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Hyundai Elantra Touring 2009 -

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Comments

  • petulopetulo Member Posts: 3
    I bought mine at Town Hyundai in Denville. I live 40 min south of there but it was worth it. No hassle and a decent price. Potholes can do it to any car and at least Hyundais parts are not as expensive as some of other cars' parts. I have Acura TL and that one has a firmer ride than ET SE and to be honest, I enjoy the ET better overall: it's utility, driving position, gas mileage, etc. I'll give it to my son soon...
  • irismgirismg Member Posts: 345
    There are 4 Hyundai dealers within a 30 mile radius here in Oklahoma City metro, 3 of which are owned by Automax. Drive a little further and there's a 5th Hyundai dealer in Stillwater, Oklahoma owned by ex-football star Barry Sanders.
  • zipsarecoolzipsarecool Member Posts: 1
    Help, I own and 2009 SE touring with 17" with 6k miles and when I looked at my front tires the other day, the inside tread is very low, more on the drivers side. About 1/32 at the very edge, and then gradually more tread toward the outside edge. I know front tires wear faster then the rear, but it seems especially fast. I took the car to the dealership and they said a tire rotation is due and did a alignment and said it checks out fine. I'm worried that even with rotating tires, the next time around, those same tires come back up front and within another 5-8k, they are going to be shot.
  • maxx4memaxx4me Member Posts: 1,340
    Sorry for your troubles. I'm considering buying the GLS model in order to get steel wheels. What type of tires are used on the 17 inch SE?
  • rhmassrhmass Member Posts: 263
    There are a few things you can check (feel) as to the alignment. Does the car pull to one side on the highway? Does it go straight while you applied brakes at speed? Front wheel drive cars do make the front tires wear faster as front tires bear all the weight while also do the steering while making turns. Tire rotation is a must for such cars. If the dealer checked the alignment and considered it within specification, you may not have to worry about it. Just for you to know, the tires on the touring are just mid-quality, so you may want to replace them after a while. Replace them with better tires will vastly improve its handling.
    Hyundai designed the touring in Europe, thus with emphasis on handling, not living room type of comfort as most cars in its class.
  • misterbillmisterbill Member Posts: 60
    I got an envelope in the mail today from Hyundai and was pleasantly surprised to find a $50 Visa Debit card inside as thanks for my recent purchase. Have others received this? I bought my car in January.
  • irismgirismg Member Posts: 345
    Now that's a nice surprise! Do you have to spend it on Hyundai accessories or is it for anything?
  • misterbillmisterbill Member Posts: 60
    Nope, it's a normal Visa Debit card that can be used on anything! It's only good for 90 days, however.
  • amperstamamperstam Member Posts: 2
    Hey all, just curious when those of you with an automatic transmission are getting your shifts. In other words, watching the tachometer, where are your RPM's when your car shifts into 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gear.
    I'm getting some pretty bad mileage. Mine wont shift before 3K Rpms no matter how I drive. Its translating to 17 mpg city, even worse sometime in my 09' ET with 4K miles on her.
    I am very anxious to here where others are getting there shift's.
    Regards,
    Amp.
  • mickeyrommickeyrom Member Posts: 936
    I never got good city mileage in either my Hyundai or my KIA.Actually 17 would have been pretty good,but on the highway they were as good as the EPA or better.
  • strei007strei007 Member Posts: 16
    This car is not for everybody. After 1 month driving 5sp my opinions are; The combination of 5sp and stiff supension gives you too rough a ride. My wife got car sick in the passenger seat and I feel light headed after driving on rough road. Can't recommend it as family car if you have to have passengers in back seat. They surely will get car sick. I still like it though. Fun to drive. Corners great and good acceleration.
    My other complaints. No Cruise on 5sp. I ended up buying an aftermarket one from Rostra. It will cost you $400 to get installed. It does work perfectly though. I might get the heated seats too for $200 each. They told me no problem with those seats.
    Expensive to put roof rack on. Body metal dents easily. Whinny sound when going over 65 mph due to high RPMs. RPMs 3300 at 70m\hr. Speedometer is high by 2 m\h at 60. These last two issues might not be a problem if you got the 17 inch wheels. My wheels our 16 inch. Seat back a little too tight for me. I'm 6ft 200lbs. If you are bigger across the back watch out. Tinny sounding radio and horn.
    Things I like. Almost everything else. Cargo space and trunk organization. Head lights. Head room, I pod connection. Well built car. Good finish. Very safe. Hopeful as reliable as my last 2000 Elantra wagon. Hopefully MPG. 1st tank 29, 2nd tank 31. Back and forth to work on freeway 15 miles each way. Wish we could get the diesel engine here. Power everything. AC. Sits higher which makes it easier to get out from than my old Elantra Wagon. Easy to install 4 bolts pre drilled tow hitch. $95 from Drawtite.
    I did get JD powers evaluation survey to fill out. They gave me a dollar. It was 7 pages long and took an hour to fill out. It was nice skipping the 2 pages of what has gone wrong so far. I like JD powers so I did it. Got another too long 10 page survey from someone else but threw it out.
    I did get the $50 gift card from Hyundai too. I purchased my car in Dec with loan.
  • maxx4memaxx4me Member Posts: 1,340
    edited April 2010
    Thanks for the write up. Can you tell us exactly what kind of car you are talking about??? I just bought the ET GLS model with power package. I did not want 17 inch alloy wheels for many of the reasons you eluded to. Also note: all these cars (maybe all cars for that matter) come with 60 psi in the tires. It is insane when a dealer lets you take a car out for a test drive and does not lower the psi to 32 or so; made all the difference in the world. My ET will be in my driveway on Saturday. I tried everything I could to knock it out of our first choice by test driving/sitting in over 10 competing models to include the H Tucsan. The Tucsan was nice, but the back seat was not, nor was the line of sight nor amenaties that it offers compared to the H ET. Again, please let us know what model and tire size you are speaking of.
  • strei007strei007 Member Posts: 16
    edited April 2010
    2010 Elantra Touring. GSL 5sp.
    Tires are 16 inch Kumho tires on steel rims with unfortunately 32 psi
    At 70 mph my RPMs are 3100 instead of 3300.
    Until the ride softens the nick name for my car will be my "Covered Pickup Truck" Let me know if you think this is an accurate name.

