Hyundai Elantra 5-door

mpgman

The comparison may not be invalid. The Golf GLS comes loaded...no need to compare the GTI or GLX. You can't even get ABS on an Elantra without having to take the moonroof. Golf has 4 wheel disc ABS. Golf has 8 air bags and a real center arm rest and storage console. Golf also has a real full-sized spare tire. In northern VA, you can get a GLS for about $800 under list, no sweat. The 2.0L Golf is a fairer comparison to the 2.0L Elantra. No need to go to the 1.8T unless you must lay rubber. The 2.0L also runs on regular, unlike the turbo. The price may not be that different unless you go nuts on the Golf.

mpgman

Forgot to mention the seats. Sit in a Golf and use the lever to adjust the seat height. No other car without an 8 way power seat comes close and even the passenger gets one!

tmundar

Just when this board gets boring, MPGMan swoops in to stir up trouble.

This comparison is almost too easy to refute.

The Golf is about $2,500 more than the Elantra (I am comparing invoice prices).

First, let's start with the differences that don't exist. The Elantra comes with 4-wheel disc brakes and alloy wheels (On the Golf, you can't get alloy wheels without a moonroof. :P) Side air-bags are standard on the Elantra, but an option on the Golf.

The "fair" comparison between the 2.0L engines has the Golf putting out a whopping 115 HP and 122 ft-lb of torque vs. the Elantra's 140 HP/133 ft-lb. Well, a weaker engine can help in a lighter car, but the Golf is about 150 lbs heavier than the Elantra. The weaker engine must get better gas mileage, then. Nope! The Golf is EPA rated for 24/31 vs. the Elantra's 25/33. Well, in the engine category, the Golf sees nothing but the Elantra's tail lights.

Now let's summarize the two contestants. To be fair, let's add the ABS to the GT, and the alloy wheels to the Golf. Still a $2,500 price gap. Don't forget the $150 for the side airbags in the Golf. And what do you get for your $2,500? A full-sized spare, a center armrest, seat-height adjusters, no CD player (standard on the GT), and a worse warranty.

I have driven a Golf, and the shifter feels sweet, but not 2 grand sweet. I suggest that you drive both the Elantra GT and the Volkswagen Golf. They each have their strengths, and choosing between them will depend on the individual buyer. On paper (screen?) at least, the Golf doesn't stand a chance against the Elantra GT.

Tom :P

hkchan

I believe side airbags have been standard since the 1999 model year. The $150 (MSRP) is for side curtain airbags.

tmundar

Sorry, I didn't notice the front side airbags in addition to the side curtain airbags. I thought that the side curtain airbags were the side airbags. Whoops!

It doesn't really matter to my argument, since I wasn't including the side-curtain airbags in my price comparisons. Just ignore everything I said about side air bags.

Tom

cjaccetta

Yawn....it's tiring watching Hyundai drag its feet on the intro of the GT. I've seen an explosion in the sales of the sedans recently (and in Kia Rio sedans, see consiparcy theory #2 below), but still no word from the HMA honchos about the GT. Well, I'd still like to buy a GT but if HMA doesn't have any availble by late June/early July then I will probably take a long hard look at the Mazda P5. Or the GLS sedan.

Conspiracy theories:

#1 -- HMA kills off the Elantra Wagon for 2001 so as not to steal sales from the upcoming Santa Fe. It delays the introduction of the Elantra GT for the same reason? More profit to made from each Santa Fe sale? Can't balme MHA for wanting to make money.

#2 -- Hyundai owns Kia. Kia sales are booming. Kia is set to introduce a wagon variant of the popular Rio sedan in June. Does Hyundai want to compete with Kia in the cheap wagon segment and risk diluting what could be a big seller for Kia? Hmm... Is Hyundai setting the stage for its transformtion into a "destination" brand by positioning Kia as its "entry-level" brand?

Think about it for a while. I'll be off reading about the Warren Commission report.

CJA

dougndo

Well, I've pushed this Elantra GT thing about as far as I can with Hyundai through a local dealer. The cars are acknowledged to be at the port (I posted my eyewitness account over ten days ago), but Hyundai is not shipping them at this time. For reasons unknown, they'll be holding them at least until the end of the month. Then they'll make a decision about when to ship them for sure.

