinking about bringing a minivan to the U.S.? How about a large SUV?

backy

Probably not. There was a discussion on this awhile back in, I think, the "Hyundai is the greatest..." board and the consensus of the Hyundai experts was that the V6 would be too big and heavy for the car. I don't understand that myself, since I thought the Tiburon is built on a modified Elantra chassis, but anyway the Elantra is getting a power upgrade next fall when the VVT engines come out.

codata99

Diesel-powered Elantras are available in Europe.

canpam

Is the VVT engine equivalent in operation to the Honda VTEC ? VVT = Variable Valve Turbo?

codata99

VTEC is a 2 or 3-stage cam-changeover system. Hyundai's VVT is a CVVT(Continuously Variable Valve Timing) system like VVT-i. iVTEC=VTEC+CVVT

cookie55

To Canpam--Don't know about large minivan. Kia,owned by Hyundai,already has the Sedona here. Site 815,a Korean researcher employed by Hyundai, has indicated that the Lavita/Matrix(1.8 liter,5 seater)is under study for import to U.S. This small minivan,sized between the Toyota Matix and Scion Xa, is very popular in Europe and would probably be serious competitor in that vehicle size.

backy

Well, not quite. But it was near 70 this weekend (very unusual this early in the year in Minnesota) and almost all the snow is gone, so I gave the GLS a wash/wax/WD-40/tire shine job. It was overdue, as deer were beginning to come up to it to lick it. Looks like new again... until the next snowstorm.

jlflemmons

'02 GLS w/5spd. 13K miles, all city, so for this weekend I decided to air it out a little and leave the Safari van at home. Gas prices had a little to do with that, also. For 300 miles running 70-75 MPH with a full load (wife, two kids, dog, and trunk full of luggage)we got 28.57mpg. Ran like a swiss watch the whole trip. Found myself at one point thinking how boring a drive it was. Set the cruise, rest one hand on the wheel, and let the miles roll by. I am still amazed at how well this little car rides on the highway. Had the tires balanced before the trip for good measure, and the whole ride was like glass.

Jim

vocus

Wanna come shine my Jetta up? It's more of a french vanilla color than Cool White thanks to the MD snows we had...

vocus

I think a V6 in the Elantra would steer it away from its intended mission as an economy car. It would be like putting a V6 in a Civic, Protege, Corolla, etc... The main job of these cars is to preserve fuel and weight, not to be powerhouses. Also, I believe the Elantra with a V6 might snatch some of Sonata sales too....

Now a diesel, I would be all for that! Especially with gas prices the way they are now, it would be a great alternative to the overly complex hybrids. The only passenger cars in the US to currently offer diesel are the VW TDIs though...

Can't wait until 2006 or so, when we get the 'cleaner' diesel, maybe that will spark more widespread interest in diesel engines.

collegecar

Clean diesels should be a good thing. I don't know why the US has been using the super filthy grade of diesel fuel for so long.
It will be cheaper and offer similar mileage to the hybrid gas/electric vehicles and can work for both little economy cars like the Elantra or smaller as well as big, heavy SUVs pulling trailers.

vocus

I agree about the clean diesels. The diesel engines would also be far less complex and cheaper to maintain and repair than the hybrids will, if I didn't mention that earlier.

I know in MD, we have biodiesel available. I don't know all the details about it, but it's suppose to burn alot cleaner than standard diesel fuel does. I have a couple friends with TDI Jettas and Golfs, and they use biodiesel and like it very much. I even met someone with a 98 TDI Jetta who runs the car on a form of reconstituted vegetable oil. Now that's using your resources!

canpam

Vocus you are right about the V-6 and I would also welcome a diesel Elantra. I think a diesel is going to be a welcome sight in the coming months of war, too bad VW is really the only manufacturer to committ to diesel (except for MB). I wonder about the lack of a minivan in the Hyundai lineup--consider Kia has the Rio, Spectra and the Optima competing against the Accent, Elantra and Sonata. Considering all three vehicles match up in size why not just go all the way with a Hyundai "full" size minivan?

vocus

Good point. With the war coming and gas prices more than likely to go through the roof, diesels would be welcome. The VW TDIs are the only diesel powered cars sold in the US. They also can be fueled with biodiesel, which is alot cleaner than standard diesel. I wish they would make the US have the same diesel fuel standards as Europe. But for that to happen, Americans would have to take more interest in diesel powered cars. For the simple reason that truckers buy the most diesel right now, and they're the ones lobbying for lower prices. Since the majority rules, they win. The 'better' diesel can't be brought in for the low prices now. And even though diesel would be about the same price as a gallon of premium, you can go 50mpg+ on diesel but not petrol.