    I see a lot of reviews don't like the headlights. I think they are great. The low beams are bright with good spread and don't shine too high. They also use a very energy efficient xenon bulb. Xenon bulbs use about 1/2 the electricity and last twice as long as a Halogen.

    The high beams use a standard halogen bulb and work with the low beams.

    http://www.carsguide.com.au/site/news-and-reviews/car-reviews-road-tests/hyundai- _i30_wins_car_of_the_year

    Google this "Hyundia i30 wins car of the year" to make you feel good about your purchase. The i30 is the Elantra Touring in Europe and Austraila. The car in the comparision had a diesel engine. I wish we could get that engine.
  • maxx4memaxx4me Member Posts: 1,340
    Thanks strei, but I think you meant 15 inch tires since the Elantra Touring only comes with 15 (GLS) or 17 (ES) wheels.
  • strei007strei007 Member Posts: 16
    Opps. You are right. Stamped on my tires, in big letters is "Kohmo HK16" but the size is R15. Weird.
    I just installed a drawtite hitch yesterday. Four holes are predrilled it takes 15 min. However, you must remove a large plastic piece of fascia. This was held on by 10 screws and 3 nuts. It takes 15 min to remove. The directions say to leave it off after but I reinstalled it. It took me an hour to trim it to fit but it looks great.
    You should be enjoying your new car today. Drive carefull.
    Oh I just learned that there is a lever to adjust your steering column. It is located under the steering column.
  • lightfootfllightfootfl Member Posts: 442
    Wondering about the towing ability of this critter. Not thinking of a 10,000 lb trailer, but a light weight unit, for utility jobs, and possibly a small travel unit. Any info ? Hints, whatever.

    van
  • maxx4memaxx4me Member Posts: 1,340
    Can anyone tell me what it means to have Bluetooth on this car? My one dealer said that it is in the same spot as where the sunglasses holder normally is, just forward of the map lights.
    If this is true, are the map lights affected, or are they still there regardless?

