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Hyundai Elantra: Reviews & News from the Pros (Edmunds, C/D, CR, MT etc.)
What do professional car reviewers and the press think of the Elantra? Let's post these "pro" opinions and discuss them here!
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"Passengers in all seats will be comfortable and content, but drivers will likely not find the same level of satisfaction in the Elantra experience. The car we tested came with the base transmission, a light and direct five-speed manual, but 138 horsepower and 136 pound-feet of torque from the 2.0-liter four-cylinder is a bit off the class leaders, meaning straight-line performance is merely average. But it also feels stressed on the highway; above 70 mph, the thrashing from the engine bay can get maddening. And although many of us liked the silky five-speed and delicate clutch pedal, a few of the less-dainty on our staff thought both clutch and shifter were a bit too light.
The suspension, too, we thought was a little too light, too much like a floaty compact Buick. For 2007 the Elantra gets a four-wheel independent setup, with McPherson struts up front, a multilink rear, and stabilizer bars fore and aft. Hyundai claims a 49-percent increase in body stiffness over the previous model and a thicker rear stabilizer, but it just doesn’t feel like enough."
I'm thinking a mid to low pack finish behind Mazda3, Civic, Jetta VE, Sentra in the next C&D comparo. Thoughts?
The Sentra does not appear to be very quick from the early reviews even though the engine is smoother. Its appearance seems unpopular also. The Jetta engine is more powerful but as CD says provides "tepid performance". It has also has been reviewed as noisy like the Elantra.
I still hope to give the Elantra SE with manual transmission a test drive. The only concern for me from this review is the thrashy engine above 70mph. That could knock it off my list if true.
Also, add to the mix the redesigned 2008 corolla and 2008 Saturn Ion (New Opel Astra), and Hyundai has some steep competition in this price range.
Not sure what you mean by tepid performance, but the Jetta is actually one of the quietest sedans in the price range.
JETTA C&D 70 MPH cruise: 66 DBA
2006 Sonata LX: 67 DBA
2006 Azera: 66 DBA
The Jetta's EPA rating is not great, but many will find it to be far closer to real world driving (due to large amount of torque on hand at low revs) than say, my 5-speed Elantra, EPA rated at 26/34, but rarely seeing above 25 MPG in 50/50 driving.
I saw the HD Elantra in the flesh for the first time at my dealer. They look fine, but don't inspire me. For someone who doesn't own and XD Elantra, the styling is probably favorable, but for people who like their XD styling, the new model just doesn't build on it, in my opinion. It seems like it will fill a different niche than the outgoing generation, which for me isn't great because the niche I see it filling is not the reason I bought an Elantra. I guess the way I viewed the outgoing model was a blend between style/sportiness and utilitarian. It was at home as both a modded, lowered, sporty car and a modest, slightly upscale small family car. The new model moves on that scale towards the latter and away from the sporty aspect.
In a sense, it would have been better to change the name of the car line because I just don't see this car as the natural follow-on to the outgoing model; there's a discontinuity there.
Most of the things that I find objectionable will probably attract new buyers though- the styling, the "look" of being a bigger car than it is, the upscale, roomier interior. These are all good things, but It's not too much to my personal taste.
Of course, my prior car had a lot of road noise, so maybe I'm still working on that comparison.
Of course, cars in this segment are seldom asked to be sporty. More often they are asked to be above all affordable and reliable transport. For a price that’s a couple grand less than the VW Rabbit and Honda Civic, the Elantra offers both, and adds comfort and space in spades.
In this and other comments in the review, C/D's editors seemed to remember that the Elantra is an economy car and competes in that class, not in the sports-car class. In that class, average power plus above-average comfort, space, and standard safety features at a low price make for an attractive package.
I haven't driven the new Elantra yet so I can't comment on the ride and handling. But something seemed odd about C/D's comments on the stick shift. Then I remembered why. Here's what C/D said about the stick on the 2006 Civic Si:
Shift efforts are light, and the clutch engages smoothly and predictably. Our only gripe with the close-ratio gearbox is that the shift from fourth to fifth requires you to move the lever quite far to the right to find the fifth and sixth gear plane.
http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/10836/2006-honda-civic-si.html
OK. Now here is a note re the Si's shifter in from Town Hall:
I test drove a 06 Civic Coupe (5 speed) and a Civic Si with a 6-speed stick. They feel different in terms of smoothness. The 5-speed on the Coupe is smooth and light.