I need to buy a car now, since I turned my leased vehicle in yesterday. I rented a car until the weekend to carry me over, but sometime this weekend I need to get something. Obviously, it won't be an Elantra GT, and I'm so mad at Hyundai right now that it probably won't be a Hyundai (or a Kia Spectra).

So, what do you recommend for a hatchback seeker? Remember, I already know about the VW Golf/GTI since I used to sell them. What do you know about others?

tmundar

As of right now, there are not many other options for new cars.

I believe that the Jetta Wagon might be available (I have seen commercials, but I haven't been to a VW dealership to see if they exist). There is the Saturn Wagon, Subaru Impreza Wagon, Kia Spectra, and the Suzuki Esteem Wagon. For 2-door hatchbacks, there is the Hyundai Accent and Geo Metro/Suzuki Swift.

If you would consider a used car, you can find 4-year-old Saabs for reasonable prices. I ended up buying a 7-year-old Saab 900, and, while it won't be the most reliable car in the world, I can pay for a lot of repairs with the $5,000 I saved over a new Elantra GT. It is an extraordinarily well engineered car, although maybe only another engineer can truly appreciate some of the features. I keep on finding new things and thinking, 'Wow, that's really clever!"

It is too bad that you can't wait with the Mazda Protege5, Elantra GT, Matrix/Vibe, and Focus ZX5 coming out soon.

Good Luck,
Tom

backy

Actually, you get even less for your extra $2500 on the Golf because the GT has a center armrest and a driver's seat-height adjuster (dial vs. lever, I actually prefer the dial). Don't forget also the leather interior on the GT.

cjaccetta

Too bad you can't wait for the GT. Have you considered the Mazda Protege 5 (aka Sportwagon)?
For the 5-door with A/T I think the MSRP is around $17,600. Not too bad, although a few K more than the Elantra. But the Mazda Protege ain't a bad car and should give years of trouble -free service.

If you're feeling frugal, the new Kia Rio 5-door should be available in two weeks.

Good luck with whatever you buy!

coastroad

I spoke with a Hyundai dealer in San Diego with whom I have some rapport. They are expecting their first shipment of GT's on the 18th. I understand that you can't wait indefinitely for this car, however a week or two more may be worth it in the long run.

If an alternate car is the answer, then I would seriously consider the Ford Focus ZX3 as a second choice. They ride and handle very nicely, and their specifications read very similar to Elantra GT (except for 4-doors and leather seats).

bill_1

Like I have said before the Golf is more of a Premium Euro-Hatch than a direct competitor with the Elantra GT, but before one writes off the Golf. consider that with the Golf you get the choice of different engines (2.0, 1.8 Turbo or a 1.9TDI and if you include the GTIs, VR6) tons of standard equipment. Alloys are not offered as part of a package, but you can get VW alloys (as opposed to aftermarket) from the dealer (check out the Commerce section of te VW website). And frankly VWs are just fun to drive : ).

seguy

for GT. More than the 18 cubic ft for the protege 5 or ZX5. check out www.autoweb.com

pedennison

I came across some nice high resolution pics at http://www.hyundainews.com/photos/ElantraGT/Elantra_GT-index1.htm Does anyone know if the US version has body color side moldings? I had assumed it would since the GLS does, but these pictures all have the black side molding.

mpgman

Well...if you say that one mpg less and a few less hp leaves the Golf in the Elantra's tail lights......

I think the Golf is the benchmark for hatchbacks under $20K. Safety is no contest. ABS even on the base model and 8 air bags now. Highest gov't crash ratings in the category. Seating comfort for driver and passenger is top notch. Yes...Elantra has a center arm rest...really a padded cover to the console at a lower than ideal height. Yes....Elantra has an adjustable driver's seat...but not passenger. $2500 less? Sure about that? Even with having to take the luxury package with the moonroof just to get ABS? What is an Elantra worth in resale 3 years out compared to Golf? Golf is right up there with Civic....Hyundai has been second only to 3 year old dot com IPOs. Will this change....perhaps...but not with all the incentives and price cutting going on to get you to buy a new one. Don't get me wrong. I think Hyundai makes a good product now and so does CR.
Which is a better value? That's for each of us to decide. Hopefully, either choice will be the right one.

