2007 Hyundai Elantra

bamacar

Yes, I owned a 2003 Accord and I agree with them. I can't tell which one is which till I get close behind. Accord owners complained about the look of the back and Honda redesigned it for 2006. Why is that hard to understand?

I will have trouble telling the Elantra from the Corolla just like I do the Jetta now when I am far away. A sharper Corolla that is exactly the way I described it. The Accent is clean, but I think it looks like the Buick of small cars. Nobody will notice it because it is so conservative.

xendlessinyx

I have a 04 elantra and I get somewhere around 27-31 mpg (70% highway).. which I think not so bad..
07 elantra will be getting 12.8 km/l which is equal to 30.1 mpg.. (got this number from Busan motor show website)
In Korea, they don't use city/highway gas mileage..
It's just one combined mileage..
Since 06 elantra had 10.7 km/l (25.16mpg) which is 24/32 in the US..
We might be expected to have 27-30/36-39, which is really good.. :P
If this is true, Hyundai has done a decent job on gas mileage...

ukraguy

The 2007 Elantra rocks.

shado4

I bet that color does not show up on the North American palette.

Well, one of my questions has been answered. It appears that there are lighted door courtesy lights in the front doors, like in the current Elantra. Of course, this is the Korean version, so who knows what kind of decontenting Hyundai USA will do. The auto climate control and nav system are probably DOA.

george41

Where will the 07 Elantra be assembled? Korea or Alabama?

doohickie

Korea.

doohickie

Heh. Tibby pedals.

backy

(I couldn't reply to your reply to me because the Reply link was blocked by part of the web page--due to someone posting photos that are too large.)

I didn't say I am offended by the new Civic, did I? Not a good idea to assume things. What I said is that I see a distinct resemblence between the new Civic and the last gen Saturn SL, in the front, the rear, and the side profile (especially the C-pillar; the windshield of the Civic is more raked than the Saturn's). I don't think Honda broke a lot of new ground with the new Civic, except maybe that raked windshield on a small sedan. The two-tier gauges are a little different too.

Have you considered (new) glasses? I am actually serious. I am seeing more and more '06 Sonatas on the road and I don't see how anyone could mistake them for an Accord. Even at night, because the tail lights are totally different shapes. And you might want to wait before the 2007 Elantra gets on the road before you decide if you have trouble telling it from a Corolla. The light-colored Elantras in particular are very distinctive as the side sculpting stands out more on the lighter colors like silver and grey. If you have trouble telling an Elantra from a Sentra or a Corolla, I'd say you probably have trouble distinguishing between 90% of the cars on the market, because most of them have large single-lens headlamps with a trapezoidal dark grille--which are the only characteristics I can see that the Elantra shares with the Corolla.

bamacar

You really aren't serious that you can't see Corolla back lights on the picture of the Elantra above? Just wait for the reviews, and we will see. I bet you didn't think the new Jetta looked like a Corolla either. Funny, many of the reviewers did. I have heard multiple people say the back end of the Sonata looked like the Accord from 2003 to 2004. Many of the initial people who saw the photo on Edmunds said the same thing. I think the rose colored Hyundai glasses are getting in your way of you seeing characteristics of other cars in the Hyundai stable. I don't even have a problem with that if they look good, but Accents and Elantras that look like the most boring Toyota model? They just need to aim higher that is my only issue.

doohickie

On another forum, a Canadian who now lives in Korea went to the Busan Auto Show and had a chance to talk to a Hyundai rep there. The bad news: Single handle adjustment on the seat (sorry, Backy!) The good news: Yes, there will be a hatchback.

ukraguy

2002-2004 Camry & 1996-1998 Sonata

backy

I agree with those who have said the New Jetta is reminicent of the Corolla, and I have said so in Town Hall. I personally don't see the resemblence between the Accord and Sonata except for the fact that both have horizontally oriented tailamps. But a lot of cars have horizontally oriented tailamps. Look at the newest Lexus cars, for instance, or even the new Camry. The tailamps look a lot like the Sonata's, don't they? Does that make those cars look like the Sonata? I don't think so.