In comparison, the 6-speed shifter on the Si is very smooth and light too. I call it 'effortless' to the extent that I didn't have much positive feedback (don't know if I shift it in the next gear or not)when I up or down shift.
bf109ace, "Honda Civic Si 6-Speed Shifter - Very Smooth but No positive feedback?" #1, 25 Oct 2006 12:38 pm
So C/D complained about the last Hyundai stick shift they drove, in an Accent, saying it was too "rubbery". Then they drive the new Elantra, and now it's "light", "direct", and "silky" but maybe it's too silky for some of them. But the Si's stick was fine in that regard, according to C/D. Very interesting. Maybe they'd rather have a shifter that "clunks" with every shift like on the Versa, or a notchy shifter like on the Fit--C/D didn't mention either of those issues. I'll take "light", "direct", and "silky" any day.
While the clutch issue is probably one of personal taste, the suspension problem is of far more interest to me. Anytime a suspension in a car is compared to that of a "floaty Buick," you know you're not in praise land. Concerns over the responsiveness and stiffness of the frame and suspension are not issues to be quickly discarded for anyone concerned with safety.
The Elantra may have moved up market in terms of space, "features," and price, but if the underpowered carry over powerplant/tranny and sloppy designed suspension are what is holding the car together, it doesn't appear to be a great overall value. This is especially true, given the fact that far more responsive and solid cars are available for not much more money (if at all).
They also love crisp handling cars, so it's not surprising to me that C/D complained about the ride and handling. Their idea of an ideal ride/handling is that the car feels as if it's on rails. It doesn't matter to them if they can feel every pebble in the road. It matters to me, however. I guess they don't drive on frost-heaved, pot-holed roads too often in California. Consider that most people who buy economy sedans don't use them for canyon-carving, but for commuting and errand-hopping (see their closing statement again).
I don't recall where they said the car's frame and suspension are unsafe, or the suspension is sloppy--can you find those quotes for me?
It will be interesting to see the results of their full report, or comparo (if they do one), and also reports from other mags, Edmunds.com, CR etc. And our own test drives, which are the most important in the decision process, wouldn't you agree?
Bottom Line - This is another exercise in exceeding expectations from Hyundai. Their philosophy of "over-delivering" continues by building vehicles that look and behave as if they cost more.
The 2007 Hyundai Elantra belongs on your list when shopping for a vehicle in this class.
The trim levels don't tell the full story, though, as the Elantra is an exceedingly nice car to drive. It's quiet, smooth and solid, and its engine was more than adequate in the driving conditions we encountered on the country roads and highways around Quebec City. Fuel economy is excellent, at 8.4/8.3 l/100 km city, 6.0/6.0 highway, (figures for manual/automatic), and the build quality throughout is of a very high standard. More than that, the car is extremely pleasant to sit in, with useful storage containers located in all the right places, tasteful interior fabrics and materials, tidy control layout, and unexpected touches like chrome accents for switches and instruments. Compared with luxury brands from Europe and Japan, the Elantra may have humble origins, but it has definitely been to finishing school.
And while the five-speed manual transmission endows the Elantra with a sporty driving feel, it's the automatic that best suits the character of the car. At 120 km/h with the manual, for instance, the engine is turning at about 3,300 rpm, and is definitely audible in the passenger compartment (even with the Elantra's extra insulation and triple door seals). In comparison, at the same speed an Elantra with the automatic transmission runs at a low 2,500 rpm, and is notably quieter and smoother.
Over potholes and abrupt changes in road surface, the Elantra is unflappable, refusing to pitch or lurch where other cars may react unpredictably. The seats are comfortable, the cabin is spacious, the car feels substantial, and owners are likely to feel well pleased with their purchase when behind the wheel.
Did you notice the author also agreed with many of us that rear looks like a Jetta or Corolla.
As long as the car looks good to the buyer, that is the important thing. For instance, the CanadianDriver reviewer wasn't all that crazy about the side character line on the Elantra. I happen to like it.
Now, where is the hatch or wagon?
Well, everyone is entitled to his opinion.
Note that the CanadianDriver reviewer doesn't agree with you there.