dougndo

The only Elantra GT with body color side moldings is Obsidian Black. Of course that's said tongue in cheek, since all the GTs have black side moldings and black front and rear bumper strips. The pictures I've taken of the ones in port at LA all show this. I double checked to make sure. It reminds me of the black side moldings on my old 1990 Dodge Shadow convertible, which I affectionately called "Cupcake." It seems a little out of place on the Elantra GT.

tocan

Just a note that the Protege5 engine is NOT the same one in the Focus 2.0 despite the fact that the specs look the same. It is a Mazda engine that comes (I believe) from the 626.

mpgman

The 2.0 may be derived from the 626 but I do not believe it was lifted from it. Anything but the Zetec.

dougndo

There are some active Tiburon forums in Edmunds Town Hall. You can get some good (and bad) insight there. For the record, the Tib and Elantra share the same engine and transmissions. The Tib's suspension is stiffer that the Elantra GLS; don't know about the GT. I had a 2000 Cobalt Blue Tib (leather/stick) and loved it. My girlfriend has a 2001 Super Silver (leather/auto). I bought a PowerMac G4 computer, 17' monitor, and laser printer, all in their huge boxes, and they fit in the back of the Tib (w/ rear seats down), and I could close the hatch. None of those would fit through the opening of an Elantra GLS sedan's trunk, and the larger boxes wouldn't fit through the rear doors to rest on the seat.

tocan

Sorry, EVERYTHING that I have read says that the engine in the Protege5 (and in the Protege) is NOT the same as the one in the Focus. I agree that the specs look the same, but they are not the same. The Proteges have a Mazda engine made in Japan. Please see the Protege discussion on the sedan board. (I can't remember whether this is also discussed in the Protege5 discussion on the hatchback board.)

tmundar

I believe that I remember reading somewhere that the engines are not the same.

While the output numbers are the same (130 hp and 135 lb-ft) the RPMs at which these numbers are reached are different. Using the data on Edmunds, the Focus reaches those output levels at 5300 and 4500 RPM, and the Protege reached the output levels at 5500 and 4000 RPM.

Tom

skyart

talked to a local dealer last week and everyone their had no clue what I was talking about when I explained to them what the GT was they started referring to the new mazda protege hatch. so I told them about Hyundai's web site so they insured me that they would look into it. so I got I call from them the next day telling me that they could not find it on Hyundai's web site so I had to walk them through that when the finally so it their is when they finally believed me and was I little shocked that they had no clue about the car. Well after a little more investigating they gave me a the arrival date of some time around June 10. But then went on telling me that their where about 7 different packages I could get for the car. I left that alone I was just happy to get a date on the car. I just hope that the car looks and drives as good as it does on paper

mpgman

This is DEFINITELY NOT the Ford Zetec. Not even close. In the next generation Focus/Pro, expect to see a jointly developed 2.3L 4. Maybe even sooner on a Focus SVT. Rest easy though.....there is no Zetec in a Pro in 01 or 02.

bobcook54

According to my contacts at Hyundai, the Elantra GT's are starting to leave the port. The hold up,believe it or not, was that the Elantra GT badging was not put on the car at the factory and had to be ordered and retro fitted at the port!(Which then got caught up in paperwork!)Soooo...hang in there,they are coming! Bob

utt

Edmunds has posted TMV for GT. Does that mean that someone somewhere has gotten their hands on one of these beauties?

tocan

I find it funny that they have a TMV for the Elantra GT which isn't in any dealer's showroom yet, but the Protege5, which is on sale, doesn't have one.

cjaccetta

I dropped my my local Hyundai dealer last night (a large multi-brand seller in northern NJ) and asked about the Elantra GT. Two salespeople I spoke to each had no idea what car I was talking about. And what's more, when I told them that the GTs actually existed and were starting to leave port (post #228) they each reacted quizzically, as if I had told them that the sun would rise in the west tomorrow.

Anyway, the word about the Elantra GT seems v-e-r-y s-l-o-w to arrive on the east coast. The wife and I are getting ready to buy as early as next month. I'd feel a bit more comfortable if at least the dealers knew about the car and could soothe me by telling me "it'll be here soon."