With the van, I am surprised Hyundai doesn't have a 'twin' to the Sedona van. That would make perfect sense, since the Rio and Accent share the same engine now.

graphicguy

Good point....I wondered myself why Hyundai wouldn't have "badged" the Sedona. I'm uncertain about Kia's future given their lack of "traction" in the same space that Hyundai occupies.

lovetosavegas

I don't think they will put a diesel in Elantra, at least not in US. Not only because of quality of US diesel but also because majority of drivers don't like it due to vibration increase. I test drove Golf TDI, while shopping for wife's car and the vibration at the stop lights made me sick:(
Also, I don't understand how can they charge so much for such a small car, it looked smaller then Accent.

vocus

The Golf is much larger than the Accent actually. That's neither here nor there though.

I think the US's gas prices aren't high enough yet for people to go to diesels. I know I will get a diesel next time, though.

collegecar

I will think about getting diesel sometime after 2006 and depending on what will be available then and how nice those cars turn out to be.
There is not much selection of diesel cars now. It should be nice to have the high fuel economy with more torque and power than a hybrid yet without the dirty, sooty diesel exhaust fumes.

vocus

When's the last time you stood behind the car when acclerating though?

mauvas

This is a little deviation from the current topic of diesel engines, which by the way, I personally think its popularization is not going to happen any soon in North America, despite to my chagrin, since some time ago I drove a SssangYong Musso Diesel (a formidable 3.0 MB engine) and I liked it a lot, specially the torque and the efficiency.

From the option of comparing cars in Carpoint, I checked the measures of both the VW Golf and the Accent, because I have the same perception that the Golf is a small car, and look quite similar if not smaller, than the Accent. Of course, the Golf is in a different category in terms of performance. Data shows, the accent is longer than the Golf. The Golf has a longer wheelbase. The overall front space in the accent is bigger than that one in the Golf. The Golf is taller than the accent, but it doesn't reflect at all in terms of headroom. The rear passenger space in the accent is smaller, due probably to the shorter wheelbase. Thus, in conclusion, I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to put a small diesel engine under the hood of the accent if Hyundai would like to offer a good option to us, the environmental and cost sensitive users.

                                Accent VW Golf
  Wheelbase 96.1 in. 98.9 in.
  Track Front 56.5 in. 59.6 in.
  Track Rear 56.1 in. 58.8 in.
  Length 166.7 in. 164.9 in.
  Front Headroom 38.9 in. 38.6 in.
  Rear Headroom 38 in. 37.4 in.
  Front Leg room 42.6 in. 41.5 in.
  Rear Leg room 32.8 in. 33.5 in.
  Front Shoulder Room 52.8 in. 53.7 in.
  Rear Shoulder Room 52.4 in. 52.7 in.
  Width 65.7 in. 68.3 in.
  Height 54.9 in. 56.7 in.

canpam

If I could purchase a vehicle and get 50 mpg I would snatch it up--inspite of the vibrations and smoog.

codata99

Kia Rio dose not share an engine with Accent.

lngtonge18

Did anyone notice that Hyundai has added STANDARD side impact airbags on all 03 Accents?? I hadn't heard anything about this and was shocked to see the side airbag tag on the side of the seat of a base Accent hatchback. Hyundai has really raised the bar for safety in the subcompact segment.

backy

Which makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

codata99

Rio has a Kia-designed 1594cc engine. Accent's DOHC engine is 1599cc Alpha.

vocus

Sorry for the confusion. I do remember the Accent engine is called 'Alpha'.

vocus

Yes, side airbags are indeed standard on the Accent now. I checked on Hyundai's website. Funny, Consumer Reports said nothing about them when they tested an Accent sedan a couple months ago. Maybe a 'running' change?

alpha01

I do think this is a running change, similar to Toyota's incessant changes to the Camry and its equipment.

And wait, the 1.6 in the Rio and Elantra are different but have the same hp and torque ratings?
Either I am incorrect, or that is very coincidental.

~alpha

vocus

I read that the Accent and Rio share the same 1.6 engine, but I also read in the same Consumer Guide publication that the 2.5 Altima was available with traction control, which was wrong. But anyway, I digress...people can make mistakes.

I did notice all the changes made to the Camry's equipment, and even a change to a 5-speed auto with the V6. VW is famous for these middle of the year changes as well.

Running changes really makes me mad, because someone who bought their car later in 02, for instance, got a sport exhaust and CD player as standard. Had I wanted those items, I would have had to pay extra for that on my Jetta, because mine is an earlier built model before the 'running change' was made. Marketing, ugh...

codata99

Accent also has a dual-stage airbag system.

alpha01

Is totally useless now that edmunds offers their TMV. Their reviews are off base, long term tests infrequent, and facts often wrong.. and who wants black and white photos.. yuck.

Does anyone know what the Variable Valve Timing will do to the Elantra's engine in terms of output/fuel economy? Its due next year, right?