If Hyundai is going to be hit for going in a unique direction with the new Elantra, and also hit for making parts of it look like other cars (in the eyes of some people anyway), then they might as well make the thing look like a copy of a good-looking car like the 3 Series and be done with it. They could save a lot of money in design costs that way too.
If the only complaint with the new Elantra is the styling, then Hyundai truly has a success on it's hands.
Hyundai Elantra is going to have no problem at all selling all of the Elantra's Hyundai can supply during the next year. There is a shortage of 4 cyl. engines and production capacity also for the Elantra.
Hyundai did a fantastic job on the interior but they seemed not to follow completely thru on the exterior in my opinion.
I believe that styling plays a big role in peoples decision of which brand of car they will buy - especially when comparing between similiar models with similiar features, content, safety and economy. Elantra is playing in a tough field especially compared with rivals such a Civic and Mazda 3 which to many have great exterior styling. I am thinking this may be somewhat detrimental to pushing out the 07s since they are similiarly priced to Civic and Mazda (not a big disparity like in the 06s) and if people see this then the ice breaker may be the styling. Only time will tell if Hyundai needs to start offering rebates.
I think most of the engine and car production shortage was due to 2 reasons: CEO in jail and 2/3 week union strike. I think Hyundai will catch up.
Hyundai will offer rebates on the new Elantra. It is only a matter of time. They haven't reached the point yet where they can compete with the likes of Honda and Mazda with pricing that is only $1000-1500 different. They learned that lesson with the Sonata.
When the 06 Civic came out, the percentage of people whom hated the new looks was not as high as what I have seen on the 07 Elantra. I for one was very impressed with the bold styling of the Civic. So I personally had very high hopes that the styling of Elantra would be as bold as Civic or Mazda 3. I was a little disappointed of the styling but that won't put me off from actually considering the 07 Elantra as my next car.
Pretty much sums up what i've been stating here for a while. So will the Elantra become the resale value bottom feeder once again when rebates start? Thoughts?
It's funny... that's exactly how I felt about the Gen 3 Elantra vs. the Gen 2 when I first saw the 2001 Elantra. But the more I saw it, the more I liked the looks, especially the rear. Then they came out with that nifty hatch, and improved the front end for 2004. I think a reaction like that is natural when there's a drastic styling change on a car. Look what happened to the Civic... from a boring design to space capsule. Lots of people hate the new design. But Civics are selling great regardless.
But a lot depends on how many Elantras Hyundai can ship to the U.S. One reason for the big rebates on the 2006 Sonata was that Hyundai wanted to greatly increase the sales volume of the car from historical levels, since it has more production capacity for the Sonata than before. (Note that those rebates have been ratcheted down for 2007.) But for the Elantra, that could be a different story--there's no new plant in the U.S. churning out 200,000 Elantras.
Then I looked at the sticker - An SE w/auto was just over $17K. The dealer had a $999 prep charge so the car was nearly $18.5K. I laughed to myself and drove home. A great deal would be around $15K, with $16K a "max" for this vehicle.
I agree with Backy, with $1,000 off the "original sticker", I might be interested. Hyundai is longer a bottom feeder and should not ever be again. But they can't expect to charge Honda / Toyota prices just because they added a decent interior with a few extra cubic feet.
This car may end up being a really good buy in May-June '07 time frame at $15,500.
Here's an idea of what I expect by early next year:
* Discounts down to or close to invoice
* General rebate of $1000, loyalty rebate of $500 (these might get flipped)
So for a SE automatic, that would mean a price of around $15k (or under for Hyundai owners) before taxes and fees.
First, stating that the Elantra placed 4th place is a bit misleading as the Elantra was rated 19 points below the 3rd place finisher, the Honda Civic, and 31 points below the 1st place finisher, the VW rabbit. Needless to say, it wasn't a close decision, and the Elantra wasn't relegated to 4th place merely because the C&D editors disliked the handling characteristics (which they didn't).
The Elantra received low marks for Fuel Economy, Engine NVH, transmission, steering feel, handling, etc.
INTERIOR SPACE: Suprisingly, the Elantra took no awards for interior space either. The Elantra neither had the largest Front, Rear, nor Trunk space. In addition, both the Civic and Sentra have longer wheelbases than that of the Elantra.
POWERPLANT AND HANDLING: the Elantra produced the second worst skidpad performance (ahead of the Corolla, shocker) and second worst lane change MPH (again, only ahead of the Corolla).