    If Bluetooth only means losing the sunglasses holder, then I would consider getting it.
    Does Bluetooth mean that you answer your phone through the integrated system and speak through microphones embedded in the car, and then listen through the car's audio speakers?
  • eba55eba55 Member Posts: 20
    I briefly looked into it, since mine didn't come with it. You can buy it after. It fits into the sunglass holder and you will still have map lights. I believe you talk into the speaker near the map lights and then hear everything through the radio speakers. and of course your cellphone has to be bluetooth enabled. I would've gotten it with the car, but it seems way overpriced if you just buy it by itself after the fact.
  • misterbillmisterbill Member Posts: 60
    I have the Bluetooth feature and love it. In fact, this morning I was stuck in traffic and listened to a conference call using it, and last night two calls came in while I was driving home and I was immediately notified that there was an incoming call.

    The unit has its own speakers -- it does not use the radio. And because it's not hooked into the radio, it doesn't mute automatically (and there is no mute button on the steering wheel control, a major omission on Hyundai's part). That's really my only complained about how the unit works.

    BTW I think these Ford "swap your ride" commercials are ridiculous because for the most part the people are saying that they love the extra features on their loaded loaner cars -- which they could have ordered on their current cars! Stuff like Bluetooth, built-in navigation. How ridiculous!
  • maxx4memaxx4me Member Posts: 1,340
    thanks eba55 and misterbill. I am still working to obtain my car from "behind the scenes." It should make an interesting made for tv movie. I'll share more when news warrants. :shades:
  • maxx4memaxx4me Member Posts: 1,340
    Could it be true? 2010 HET GLS. When you turn the lights on with the engine off and the driver's door is open, there is no audible alarm to let you know you have left the lights on? I'm going to check the owner's manual, but I thought I might get a faster response on the boards here.
  • justloujustlou Member Posts: 35
    If my 2009 HET was here, I'd go check mine. Honestly, I never noticed. But, the lights go out automatically if you leave them on and shut the engine off anyway, so it's not a big deal to me.
  • maxx4memaxx4me Member Posts: 1,340
    edited April 2010
    yes, I read in the owner's manual that if you turn your parking lights on, they will go off automatically, but I'm not sure that applies to the regular headlights. The reason I say this is because when you first get in the car and turn the lights on (without starting the engine), only the parking lights will come on. You cannot get the headlights to come on despite moving the stalk to that position. Open the door, and there is no warning ding. Then I turned the lights off, started the car, and turned the full headlights on with the car running. I then turned the car off and opened the door; again, no warning ding.
    Can anyone verify what justlou stated about the lights going out to save the battery? Is it only when the parking lights are left on, or does it apply to when the headlights are left on too?
  • strei007strei007 Member Posts: 16
    You are correct. No Ding when leaving the lights on with motor off and door open. However, the headlights shut off automatically after about 30 sec when motor is turned off.
  • maxx4memaxx4me Member Posts: 1,340
    my goodness, you are right. I just ran out and tried it. They went off after 30 seconds after shutting off the engine. Thanks very much. That is piece of mind, given there is no audible ding to let you know the lights are left on when exiting the vehicle.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    The Santa Fe doesn't have such a ding either, for what its worth. :)
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    edited April 2010
    2010 Touring SE w/5spd. One of two 5spd SE available in Texas when I picked it up. The other one was white.
    Likes: Gas mileage. Drive 30 miles one way to work. Because of the hours, the trip down is with very light traffic running 70-75mph all the way. Coming home, stop and go, but only for a few miles. The rest runs around 50, with the last 8 miles at, and I am not kidding nor will I tell you where, 80-85mph. Mileage is 31.5 on the last four tanks.
    Radio is awesome once you figure out how to turn on the sub-woofer. The factory default has it turned off. I have it set on mid power. High power will remove fillings from your teeth.
    I have owned many sports cars, so the ride is good to me. And that sucker handles like it is on rails. Much better than the '05 GT I had, and it had the Tiburon GT rear stabilizer added.
    No leather available, but the seats are very comfortable.