I really can't see how the 2007 Elantra resembles the Corolla. There are just too many major styling differences, e.g. front fascia, C pillar, sides of the car, and even the rear end is different (no, I don't see the Corolla in the Elantra's back end). I consider myself a pretty astute observer. I agree the Accent is the most boring Hyundai design right now, but I don't think that it resembles any Toyota that I know of and I think the shape is fine for a small car.

I think sometimes people focus on one element of a car, e.g. tailamps or grille, and say, "Oh, that car looks just like Car X." I try to look at the overall car design before making that kind of judgement. If you don't like the styling of Hyundai's latest cars such as the 2007 Elantra, that's fine. There are many other cars to choose from.

ukraguy

1993 Hyundai Sonata



Take a close look at the tail lamps of the Sonata. Looks very familiar, don't you think?

Honda Odyssey? :shades:

backy

Yeah, awhile ago I was talking about the photos from the Elantra unveiling in NYC and noted the big height-adjustment lever on the driver's seat. But there is still hope--on some cars this is not as much of an issue as on others.

That's good news about the hatchback. I wonder when it will debut? Maybe in 2007, following the pattern from the '01 Elantra GT and the '07 Accent hatchback.

inwait8

Yes the Elantra does look like the Corolla... as in they both have two brake lights and an exhaust pipe. Other than that I don't see it... now the VW Jetta thats a different story. What the '07 Elantra does look like is the Lexus IS... if you look at it from the rear 3/4 or dead on they look very much alike, and if your gonna copy anyone you might as well go upscale.

backy

Mostly though, the 2007 Elantra is a dead ringer for the 2007 Elantra.

acronis

Say I'd like to throw in by saying the '07 Elantra does indeed remind me (not a whole lot mind you) but it does have a hint of the IS from the rear tail lights. I think though that what it comes down to is competition envy.

Like the poster above said, there are lots and lots more Sonatas on the road. Gee I'm seeing them everywhere more and more on I-95, in my neighborhood, the local malls, heck just about everywhere. What does that mean? Hello? it means Hyundai is kickin' *ss with this car.

yeah, I can't wait for the '07 to see what changes are coming. I am in the market and may pull the trigger on the '07 provided they added the seek controls, interior colors and yeah why not spruce up that dash. Otherwise this is a very nice car.

wolverinejoe80

yikes! that's a rip off!!

doohickie

Hyundais are very common in my area. I have at least 2 other Elantras on my block, and a couple of Tibbies. There's a guy not too far from here that has a Tibby, an Elantra, a Sonata *and* an XG350 in his driveway.

sonatabean

#616 of 633 2007 elantra gas mileage by xendlessinyx Apr 28, 2006 (7:57 pm)
I have a 04 elantra and I get somewhere around 27-31 mpg (70% highway).. which I think not so bad..
07 elantra will be getting 12.8 km/l which is equal to 30.1 mpg.. (got this number from Busan motor show website)
In Korea, they don't use city/highway gas mileage..
It's just one combined mileage..
Since 06 elantra had 10.7 km/l (25.16mpg) which is 24/32 in the US..
We might be expected to have 27-30/36-39, which is really good.

Gads, I hope you are right.

I just got this link below - it seems some of the financial gurus are upping the limit on this current price spiral - namely from around $4.00 USD per gallon to about what prices are in Europe ($6.00 USD per gallon).

Granted, that six is about what the rest of Europe and Asia pay already . . . but, sadly, the USA is just not prepared for these kind of prices.

Heck - me and mine live in the low end of the upper-third income bracket, we live in a neighborhood JUST outside the city, and we recycle/compost/reuse like mad (we're kinda green). And, despite having an above-average (NOT "rich") income, we just plain cannot afford gas at such prices.

I included the link to the rebroadcast, below. Very eye-opening.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/MellodyHobson/story?id=1908916

sonatabean

Wrong link! Sorry!

Try this one.

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=1908977

azera25

Click this link for updated pictures, movies, and information on the 2007 Elantra

http://2006motorshow.hyundai-motor.com/

tsgeisel

Oh man...I wonder if I can get the paint on my '05 upgraded to that Purple as part of the warranty.

