Hyundai Elantra 5-door

liljonson · April 2001

why did they stick the hyundai,mitsubishi,suburu stuff down stairs??? i thought those were the coolest cars, especially the hyundai lz450, my brother personally doesn't like hyundais but does respect them alot and he actually said that was the best looking car in the show.

cjaccetta · April 2001

Hyundai, Kia, Mitsu, Subaru were all downstairs at the NYIAS in 2000, too. Yeah, it was kind of a bummer b/c their cars were cool, but at least they were all near one another. Pity poor Daewoo -- they were in another wing altogether!

Pheo, Lijonson -- did you hear any "buzz" about the GT while you were at the show? I overheard some favorable comments from passerby. It also seemed like a lot of the people hanging around the Hyundai area were current or former Hyundai owners.

liljonson · April 2001

lol yea i never heard anybody say "wheres deawoo?". i'm pretty sure nobody was really upset that they were all alone.

bill_1 · April 2001

Pheo... I don't know if I would be too sure that the Hyundai GT will be killed off by the Toyota/Pontiac twins. While they may be a big success, they are not necessarily direct competitiors with the GT. For one thing they are Wagons, and thus cater to a slightly different market. In addition they will probably be a bit pricier when equipped to the same level as the GT. Also I expect that many will prefer the GTs Engine; it has a fair bit more torque than either of the 1.8s that will make it into the Matrix and Vibe.

john1250 · April 2001

Pricing for the Elantra GT is now available at Kelly Blue book (KBB.COM). The MSRP for the manual is 13,999 and for auto 14,799. Option package 7 (AS/moon roof) adds 1175. Added from the GLS are 4 wheel discs, "Euro" suspension, fog lamps, "leather surfaced" seats, alloys and CD player. Exclusive new colors are Cobalt Blue and Cardinal Red. No word on availability date.

hkchan · April 2001

KBB lists a rebate of $500 expiring 4/30. Good luck.

Also, traction control comes with ABS on the regular Elantra, but it's not mentioned on the GT. Must be an oversight.

liljonson · April 2001

i don't know why the younger crowd likes auto, i'm young too and i can't understand it. i drive auto now and i hate it. stick in most cases gives you the great accelaration. oh wellz, lazy teens

sjslo · April 2001

I had always wanted a car with stick until I learned how to drive stick. I don't understand why someone would want to put themselves through that. I learned to drive stick on a Ford Escort ZX2, and I would have rather had an automatic than a POS clutch and shifter. Driving for me is about getting from point A to point B with a minimal amount of frustration, adn that's what an automatic gives me. The sales numbers don't lie, there's just not enough demand for stick anymore, Hyundai would be committing suicide if they didn't offer an automatic. Just my two cents...

bpb30 · April 2001

Nice to finally see some details. I noticed the GT has heated side mirrors as standard equipment. Does the GLS have these? ABS, traction control(presuming this is included), and heated side mirrors makes for a great Midwestern winter car. It's also nice to see you can open the hatch remotely. The only thing I was hoping to see that I did not was wood trim for the dash board. That would have made it the perfect mini saab otherwise it looks great on paper.

I'm on a 2-4 month timeframe to buy a car so I can take my time. I'm considering the GT auto($16K MSRP loaded), the Honda Accord Value Package auto($16K discounted), or the new Subaru Impreza Wagon auto($18KMSRP). The honda did better in crash tests (w/side air bags option) but the Elantra GLS is no slouch. You get a lot more for you money with the GT and I like the idea of the hatch. If I can get a GT at a discounted price I will probably go with that unless the Impreza knocks me off my feet (165hp, AWD, more cargo room, but no side airbags and a shorter warranty).

BTW, not sure if the group has seen these pics of the GT but this looks like the version we are getting. Under owners picture gallery click on the elantra and the first three aross the right top are from an unknown auto show.

http://t-h-c.org/station-a1/

esto · April 2001

www.autosite.com also has prices and specs for the GT. Their site makes it easy to compare GLS features to the GT's.

Hosts - why doesn't Edmunds have any info posted yet?

esto · April 2001

I'm VERY frustrated with the fact I have to buy an unwanted, headroom-robbing, potentially-leaking moonroof in order to get the safety features of ABS and traction control. Anybody else feel this way? And why should I have to pay the expense of leather seating surfaces if I don't want it? My initial enthusiasm for the GT is considerably dimmed.

Erik

vadp · April 2001

Mazda did the same thing with its Protege 5 wagon. Coincidence?
Hopefully Toyota/GM will get it right with the Matrix/Vibe.

tmundar · April 2001

Well, obviously, the sunroof is necessary to improve the car's safety. When it is open, it creates more drag on the car, allowing you to stop the car faster.