    The one negative I have to get checked out is that there is no throttle control between idle and 2000rpm. As in you are either at 700rpm (idle) or at 2000rpm or above. With a 5spd in traffic, this makes stop and go a rough proposition. The little beast will lurch and stumble unless you keep it in a lower gear and run the engine at 2K or above. I have a great dealer here and will take it by for them to check the throttle position sensor and ECM software. I remember a different brand vehicle a friend owned several years ago that had a very similar problem, and the dealer determined that the software for the ECM was the automatic tranny version, and his was a 5spd.

    One thing I have always liked about the 2.0L w/5spd is the way the intake is "tuned" for sound. Wind it up to 6K and it sounds like a tuner. But in honesty, I tell folks that "The Pearl" is like the other two Elantra's I have owned. It isn't what I would call fast, but is definitely quick. And very, very nimble. I have fun playing with the Bimmers in the twistees. :P
  • richardmnixonrichardmnixon Member Posts: 3
    Is there a big difference between the 2009 and the 2010 SE? My impression was they had the same options but the 2009 is cheaper and has a better financing offer. Any significant improvements to the handling or exterior in going to 2010?
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    I believe they are comparable, but highly unlikely a dealer would still have an '09 in stock? Those have been gone for 6 months around here.
  • tifightertifighter Member Posts: 3,592
    Can anyone tell me the dimensions of the cargo area of the ET? I can find a quoted measurement of 63" for the cargo floor with the seats folded down; does anyone know the width between the wheel wells, and the height from the cargo floor to the ceiling? Thanks for any help, gang.

    23 Civic Type-R / 22 MDX Type-S / 21 Tesla Y LR / 03 Montero Ltd

  • delaluzdelaluz Member Posts: 48
    I've had 2 Elantra hatchbacks and currently own a 2007 Sonata. I'm currently looking to replace the Sonata with a small "wagon" either the Touring or the Kia Rondo. I think the Rondo uses the same engine & transmission as the 2009 Sonata.

    What I am most concerned with is how smooth and quiet the ride is. Based on what I've read about the Rondo:
    1) it has a "great ride" (very smooth, don't feel bumps, car-like; definitely not a sports car feel)
    2) fairly low cabin noise
    3) very good highway cruiser at 65-75 (smooth & quiet).

    Based on what I've read about the Touring it has a pretty "rough" ride (particularly going over bumps) and the engine "whines" once you are over 65.

    Has anyone driven both a Touring and a Ronda? Or has anyone driven a Touring and a Sonata GLS and can compare the ride?

    Another advantage of the Rondo is that they have discontinued it and all existing 2009's are heavily discounted. You could probably pick up an auto one for 14-15K plus tax.

    Any comments?
  • mickeyrommickeyrom Member Posts: 936
    The GLS(I think that is the model) has 15 inch wheels and rides better.The Touring gets better gas mileage than the KIA.The SE has 17" wheels and does ride harder.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    For your concerns, the Rondo will be best. The Touring is a fun city car, good-handling. With a manual, its even peppy (the automatic was a dog coming from my 2.4L Accord though). It does ride and sound like an economy car, though - not quiet or smooth on the highway.
  • maxx4memaxx4me Member Posts: 1,340
    OK, here's my take. As a 6'1'' person, I cannot compare the two since the Rondo doesn't come close to fitting me. The driving position is terrible. The Elantra Touring gets MUCH better gas mileage, and as has been (under)stated here, it is the larger 17 inch tire on the ES model which provides the rougher ride. If you get the GLS with 15 inch steel rims, you will get a VERY pleasant ride. The car is also quiet and handles well. One other (not so) minor point; these cars are shipped from South Korea with 60 pounds of pressure in the tires to keep the tires from getting flat spots during transit. Many dealers are too stupid to lower the pressure once they get the car on the lot. If you take one of these 60 psi tire cars out for a test drive, you will quickly notice how awful the drive and feel of the car is. Make sure you are getting a review from someone who has lowered the tire pressure to the recommended 32 psi. The Elantra Touring is easily the way to go in my mind when comparing it to the Rondo.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    I'm 6'5" and do recall the Elantra T having "enough" room. The Rondo I don't recall having trouble with it, but my experience is very limited.