~alpha

vocus

It's suppose to give the engine better fuel economy and more power over its rev range. Kinda like vvt-i in Toyota engines or i-VTEC in Hondas.

lngtonge18

I retract my earlier statement. Apparently, the Rio does use a slightly different engine than the Accent. Power, engine size, and fuel economy are not completely the same, which is why I can believe they are literally different engines. The Rio makes 104 hp at 5800 rpm and 104 lb ft of torque at 4700 rpm. The Accent makes 104 hp at 5800 rpm and 106 lb ft of torque at 3000 rpm. Compression ratios are also slightly different: Rio - 10.1 Accent 10.0. It would appear the Accent has the better power curve with more torque available at a much lower rpm.

Anyway, I find this very interesting and odd. Apparently, even the car magazines don't realize their is a difference between these 2 engines.

codata99

I'm not aware of any car magazine that says Rio has a Hyundai engine.

vocus

http://www.consumerguide.com are the ones who say the Accent and Rio share an engine now. I looked online for a quote, but they only have 02 Rio information available. I have the book at home with the blurb about the 03 Rio, but for some reason it's not online.

pat

Seems to me the title of this discussion is the Hyundai Elantra. There should be discussions available on these other vehicles - the make/model search on the left of this page will tell you.

:-)

pat

Join us tonight, 6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET for another
round of automotive trivia and member-to-member chat.
Test your skills (or multiple choice guessing ability)
against other Town Hall members.

http://www.edmunds.com/townhall/chat/townhallchat.html

Hope to see you there!

backy

The value proposition of the Accent still escapes me. If you price out a loaded 4 door and compare it to the Elantra GLS, which is comparably equipped now that the Accent has side airbags, there is little difference in price. Toss in the bigger rebate and larger profit margin (meaning more dealing room) on the Elantra, and you can get a car that is better than the Accent in all respects except fuel economy for little if any more money. Why not buy the Elantra?

backy

Just saw that Hyundai raised the price of the Elantra GLS $400 US. I guess the good news for us owners is that it might help raise resale values.

alpha01

I think you misunderstood me. I am well aware of what variable valve timing is, and its positive benefits (thought I appreciate your clear elucidation). What I meant was that I want to know what the new hp and torque figures will be, as well as the new EPA ratings, if anyone has insider scoop.

~alpha

backy

I saw a post from last year that said the "NF" engine would be coming to the Elantra in '04 and would have 155 hp. But I remember another one, which I can't locate now, that talked about two variants of the engine, one with more hp. Haven't seen anything on torque. Might be a little early for EPA numbers.

jimbeaumi

Now that the weather is in transition here in Michigan, I am noticing some old buzzing noises coming back. All are faint except for the passenger door panel, which has really become very noticeable. A simple slight pull on the armrest eliminates it, so I don't think the fix will be a huge problem.

This seems to be an area on which Hyundai can and should continue to focus (tight interior fit) to move up to Toyota territory, because everything else on my car is wonderful at 28K miles. Now I'm just itching to give it its first post-winter wax and swap out the floor mats.

lyndon5

After 2 years and a few months, we remain happy with this car.
One day visit to dealer for air bag light at around 12,000 miles. Cables under drivers seat rerouted.
Clutch replaced under warranty for squeaking at 23,000. Dealer furnished a loaner, not much of an inconvenience.
Upgraded to pioneer radio/tape with CD changer in trunk at 50,000, vast improvement in sound quality.
Left headlight bulb at 53,000 miles, right at 55,000. Did not bother with the dealer, replaced myself with $7 Hella bulbs, want to see if they last any longer.
Second visit for airbag light at 58,000, bad connection passenger side under dash.
Local Lincoln/Mercury/Hyundai dealer estimate for timing belt replacement, $440. Ouch!
Drove down the street one block to the local Subaru dealer that has replaced several timing belts for me on other vehicles. Out the door today with new timing belt and three new drive belts for $280 + tax.
Car still runs strong and is rattle free, I plan on driving it 200,000 plus.

kaz6

My Mom had lost her '95 Maxima in an accident and didn't want to spend a lot for a new car. I talked her into looking at the Elantra and she was very impressed! Long story short, she bought a new GL w/auto. and paid $11,800! This included the rebate that expires this month. I was very tempted to look at the GT!

jyk1981

Here are picutres of facelift version Elantra
Looks like only front grill, fog light and rear lights are changed..
Front
Rear

lmp180psu

Overall, it looks like a nice looking facelift. I especially like the grill and new crease in the front bumper. The tailights look more classy, and the spoiler is nicely shaped, but I am a little unsure about the trunk lid. I wonder what kind of interior improvements there will be, along with what will the specs be for the new VVT engine.

alpha01

From the post above, one can see a new alloy wheel design in the "Front" view. I must say- I think this is what Hyundai has improved most, if those are indeed the alloys we will see on GT models....

Overall, nice restyling (unlike the Cavaliers.... uggh).

~alpha

csandste

follows the general line of Hyundai mid-term freshenings. I wish that they'd clean up the rear end of the GT hatch. Lights go in too many directions, sedan is better looking in the tail light department IMHO.

vocus

I was going to say, the car looks like a mini Optima or XG350 with the facelift. I like the rear better than the current one myself.