Comments: "the suspension is underdamped; it always feels teetery-tippy, and the steering has an unnerving way of seeming to increase the turning agnle as the corning forces build."
NOISE: Comments: "on the interstate, the engine turns raucous and irritating above 72 MPH and downright annoying in the upper 70s."
FUN TO DRIVE: "It's an underachiever in the fun to drive column, too."
SAFETY: No stability control nor traction control even available, though lots of standard airbags to maybe save your life when you crash. Personally, I think the best safety is a good handling, stable automobile with available safety systems.
In any case, could you give us a link to your quotes?
Second, in case you're unfamiliar with how C&D articles work, no "links" are available until it is posted online in a few weeks. Pay a few bucks and buy it off the newstand if you want one.
Third, where does it indicate on this forum board that all posters must be interested in purchasing the said car before posting? Please provide a "link"
Ooooo...scary.
First, stating that the Elantra placed 4th place is a bit misleading...
How is it misleading? The Elantra finished in 4th place by the point totals, did it not? And it handily beat the 5th and 6th-place finishers--topping the Corolla by 15 points and the all-new Sentra by 23 points.
The Elantra received low marks for fuel economy...
The Elantra returned 28 mpg overall, which was third best in the test and in C/D's words "just a fraction below average" (test average was 29 mpg). That is a "low mark"?
The Elantra received low marks for... transmission...
Here is what C/D said about the transmission: "Slick shifter and clutch," "a smooth, low-effort shifter", and overall its transmission was rated 7, one mark below the #1 car, the Rabbit, equal to the Civic, and better than the Corolla and Sentra. That is a "low mark"?
Surprisingly, the Elantra took no awards for interior space either. The Elantra neither had the largest Front, Rear, nor Trunk space. In addition, both the Civic and Sentra have longer wheelbases than that of the Elantra.
You are confusing "awards" with the raw data that C/D published. In the raw data, Elantra tied with Sentra for most interior space in the group, and if you look at the manufacturer's published figures you'll see that the Elantra actually has a bit more interior space than the Sentra--and the most in its class. The Elantra has one cubic foot less up front than the Sentra and one cubic foot less in the rear than the Rabbit. Otherwise it has at least as much room front and rear as any other car in the test. Its trunk space ties the Corolla's for roomiest of any sedan in the test, and it's 1 cubic foot less than the hatchback Rabbit's rear cargo space. As for longest wheelbase: who cares? The Civic has the longest wheelbase in the test but is next-to-last in interior room--just 1 more cubic foot than the Corolla.
As for "awards", here is what C/D said about the Elantra's interior room and comfort: "sit-all-day seats", and "As a passenger hauler, we give this one top marks for both space and comfort [emphasis mine]." They also gave the Elantra the highest possible numerical scores for rear-seat comfort, rear-seat room, and trunk space, and 2nd place for driving comfort and ergonomics.
SAFETY: No stability control nor traction control even available, though lots of standard airbags to maybe save your life when you crash.
True, Elantra does not have ESC or traction control available. Neither does the Civic LX or the Sentra. Of the tested cars, only the Rabbit and Mazda3s Touring have more standard safety equipment--which is kind of interesting because the Mazda3s Touring doesn't qualify for C/D's self-imposed price limit for the test of $18,000 (the Mazda3s Sport does, but it doesn't have ESC or traction control). C/D couldn't even find a Corolla with ABS to test, and certainly couldn't find one with VSC.
If you want to avoid having others think of you as a "trasher", you could stop making every effort to cast positive attributes of a car in a negative way.
Many could say the coverse about your comments which always seems to either ignore or put a "positive" spin on obviously negative attributes about anything Hyundai produces.
How exactly could one read the C&D review and come away with a sense they recommend the car? abysmal handling, "downright annoying" noise on the highway, less than stellar fuel economy (for a car "rated" at 28/36, one would have expected better), and lack of available safety systems. These are "positive" attributes that I somehow case in a negative way? I think the numbers and comments speak for themselves. Feel free to attempt to spin them as you wish.
Let me be clear: If all you want is a car that can comfortably carry passangers from point A to B and are not concerned about its handling, stability at high speeds, nor are concerned at engine NVH, then the Elantra is a fine car. But, if someone wants a car with good, safe, stable handling (not "teetery-tippy) car with available safety systems, has unobtrusive engine noise, has a solid reliability track, get's excellent fuel economy, and has good resale value, maybe the Elantra is not the car for that person.