    For what its worth, my driving experience with the Elantra Touring has been with the supposedly "very pleasant" ride. You're entitled to your opinion, and don't be offended when I disagree in a major way. Perhaps its what we're comparing: I have an Accord and it feels downright cushy compared to the Elantra Touring; that's interesting to note since the Accord is generally derided for being one of the harshest riding family sedans on the market.

    I drove GLS models, one auto one manual, both rode rough, and had a surprising amount of noise. I drove the Elantra Touring wanting to LOVE it, really I did; I just didn't.

    *PS - A big deal-breaker was really the lack of power in the automatic and the lack of cruise availability on the manual. Its a lose-lose for me, since I do long-distance travel once per month.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    I know the SE manual comes with cruise. I thought you could get cruise in the GLS as part of an option package, but I could be wrong.

    Jim
  • maxx4memaxx4me Member Posts: 1,340
    edited April 2010
    never offended. I won't be the primary driver anyway. I am suprised that you had enough room as the driver at 6'5''. I can't drive the car for long distances since my foot on the gas pedal requires about an inch more room than is given. The resting foot/leg has plenty of room, and the passenger's side is wonderful, as is the rear seat room. I can't compare the ET to the Honda since I never buy Hondas as a rule. Honda seems bent on never allowing their owners to change their own oil, thus the consistant hide the oil filter routine. The Hyundais on the other hand, make it quite easy to change your own oil. That is worth a whole lot of time and piece of mind that the job it getting done correctly. The ET also has so many storage nooks in the cargo area, and the Preferred Package added on to the 2010 GLS model is a huge benefit. I just hope that my ET earns the same quality ratings published by Consumer Reports. That alone was enough to get me to try both the ET and the new Hyundai Tucson.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Since changing my own oil is more expensive than having it done (Oil and filters generally run about $23-25 I've found) its of no concern to me. I applaud you for doing it!
  • misterbillmisterbill Member Posts: 60
    The biggest change I am aware of is that the 2009 did not have roof rails. Her's a review of the 2010 that talks about changes between years although it's not entirely clear what was not available vs. what was an option.

    http://autos.syracuse.com/Autos?tp=TR_syr&category=research&temp_type=detail&tl=- 3&model_id=19971&car_id=320562&tab=review
  • misterbillmisterbill Member Posts: 60
    edited April 2010
    The headlights also go off when you lock the doors using the remote. I didn't realize they go off after 30 seconds on their own -- I'll have to try that!
  • misterbillmisterbill Member Posts: 60
    How long should I expect my XM free trial subscription to work before it tells me that I have to pay for it? I thought it was 3 months but I'd had my car 3.5 months now and it's still working. I called XM a few weeks ago to inquire about getting the online service along with a paid subscription and asked the guy if he knew when the trial would run out. He said that car subscriptions were activated through a different system so he had no idea. It turned out I could not get the MLB games with the online service so I did not pursue it and figured that I would wait until it stopped working. I am surprised I haven't gotten anything in the mail from XM.

    BTW you can call XM and get 5 months for $20+tax which is a much better deal than the normal $12/mo (or is it 13?). The guy I spoke to offered me that option, but since my service was still working I decide to wait.

    Also, I learned something new about the radio controls this week. If you hold the station change arrows on the steering wheel down, it works the same as the Scan button. It beeps and goes up to the next station. For XM it moves up one channel. This is GREAT since I always had trouble cycling through the XM channels looking for the various MLB games (I only have one stored as a favorite). Also it works better than the knob, which sometimes would get "stuck" on an XM channel if you tried to move too quickly.