I have no idea why car companies do this. Both the Protege5 and the GT require a moonroof in order to get ABS. I don't know what the decision makers in Hyundai were smoking when they made this decision, but, apparently, they are not the only car company executives smoking it.

It is interesting to note that on the regular Elantra, you CAN'T get a moonroof and ABS on the same car. They must use a dart board to decide what options to put in the option packages.

Tom

hkchan · April 2001

Look at these prices (all MSRP):
On the GT:
Package 7 (Package 6 + ABS + traction control???) is $1,175
Package 6 (moon roof) is $650
You pay $525 more for ABS (+traction control??)

On the GLS
Package 5 (Package 2 + ABS + traction control) is $1,150
Package 2 (whatever) is $400
You pay $750 for ABS + traction control.

Does it look like the GT won't have traction control or just that someone at Hyundai priced them while smoking something?

hkchan · April 2001

Ok. The rear brakes on the GLS get upgraded to discs in Package 5. That could explain it.

utt · April 2001

www.autosite.com indicates that GT optional package 7 includes traction control.

hkchan · April 2001

Ok. Case solved.

mpgman · April 2001

In response to the earlier post by bpb30 regarding the above: Dollar for dollar I would go with the Accord, unless cranking your windows is a lost art and you simply cannot live with yourself knowing that there are 400 others in your neighborhood. No comparison in quality, reliability or resale if you decide you made a mistake one year out. Yes, it is not a hatchback. Exempting the Accord, there is a huge price differential between the GT and the Subaru, so if dollars matter, the GT is the easy winner. I'd wait to see what the Mazda 5-door looks like, due in dealers in May or June at around $17-18K. If you can hold off until the fall, you might be able to look at the new Toyota Matrix, which is supposed to price out around $15K in base version and beat the sister Pontiac Vibe to the dealers by a full year. Not sure if you'd look at a Ford Focus, but the ZX5 should be here in September. If you can hold on a bit longer, the field should get mighty interesting. As to having to get a moonroof to get ABS on so many of these models, the VW Golf has standard ABS with moonroofs optional. 4-wheel discs too and 8 airbags standard. And it is a hatch to boot! And you can get them under $18K.

tocan · April 2001

The comments you mention about what you can get with what are very common here in Canada. When I bought my last car (a 1994 Nissan Sentra GXE) I wouldn't even look at the Honda Civic and the Mazda Protege because I couldn't get the highest trim line (and I like all the goodies that come with that trim level) with ABS without a moonroof. I will not buy a car without ABS. The same is still true for the current versions of the Honda Civic and the Mazda Protege.
I am really grateful that the Canadian version of the Protege5 will have ABS standard, and I can get it without the moonroof.

Nomi

bill_1 · April 2001

I know this is off topic a bit... but I tend to agree with most people about the ABS and moonroof issue, though in general I love my moonroof. Car companies should not be allowed to bundle safety equipment with luxury items... in fact, I know that many people dislike the government getting involved in these things, but I think that ABS, now that it is available on pretty much every car for a premium, should be mandatory on all cars sold in this country just like Airbags are.

liljonson · April 2001

your right. abs should be a standard item on ALL cars without extra $. they offer like 40 airbags in the car, they should atleast make something like abs standard on all cars that would decrease the use of the airbags in your car. and we'd save money too

.

nhyoung · April 2001

The build your own Elantra GT link on Hyundai's web site is finally active. All that's listed is features, options and prices. You can't really build your own.

cjaccetta · April 2001

My heavens! That MSRP (under $15k w/auto) is going to be tough for Mazda, Ford, et al., to beat. Hyundai will sell every one they can build. Now, if anyone associated with Hyundai Motor America is reading this topic:

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE ship the GT model to the East Coast. Quickly, I beg you. This is the only hatchback that my wife likes! We already admire the GLS and we need a new car. Please hurry.

Thank you,
Chris

PS - Anyone hear of dealers accepting deposits or establishing waiting lists for the GT?

bpb30 · April 2001

Unless Hyundai really steps up their marketing for the Elantra GT you should be able to walk into your local Hyundai Dealer and get one. Outside of a few savvy internet car shoppers hardly anybody is aware of this car and lets face it Hyundai still has a stigma for many car shoppers. The people on this board will probably be some of the first to know when these cars start arriving. As soon as the word is out just call some dealers around you, take a test drive, and your all set. This is not a Honda S2000 convertible. There should not be any waiting lists or dealer markups. If there are markups that would definitely push me into another make of car. It still is an economy car with a few added amenities. I'm guessing it will drive almost the exact same as the GLS except with a slightly firmer ride. By late fall early winter there should be plenty to go around and as somebody said earlier plenty of competition to boot. That said I'm looking forward to a test drive and couple of professional auto mag reviews.