I hate to admit it in this forum, but we've been seeing ads for the Protege 5 and it's gone to the top of our hatchback list. Mazda seems to be doing a decent job of promoting its new vehicle. We might be zoom-zooming to a Mazda dealer next month...

CJA

tocan

Just a note that Mazda dealers had no idea when the Protege5 was going to arrive either. If you look at the discussion on that car, you will see a number of people called dealerships asking about the P5 and being told weeks, when they actually had one in the dealership, or they arrived a day or two later.

The GT may just start showing up at the dealerships without any advance warning.

(I agree that it would be nice if the salespeople knew something about it. Just remember that they want to sell what they currently have on their lots, and might not have much incentive to learn about a new product that they don't have available yet.)

handydog

I just got an e-mail from a Hyundai dealer in town (Kansas City, Missouri) saying that the Elantra GTs had just arrived. Going to test drive one tomorrow. I'll let you know what I think.

ajalger

Handydog-So.. what'd you think? Did you get to drive one?

liljonson

i went to the hyundai dealership on saturday to get my alarm repaird on my 2K elantra and asked them if they know when the gt's will be arriving on long island. i'm much more patient now after i asked another dealership about the gt and he redirected me to the gls and then the accent and then told me "you must be confused with the celica" so i had enough patience this time to deal with whats that. but now i get a response, "i don't know, all hyundais are the same to me, i don't really care" wat the heck is this! atleast say something better than that. atleast say "i don't know", or "i never heard of it yet". great cars but 50% of the dealers are bad, the other 50% i like

kchandydog

ajalger -

The dealer get in some GTs, but not any with manual transmissions, so I did not test drive one. I did take a look at one in the dealer's showroom. It looks nice and the cargo area is fairly large. Although I perfer cloth seats, the leather seats look nice and makes the interior look much better and more "upscale." (I hate the pattern on the cloth seats used in the Elantra GLS -- it looks horrible). The guy at the dealership said he expected to get some more GTs, including some with manual transmissions, this week. I'll post my impressions when I actually take one for a test drive.

Also, I took a look at the Mazda Protege 5. The Hyundai dealership also sells Mazdas and had one sitting up front. Very nice looking cars, but very small and the dealership listed a price 1,500 over MSRP ($19,000 - $19,500 for the car). Nice car, but no thank you. I hope that the that they don't try to do that with the Hyundais.

scottdude

Car and Driver magazine refers to a "hot" 3 door Elantra hatchback coming out later this year or next. Did they print a typo or are they right?

liljonson

i'm pretty sure its a typo and if i'm wrong i'm waiting for that one!

backy

Awhile back some pics (or links thereto) were posted here for, supposedly, the next-generation Tiburon. It was pretty hot looking, but no indication if it was a hatchback (although it looked hatchbackish). Perhaps C&D confused that vehicle with an Elantra. Or maybe the Tiburon name is going bye-bye in favor of the Elantra brand??

dplatnyc

Has anyone seen any GTs on the East Coast? I am looking in New York and have not seen a one of them. Has anyone actually driven one? I am wondering (a) how the ride and handling are with the "European" suspension; and (b) if the fit and finish matches the GLS.

liljonson

i'm livin on the east coast too and their are no gts here yet. hopefully somebody will see one and post the "go" sign so i can go bug the dealers some more

krafter324

I contacted my local dealer here in Clearwater Florida and they expect the GT any day now. He said that they will only receive one for now. Hyundai is sending 1 GT to each dealer initially according to the sales person I spoke to. He gave me a brochure which is only 1 page with a fold over flap. It's marked a 2001.5 not 2002. It only shows five colors which are: Cranberry, Black Obsidian, Cardinal Red, Cobalt Blue and Pewter. Gray leather appears to be the only color interior offered. I'm not sure if they will expand the color choices for 2002. The instrument cluster does light up purple and not blue like I've seen in some pictures. I only wish it didn't have the black moldings all around the car. I can't wait to see one in person... It seems like I've been waiting for ever. If any one got to drive one, please post your opinion!