    I still wish they had a mute button on the steering wheel.
  • maxx4memaxx4me Member Posts: 1,340
    1. Yes, the lack of a mute button is an oversight, especially in cars with Bluetooth
    2. Asking XM any questions is a lost cause. Their "employees" don't know anything about their product
    3. You can expect your XM to last only one month past the expiration date. There is always a few weeks added on to those who let their subscription lapse, so I would expect the same for trials as well.
  • tifightertifighter Member Posts: 3,592
    In case this was missed, I'm reposting my question. Thanks for any help.

    Can anyone tell me the dimensions of the cargo area of the ET? I can find a quoted measurement of 63" for the cargo floor with the seats folded down; does anyone know the width between the wheel wells, and the height from the cargo floor to the ceiling?

    23 Civic Type-R / 22 MDX Type-S / 21 Tesla Y LR / 03 Montero Ltd

  • maxx4memaxx4me Member Posts: 1,340
    edited May 2010
    sorry for the delay. Measurements are:

    41'' between the wheel wells
    30'' high from floor to hatch opening at the top
    33'' high from floor to ceiling once you clear the hatch opening at the top. This is the measurement on a vehicle without sunroof
    64'' long (minimum) cargo area with the rear seats folded down, and with the driver's seat all the way back and angled back to maximize comfort for a long legged driver. If you put the front seats more forward and upright, the length will increase

    If you are doing comparison shopping, I believe the ET is larger in the cargo area than the Tucsan, and has a lot more storage areas in the back with the pull up floor revealing the styrofoam storage tray. I did not see such a tray on the Tucsan, only the spare tire once you pulled up the cargo floor.
  • tifightertifighter Member Posts: 3,592
    Thanks a lot for this info. It really helps.

    Those interior dimensions look pretty generous given the car's external size. I'm comparing it to other wagons and hatchbacks, and really only the Jetta wagon beats it without going to a different size class.

    23 Civic Type-R / 22 MDX Type-S / 21 Tesla Y LR / 03 Montero Ltd

  • polyplypolyply Member Posts: 4
    Just bought a brand new touring gls a month or so ago and have loved driving it. We were minutes from picking up a Matrix when we decided to test drive a touring (both were manual transmissions) and the touring was SO much more pleasant and engaging to drive, with only slightly less fuel efficiency - and a lot more cargo space for less money.

    Quick question - have any other Touring owners had issues with pinging? I just started hearing some within the last week under normal driving and loads. We haven't even hit 2000 miles yet so I am a little disturbed.
  • maxx4memaxx4me Member Posts: 1,340
    edited May 2010
    the only issue with pinging I have read about on other ET forums is related to a TSB that is out there whereby Hyundai is claiming the use of after market oil filters can cause pinging. Is your car brand new, or was it used, and now has 2,000 miles on it? I'm assuming new, but thought I would ask nonetheless.
    Not to take business away from this board, but pinging is serious stuff. In addition to posting and monitoring here, you may want to join and post on this ET board: hyundaiforum.com/ and manuever your way to the ET forum site
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    No, no issues with pinging. In my part of the country regular is 87 octane.

    And about that fuel economy... Wait until you are over 3K miles before you check it. I don't know what the deal is, but I have owned three brand new Elantra with the 2.0L, and everyone of them got a slight bump in fuel economy between 2.5K and 3K.

    I drive a '10 Touring SE w/5spd, and running 75-80 on the highway (don't ask!) I consistently get 31mpg. If I am in a locale where I can stay at 70 without getting run over, that jumps to 32-33.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Don't sweat it - in Texas, this is legal. :)

    image
  • polyplypolyply Member Posts: 4
    Thanks for the pointer maxx, I posted on the other forum as well.

    I did purchase the car new, it had 200 miles on it - it was driven in from another dealer a few hours away.

    I've heard the aftermarket filter story too, it sounds like a load of you know what to me, though I'm no expert.
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