dougndo · April 2001

A Los Angeles area Hyundai dealership now has the 2001 Elantra GT 5 Door (both 5 speed and automatic) listed in the quick quote section of its Web site. I submitted a request for a quote to see what happens. I'm on a short timeline to buy a car to replace my leased Dakota SLT, so I'm keenly interested. If the GT shows up in time, I'll buy one assuming a) it's not marked up (HATE THAT!), and b) it's a true interior space improvement on the otherwise fine GLS. I just need to carry a few bulky things now and then. A truck is too much, and the GLS (even with fold down seats) is too limiting. I need a hatchback.

sjslo · April 2001

I don't think a Hyundai dealership would be so stupid as to mark up the price of their cars, it would be suicide. I had no problem getting my 2k1 GLS for 800 under invoice...I wish I would have waited a few more months though, the GT is a sweeeeeet car!!!

hkchan · April 2001

How much was the rebate?

utt · April 2001

I'm hoping to get a Hyundai Elantra GT when they are released. I wonder if anyone has experience with the Hyundai Service Centers in the Puget Sound (WA) area? A long warranty is great only as long as they treat you properly. I'll be posting this question on all Hyundai model boards, so thanks for bearing with me!

backy · April 2001

Yes, the '01 GLS has heated side mirrors standard. That plus a fast-warming heater, quick-acting rear defroster, and smooth braking (non-ABS) made it a fine winter car this past (really cold) winter (if you discount the sticky fuel door).

nobuynissan · April 2001

Just talked with my favorite dealer again today.

They're already in port. within 28 days, the GT will be in all dealerships in limited supply.

It's cool, though. They're basically putting out a feeler to see how many people snatch it up. After all, since it's arriving before the Mazda, It'l be the first TRUE five-door hatch(besides the Golf) released to the public since the Escort dropped the 4-door in '97.

I'm ready. I've got pre-arranged financing.

nobuynissan · April 2001

Sold the new Impreza wagon back to the dealer a week after purchase. Wasn't too keen about some rattling underneath the vehicle. Turns out the last guy that test drove it before me jarred a few things loose after trying to 4-wheel it in a hilly park.

It was a hair too expensive, anyway.

tocan · April 2001

How do you know this will beat the Protege5? It has also arrived at West Coast ports already.

Nomi

nobuynissan · April 2001

Honestly, I don't care. Mazda's slightly out of my price range, anyway. Not about to pay over 17 grand for a car unless it had leather.

dougndo · May 2001

Yesterday I cruised by the Hyundai lot at the Port of LA and spied many Elantra GT 5 Doors. The colors appear to be limited to those vehicles with gray interiors: Cardinal Red, Cobalt Blue, Pewter, and Obsidian Black. There were lots of Pewter cars, and those that I could see seemed to be equipped with sunroofs. There might be other colors further back in the lot.

Now, if I could find even one local dealer that KNOWS ABOUT these cars, I'd be all set. As of yesterday, none of them claimed to have any knowledge of the Elantra GT, even though the cars are in the country and less than 30 miles from several of them.

What is Hyundai up to? I literally can get within five feet of one of these cars, but I can't test drive, purchase (if I like it), or even talk about the vehicle with anyone in the supply chain. It's maddening.

csandste · May 2001

of the arrival of the GT, I drove the Elantra sedan. I also drove a Focus ZX3 (in anticipation of the ZX5) as well as the sport version of the Corolla. (I have a 1987 Chevy Nova and 1990 Prizm that I'm fond of.)

I found the Elantra to be more pleasant to drive than the ZX3. I'm not sure whether the Corolla is any better than the eleven year old Prizm. The Elantra seemed as nicely finished with the exception of the seat patterns. That certainly wasn't the case with the earlier Prizm/Corolla v. the first generation Elantra. My suspicion is that the 1993-97 Corolla/Prizm was the nicest of the lot and that the present generation is a step backward.

Given a friend's somewhat negative experiences with the Focus, I've got the Elantra GT at the top of my list. I'll also take a look at the new Mazda and it would be real nice if Honda would bring in the 5 door hatch back to complement the reintroduction of the 3 door hatch.

orangelebaron · May 2001

Car salesmen are usually...... salesmen.
not well informed car buffs like us! :@) They won't tell you when a car is coming in because they hope you will say.... "Oy! I can't wait another day..... give me the beige and grey box on wheels sitting right there with the $200 taupe pinstripes right now! Don't forget the undercoating and fabric protection and spoiler please! Oh wait! I'm really worried so charge me $1200 for extended warranty!