Rick

visage

Got the call yesterday that the GT had arrived in Colorado. Twenty four hours later I was in the drivers seat flying down I70. What can I say... fabulous.

Planet Hyundai in Golden had received 2 GT's yesterday. They had no idea they were coming and have no idea when they will be getting anymore. Both were automatics. One had all the bells and whistles, the other was just a basic model.

I test drove a pewter GT with sunroof and ABS with traction control. It was a very nice ride indeed. It handled great. Tight in the corners, no rocking and I hardly felt the bumps in the road. The sound dampening was remarkable. Extremely quiet. The car didn't quite have the acceleration I would have liked, but it was better than the Mazda MX3 that we will be trading in. We currently own a 5 month old Santa Fe and wanted another Hyundai as soon as we got home with the first. I test drove the Elantra GLS. eh. Then I took the Sonata for a spin. I liked that. The problem was we didn't need another car that big, the SF was fine. Then I came across the GT at Hyundai's website and waited. And waited. And waited. A few hours ago I was actually in one. I liked the handling and overall feel of the car. You have to compare it with the Elantra GLS and Sonata to know what the real differences were. Just tight. All I can say.

The interior is much like the Elantra GLS. Nothing real remarkable. The purple lit instrument panel was sooo cool. The trip computer was nice and I wish the SF had the same one. This one will average your MPG for you as well as tell you how far until empty and what gear you are in without having to eyeball the shifter.

The headlights seemed newer compared to the other Hyundai models. The leather seats, yes leather, not "leather", felt comfy and a lot better than what I was expecting. Countered seats that hugged the bottom. A ton of little cubbyholes for your "stuff" (change, lipstick, whatever men carry these days). No cupholders for the rear passengers. Quite odd. But hey, like to smoke in the back, no problem. I got into the back seat and felt like I had plenty of room. Not a ton. It felt just right. I'm 6', 210lbs. Two of me would survive a trip in the back as long as it wasn't a looong trip.

The trunk. Very roomy. 60/40 split rear seats. The cargo cover was hard plastic (or so it felt). Our Mazda has a thick cardboard style cover that is bending right in the middle now. The spare was wimpy. Looks like every other 25 mph spare. Not much good if you ask me.

My wife's first choice of color was pewter. Than we saw the other car Planet Hyundai had. Black. Soooo sweet. The black color with grey leather interior looks sporty AND classy. I bet that car would like fantastic all lit up inside at night. Now we are hooked on the black color. The blue looks great as well and we would like to see it if they get one in stock. Right now we will wait until there are more cars in Colorado. I flat out REFUSE to pay MSRP. I won't pay for the smart lock, advert fees and other "handling fees" either. But with only 2 GT's in the state of Colorado no one will deal.

Overall, nice car. The price is right. It looks good and handles great.

If you have any specific questions please ask and I will answer them as soon as I can.

Let the games begin.

chipsolo

Congrats on being one of the first to see and test drive one. I've been anxiously awaiting the GT as well. Hopefully it will be worth the wait. As I am planning on buying a house, the Elantra GT will have to be put on hold. Of course, that's not going to stop me from test driving one. Anyhow, did the rear seats fold flat? I've seen pictures where the bottom of the seats could be pulled forward allowing for a "flatbed". BTW, did you end up buying the Elantra GT?

liljonson

do you think they will be dropped in price like the gls model. In the east coast you can get the gls manual starting at 7995, i was wondering if the gt will get to be around 10K instead of the 14K starting. i want that car so bad, i've never wanted a car this bad. as of right now i'm gonna trade in my moms 98 elantra and hand them my 2K elantra and get the gt. i can't wait to test drive the gt when it arrives here.

visage

The salesman, Ken, did fold one side of the rearseat down and I noticed the 60/40 split but to be honest, I did not notice how flat the seat laid. He didn't pull the bottom seat/cushion forward when he laid down the backseat, but that doesn't mean you can't. You can raise the bottom seat when folding down the rear seats in the Santa Fe but I can't honestly tell you how the GT's seats operate. I was too excited to drive it and see it up close.

My wife and I did not buy the GT on the spot. But we will get it for sure. We too had just purchased our first home 6 months ago and the Santa Fe 4 months ago. Our motto: If we lived within our means, our lives would suck. My wife gets the GT and we will trade in a 1992 Mazda MX3 with less than 58,000 miles plus some cash to bring the financed amount to $10,000.