That's just a pretty shade. Or maybe it's just the lighting. But, yeah, pretty. :shades:

shado4

Didn't Honda offer a very similar shade of purple on their early 90's Civic? Oh my God, Hyundai is copying Honda AGAIN! Will it never end????? :P

backy

Folks, calm down. This is the Minnesota Vikings Special Edition Elantra, and will only be offered in Minnesota.

shado4

I wonder how many purple Civics were sold in Minnesota. Seriously. Really.

Back to the Elantra. If what I'm hearing about a hatchback is true, I wonder if it will come with an upgraded engine. The 2.4 liter engine from the GEMA alliance would do wonders in a car like the Elantra.

Picture it now...the return of the Elantra GT. Only this time it will be more than just a cosmetic upgrade. :surprise:

aneesh

Looks lot like the HCD8 concept.

germancarfan1

Enough with the GEMA rumors. There is NO GEMA engine in the 2007 Elantra!

Its the same, underpowered, buzzy 2.0 BETA that produces a *stunning* 138 HP. Not a horrible engine when its in my $11K 2004 Elantra, but outragiously outclassed (in power, but mostly in refinement) in the new $15-16K price point of the new 2007 Elantra.

Must I revisit this again:
2007 Elantra 138 HP, 136 lbs
Mazda3i 150 HP, 135 lbs
VW Rabbit 150 HP, 170 lbs
Civic 140 HP, 128 lbs
2007 Sentra 140 Hp, 135 lbs

shado4

I wouldn't exactly call a 2 horsepower difference against the Civic and Sentra "outrageously outclassed."

However, this was Hyundai's opportunity to push the envelope with the Elantra. Yes, they've got the safety stuff down pat, but I believe performance will be lagging.

Hyundai is a member of the GEMA alliance. I still don't see why they can't benefit from this alliance and use a new engine for their new Elantra. What are they waiting for?

I said it before and I'll say it again...I will not buy a new Elantra if it is using the same engine as my current Elantra.

snakeweasel

I said it before and I'll say it again...I will not buy a new Elantra if it is using the same engine as my current Elantra.

I said it before and I will say it again, the engine in my Elantra is more than enough for the car. I can easily keep up with traffic off of stoplights, get to highway speeds by the end of the on ramp and pass with little difficulty. If you want to blow off the BMW sitting next to you at the light then yes its underpowered (but then I have the caddy for that ) but for your average daily driving its enough.

alpha01

I think the issue at hand is not the outright power of the engine (in C/D's last... long ago... comparo of '03 models in Nov. 02, the Elantra and the Corolla ran at the head of the pack, which keeps them about mid pack nowadays).

The issue is the power coupled with MPG of this engine, which has *NEVER* shined in this dept. Then of course there's NVH...

~alpha

backy

It may be the Beta engine but it has obviously been tweaked to get the 4 mpg improvement that Hyundai claims for it.

Note also how this old Beta engine outclasses all but the VW in torque, and the VW has 25% more displacement. Yet with 25% more displacement it manages only 9% greater power than the old Beta engine. Yet this is the engine that VW puts into $20k+ Jettas.

I own two of these Beta engines and I don't find them buzzy at all. A little raucous over 4000 rpm, but what small engine isn't? At least the gearshift doesn't vibrate in my hand like the one in my Sentra did. Maybe Nissan has corrected that problem with the new Sentra.

snakeweasel

That would be my concern the MPG the engine will deliver not the power. But since I can easily get 33+MPG on the highway and the newer ones are supposed to be more efficient I would think that they might be able to squeeze out acceptable mileage out of it for the next model year.

So before we go complaining about lousy gas mileage lets wait and see what the figures come out to be.

backy

I just got 42 mpg on my '01 Elantra on a road trip to Wisconsin this weekend while on highways at 55-60 mph, dropping to 37-38 mpg when at 70+ mph. Overall mpg for 800 miles was 35 including a lot of stop-and-go in cities. This is for a car rated 25 city, 33 highway. Not too shabby. I am averaging 32 mpg in around-town driving on my '04 Elantra automatic, including urban freeways. EPA rating is 24/32. Again not too bad for the ol' Beta engine.

sonatabean

If you want to blow off the BMW sitting next to you at the light then yes its underpowered

Which goes to the heart of the matter, actually: Elantrii are not about blowing doors off. They are about a nice, fun, sporty ride that is economical to buy and economical to run.