Did you see any orange ones by the way???

velly · May 2001

Hey All,

I've been keeping track of the Elantr GT for months now and guess what I'm driving? A silver Golf GLS 1.8T with Luxury and Monsoon packages. Simply the best five door ever. Bought it through carsdirect.com for 19,543. Its like driving a BMW and people respond to it. Some how I just don't think the Elantra would have went well with my brass rat from MIT. My suggestion:

If your going to buy get the Golf GLS. It will hold its value and the 150 hp turbo will leave any five door out there now in the dust. The 1.8 is even better than the v6 with a mod chip; gives it 30 extra horses.

The GLS has traction control and abs standard so if you don't need alloys and s sunroof you can get the car for less than 18,000 (2.0L 115hp engine).

Forget Hyundai, what if the Elantra GT doesn't penetrate? Your looking at being stuck with a car that no one has experience with. Who wants to be the first person to take the leap, take the risk?

-velly

hkchan · May 2001

So if the GT were available today, you would have bought it, right? Now that you've jumped ship, you come up with all kinds of reasons not to buy the GT. I wonder what your response would have been if these remarks were posted weeks ago by someone else while you still intended to buy it.

Different people have different priorities. The Golf (other than with the 2.0L) is a very good car.

orangelebaron · May 2001

so, if the GT isn't popular, mechanics won't be able to figure it out because it has a hatch instead of a trunk lid?

dougndo · May 2001

The Golf is a fine car; in fact, it turned me on to the idea of a hatchback when I was selling Audi/VW/Porsche. The Golf GLX GTI is a somewhat pricy but amazingly competent car that surprises many "boy racer" cars. The Golf GLS with the 1.8T is pretty spunky, to be sure, although VW gets a lot more out of that engine in the Audi TT Coupe and Roadster (180 and 225 HP iterations).

The Golf and the Elantra share a similar power train warranty, but the bumper to bumper warranty is decidedly skimpy on the VW. Yes, I know there's "free" scheduled maintenance in the 2/24k period.

I have to tell you that the build problems on VWs are not in the power trains, especially now that the Audi/Porsche tech is trickling down. However, that 2/24k bumper to bumper expired far too soon for a lot of VW owners whose power train was otherwise in fine fettle.

Trim/switch/latch/seal/fit and finish/hardware problems sometimes become quite bothersome. VW America did a great job of training its sales consultants and service technicians to recognize and cope with these issues.

Now, who's to say the Elantra won't have the same issues? Certainly not me. But if I drive it and like it, I'll take the longer bumper to bumper warranty, the extra $4k or $5k, and the newer overall design and engineering (new Korean[?] vs. 4 yr old German[!]what a concept to ponder!).

The Golf is a terrifically underappreciated car, and if it had a better price point it would be on my list. I never regretted selling one; I can't say that about the Vanagon.

bill_1 · May 2001

I think it is not really fair to compare a Golf GLS 1.8T with an Elantra GT. The Golf is defacto a premium European Hatch and is essentially Europe's Camry (in terms of sales, who buys, etc). I love VWs, own a VW Jetta Currently and frankly rising gas prices are making me think of getting a VW Diesel, but I think it is unfair to compare the Golf to a car costing roughly $5000 less. Hyundai is today what VW was back in the 50s and 60s, the everyman car. If a Hyundai lacks some of the refinement and power of the VW (though considering it is a fair bit lighter, that 140 HP engine should give it plenty of pep) it also is considerably more reachable.

dougndo · May 2001

I woke up this morning with something pulling at my memory. Bill 1's post brought it out. Not only does he make a good point about the premium nature of the Golf, but everyone also needs to know that VW specifies premium fuel for the 1.8T. Yes, I know some folks who use mid grade or evengaspregular grade unleaded in the engine, but if you really WANT 150 HP and really DON'T WANT to risk voiding (portions of) the ten year powertrain warranty, then premium unleaded it is.

That contributes to a high cost of ownership if you do it right. I know two former customers who threw the "regular works fine" mantra at me who experienced medium term drivability problems and were forced into out of warranty repairs as a result of their desire to save 20 cents a gallon.

The Elantra GT is born and bred for regular unleaded, and that's a big selling point in my cost of ownership analysis.