Like I said before, no more cars in Colorado = no bargains. You want it, you pay MSRP. We decided to wait until there are more so we can really deal on the price. I will not pay top dollar like I did on the SF. If the dealership wants us to be repeat customers within 6 months time of buying the SF they will have to give us one helluva great deal. We don't need the car but we want the car. The price will not come down as long as there are only a handful out there. I hope there will be more on the market and this doesn't become another SF where there was more demand than supply.

Happy hunting.

cjaccetta

Hey, visage:

How about taking that GT on a test drive to New Jersey so all of us uptight E-GT geeks on the East Coast can have a peek?? You're a lucky devil to have driven one. Thanks for the well done review.

We're hoping to buy in a month's time. Currently our top three choices are E-GT/Elantra, Protege/P-5 and Mitsubishi Lancer. My only hopes are that 1) adequate numbers of the cars will be available; and, 2) that dealers aren't mugging customers on price.

dplatnyc

Krafter324--one of the dozen or so websites I checked (sorry, can't remember which), indicated that there is a beige interior as well as a grey one.

liljonson

the gt better get here fast, my friends are making fun of the fact that its still not hear and i talk about it 24/7 like i'm gonna drive to hyundai and pick it up next morning. i need that car!

nhyoung

So, for all the lucky folks that have actually been to a dealership with a GT, did they mention whether the 500 dollar elantra rebate applies?

mpgman

Sounds like a winner car but I hate to give in to manufacturers who force you to get the moonroof to get ABS. The same holds true for the Protege-5. Anyone sit in a GT and check out the difference in the headroom between one with the moonroof and one without? Let us know your height. Thanks.

visage

The GT I drove had the sunroof and as soon as I sat in it I made a comment that the headroom was actually pretty good. I'm a hair under 6ft and notice headroom in cars. If my hair even touches the roof of the car I immediately hate it. You do lose more headroom in the backseats since the the sun/moonroof retracts inside. I noticed the Tib's opens outside of the roof since it's not long enough inside. I sat behind the seat without moving it forward and had okay room. Two big guys would be okay and three smaller type folks would have plenty of room. My head did not touch the roof in the backseat either.

A few things though I would like to see on the GT:
1) Shiftronc (I want manual and my wife wants automatic - we got both in the SF).
2) V6 (If the new Tib gets one, why not offer it in the GT?)
3) A very small rear spoiler (low profile - not obscene and ridiculous looking)
4) Tinted windows (on the Black one we're getting it would look really nice)
5) Cup holders for rear passengers (C'mon, that should be a no-brainer)

I didn't find out about the rebate, but I will ask the next time I talk to our salesman.

mpgman

Thanks. Is traction control standard? I don't know much about Hyundai braking and handling so I am in the dark a bit about the ABS. I noticed that package 5 on the sedan gives you ABS and traction control with no moonroof requirement and am a bit miffed that the GT won't. I'd like to see the VW/Ford Focus sytle center arm rest. Best I've seen in smaller cars.

seguy

Got to drive a silver auto today(colo spgs area). had option 1(moonroof only). Had a red one with option 2, moonroof, abs/traction. drove nice for a compact. Currently have 99 accord 4 exl and 00 sentra se/pp. find it in between the two, power/ride similar to accord, handling closer to sentra, but not as firm. good balance between comfort and handling imo. They had a black 5spd on another lot across town, wish I would've drove that one. All in all 5 were in stock 4 autos/1 5spd in my area. cargo room a little smaller than I thought, widest box that'll fit is around 30". I measured between rear speaker shelves and bottom of trunk opening. rear seats fold flat like that of VW's. Going back monday with the wife to look at the silver with option 2/auto. Also considering mp5(too pricey for a mazda), VW golf 4dr, and the upcoming vibe/matrix, or ZX5. I can wait til early next year, and HP is important, but not everything, and so far GT looks like a great value. Looking to trade in accord, but eventually will be my car when sentra lease is up in '02. wife really wants a minivan, but don't really need one for another year or two. so sentra will hopefully be replace by van in '03.