If you must have that sort of "blow off the BMW" performance at Elantra prices, you could always try buying an aviation engine, strapping it to your butt, and then standing on a skateboard.

I would not, however, encourage such a choice as the odds are a crappy outcome - even if you do strap an airbag to your face, too.

germancarfan1

It's not necessarily the difference in the amount of power the engine produces (though, 2 HP can make a decent bit of difference), but its the delivery of that power. The Beta engine simply is outclassed by the more refined Civic engine. Like I said its not an awfull engine, but it belongs in a $11-12K car, not a $15-16K car. Combine that with an outdated 4-speed that belongs in a Cobalt, and you have an unrefined driving experience.

The other issue is torque 136 lbs isn't bad, but it arrives high up in the range at 4600 RPMs. Compare that with the new Rabbit's ($14,900) 170 lbs at only 3600 RPMS and thats a big difference.

snakeweasel

I am getting just shy of 23 in the city (EPA rated at 21) and just shy of 34 Highway (EPA rated 30) and thats with 135K on the odometer. The current crop of Elantras is rated a few MPG more than what mine is so if the new one can improve it by 4 MPG I will be happy.

snakeweasel

That just my point Elantras have enough power for your everyday use, they are not race cars. So I find the complaints that they are underpowered strange and nit picky.

backy

The Beta engine delivers 90% of its torque at 2300 RPMs. That's a lot of torque at those revs.

mike91326

Here's a thought. How about Hyundai's 2.2L turbo diesel? A ton of torque and 40 to 50 MPG. With gas now north of $3 they would sell as fast as they came off of the boat. With ULSD I would think that it would be 50 state legal by the 2008 MY.

germancarfan1

I'd buy one in a second. But it's got to meet new EPA standards. Even VW is pulling its TDI models for atleast the 2007 MY (not even sure if they're bringing them back in 2008).

sonatabean

Even VW is pulling its TDI models for atleast the 2007 MY (not even sure if they're bringing them back in 2008).

No BS here?

VW and MB have been pushing their clean-diesel engines pretty heavily for the last couple of years: this news comes as a surprise to me, let me tell ya.

And I live in a "no diesel" state (NY) at this point: Spitzer has been pretty clear that, if we can get low-sulphur diesel statewide in 07, he is willing to push NY EPA to allow clean diesels back on the road.

mike91326

I understand that MB will offer diesels in the C and E class and BMW in the 3 and 5 series for the 2008 MY. Both have indicated that their diesels will be sold in all 50 states.

joe97

Well, as much as I wanted the new engine, the 2.0 is adequate; it does its job, and is very competitive with the rest of the class, along with lots of torque at low rev. I don't think most buyers in this class is looking for power.

To be fair, I would cross the Rabbit off from this particular comparison, and maybe add the Jetta to the list. Why? The upcoming Sentra and Elantra are not offered in hatchback versions (at least the Elantra hatchback is not confirmed yet). Buyers looking for a sedan generally do not necessarily cross-shop with a hatchback, and vice versa. Anyway, Mazda3, Civic, and Rabbit, now there is a comparison, in hatchbacks (but that's for another thread and not here). And while we are on the topic of hatchbacks, unfortunately, they are sold in much smaller amount than sedans do.

backy

Umm... which Civic hatchback would that be?

joe97

Good catch...thanks for the correction Backy!!

Civic hatchback, now that would be something

Alright, back to Elantra discussions...

tsgeisel

I think they're calling it the "Fit". :P

backy

The Fit is not a Civic, not in the same class of car as the Elantra. There is a Civic hatchback--just not over here.

The interesting thing is, the 2007 Elantra will start at about the same price as the base Fit, list price wise. The base Elantra will also be just a little below the starting price of the Civic DX, with similar equipment levels. After so many years of there being a big price difference between comparably-equipped Elantras and Civics, it will be interesting to see how the new Elantra fares with less of a price advantage.

azera25

http://www.bobaedream.co.kr/board/data/data_view.php?code=national&No=66452

germancarfan1

with an updated powerplant, I'd think the new Elantra would be a huge hit. With with the outdated 2.0 Beta, I think its going to have a difficult time going up against the likes of the Civic, Mazda3i, VW Rabbit, and 2007 Sentra. The refinement just can't be met in the demanding 15K-16K marketplace.