Velly, protect your investment and use the correct fuel. That 1.8T will give you all it's got.

bpb30 · May 2001

The Elantra GT will max out at $16K, while the Golf GLS 1.8T is $19.8K, another $1K above that for a moonroof and alloy wheels. I can get a Honda Accord V6 for $500 more than the Golf and have an even better engine and roomier car. The GT really competes with the focus and upcoming hatches from the Japanese companies. I doubt any of them will be able to match it at the price/warranty level. I love the Golf but that is just way to much money for that car. There a tremendous amount of choice in the $20K range, especially if you look at one year old slightly used cars.

RE: Dealer lack of knowledge. I would use that dealer ignorance to my advantage and keep hitting different dealers until I found a great deal on a brand new model.

esto · May 2001

Hi. Does anyone know if the Elantra GT has a cargo area cover, and if so, what type? Is it one of those flimsy, soft, roller blind pull jobbies, or a rigid cover with strings to the hatch like the Focus ZX3 has?

Erik

bobcook54 · May 2001

Hyundai,as of today,5/02/01, HAS NOT released any info ,other than prices and package content,to the sales crew. It's not that they don't want to tell you about the new Elantra GT,but rather there has been little info to release to you. Hopefully,this will become available. I would be glad to try to answer any questions that the readers of this board might have.Just ask or email me. Bob

hkchan · May 2001

I know you don't have the answer now, but I would like to know how much firmer is the suspension over the "regular" GLS.

backy · May 2001

There's a simple solution to the problem of Hyundai dealers not knowing anything but pricing and package content about the Elantra GT: surf the Web! Most/all dealerships have Web access, right? Salespeople have some "down" time, right? Why not put that time to good use and do some independent research on the Web, so when customers come in with questions on new products they can provide some answers. They can use the caveat that it isn't "official" Hyundai info if they want to, but at least they'll know more than they do--and maybe this knowledge will help them sell cars and serve customers better. I am in sales also (not cars), and frequently my customers find out about a new product from my company before my company tells me anything about it. How do they find out? Through the Web! How do I keep up with them so I don't act like an idiot when they ask me about the new products, industry trends, etc.? I use the Web (and trade mags etc.). Maybe bobcook54 could pass this tip on to his colleagues, since he obviously uses the Web and provides a valuable service to Hyundai followers in the process.

cjaccetta · May 2001

Esto, from what I could see at the auto show I believe the GT has a rigid molded plastic cargo cover that is finished in color-matched cloth. It didn't appear to be a roller-blind type. The GT on display looked like a pre-production model so I don't know if the rigid cover will make the final grade or not.

My new vehicle search is heating up now that the tranny seals on my 87 Ford Mustang finally blew last night. Should I wait for the GT or should I buy two Kia Rios so my wife and I each have one to drive to work... :-) Come on Hyundai -- get those GTs to Jersey!

And I know that Hyundai dealers don't seem to have a lot of info on the GT yet, but I'm going to cut them some slack. HMA's sales are skyrocketing (possibly because people are starting to discover value?!?) and they've probably had to hire a lot of new salespeople recently. Of course, this should mean good things for the auto buyer.

Velly, best of luck with your new VW. I really like the Golf but as noted by other posters it is kind of pricey for my budget. I'm sure you will be happy with yours.

Happy Motoring!

coastroad · May 2001

The last message on this topic was May 03. Has something happened to this board? There were new messages every day until last Thursday. This car is due in show rooms the next week or two and it was just starting to get exciting.

dougndo · May 2001

Coastroad, I think there's a lull due to the virtual vacuum created by Hyundai on this. I've called the Fountain Valley offices a couple of times and spoken to Hyundai employees there (like consumer affairs) and they don't know anything about the car or its arrival. I even went so far as to take my digital camera to the Port of LA to take some pictures of the cars in port. When I showed these to dealers, they hadn't a clue about the car. They kept insisting I was REALLY talking about the Accent hatchback, since "that's the only one Hyundai makes." (Isn't the Tib a hatch, too?) "What's that?" was the typical response to the Elantra Gt pictures.

I've tried to make contact with dealers who have Internet sales. Their sites list the Elantra GT and even let you submit a request for a quote, but the quotes never come. When I contact the dealers by phone and ask why there's no response, they stonewall by saying it's a mistake, no such car exists, etc., etc. When I tell them about the build your own link on Hyundai USA's site, it's news to them.

In a sense, I'm tired of just talking about it, and I'm a little peeved at Hyundai's handling of this. Someone at the port, or at Hyundai HQ, or at a dealership, or SOMEONE ought to know what's happening with these cars.

Let's see: they've got the car, they've got some consumer interest, they've got some media interest, they have some potential buyers, they have the dealers and distributors to deliver and sell them, so what's missing? Oh yeah, a sales plan and the will to connect customers with their product.

Come on, Hyundai, let's get it together.

Hyundai Elantra 5-door

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