Maybe you're not familiar with how C/D reviews cars. Unlike Consumer Reports, C/D doesn't formally stamp cars as "recommended" in their comparos. It ranks them in numerical order based on test results and the editor's opinions.
But consider what C/D's editors said about the Elantra:
As a passenger hauler, we gave this one top marks for both space and comfort.
At metro-traffic speeds the car feels agile and trusty. Grab it and go, like you're old friends.
The Verdict: If your car-pool passengers have a vote, you'll drive this one.
What I take from comments like those is that C/D's editors think the Elantra is a good choice for someone who carries passengers a lot (e.g. in a car-pool, or a parent toting kids around) and drives mainly around town. If someone is looking for a "sporty" car and drives over 70 mph a lot, then they believe the Elantra SE MT is only the 4th best choice in this group.
BTW, C/D did not call the Elantra's handling "abysmal" or "unsafe". This is just another example of how you "spin" things to be as negative as possible. It's clear C/D doesn't like the handling on the Elantra. But they didn't call it "abysmal."
I'm not sure why one (you) would expect much better than 28 mpg for the Elantra--its EPA city rating--in C/D's tests, when four of the six cars, including the fuel-sipping Corolla, were within 1 mpg of their EPA city rating.
Also, C/D's editors made no negative comments about the Elantra's complement of safety features. I accept that you'd like to see more safety equipment in the Elantra (and I would too--it would be great to get all the safety features the nearly-$19k Mazda3s Touring has standard, but on an Elantra that sells for $2500 less!). But those are not the sentiments of C/D.
I'm very familiar (having been a subscriber for the past 15 years). 4th place is not recommending a car.
"If someone is looking for a "sporty" car and drives over 70 mph a lot, then they believe the Elantra SE MT is only the 4th best choice in this group."
So this $16K car is relegated to driving at city-speeds? That's not a bit limiting? BTW, I would imagine, the majority of this country drives at over 70MPH (it's the speed limit in many/most southern/western states)
Placing second-worst above a 4-year old Corolla (which performs poor) in handling is abysmal in my mind. I have an opinion, so shoot me. Somehow, I expected a "brand new" car touted by a company as one of the safest cars in its class to perform better. I guess i'm the only one.
BTW, you don't think describing the handling as "teetery-tippy" and the steering as "unnerving" isn't suggesting the car isn't the safest on the lot? After all, what does the Lane Change MPH test? Passanger comfort levels?
"it would be great to get all the safety features the nearly-$19k Mazda3s Touring has standard, but on an Elantra that sells for $2500 less!"
The Elantra Limited (while being equipped with leather) costs $19K loaded up and STILL doesn't even offer any safety systems a Rabbit or Mazda3 makes standard. Where is Hyundai's commitment to safety?
C/D talked about the Elantra being "agile and trusty" at "metro-traffic" speeds. What does that mean? I drive within a large metro area about 95% of the time. Speeds are mainly between 30-65 mph. I'd have to drive a long ways to hit a road where I can legally go over 70 mph. So it's not a bit limiting, no. For people who drive those mountain canyon roads and/or 80 mph a lot, that would be limiting. For over-70 highway cruising, the Elantra AT would probably be a better fit, based on other reviews that noted lower rpms and less engine noise.
Don't you think that if C/D found the Elantra to be an unsafe car, in handling or lack of safety features, they would have mentioned that?
Why are you comparing a loaded Elantra Limited that has leather, moonroof, etc. to a Rabbit and Mazda3 that don't have that kind of equipment at near the same price? If you want a Hyundai for about the same price as a base Rabbit 5-door or Mazda3s and with comparable or better safety equipment (and also more power and lots more room), how about the Sonata GLS which lists at $17,295 after rebate and includes ABS with EBD, traction control, ESC, and active front head restraints standard?
So, one needs to sacrifice not having a manual because Hyundai can't seem to engineer the transmission to provide an unobtrusive highway ride? Lovely. Gives me great confidence for the rest of the car.
Judging by Autoweek's long term review of the Sonata, the car suffers from the same handling problems as the Elantra, not to mention other deficiencies. No thank you Hyundai. http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061023/FREE/61011003/1011/L- - - - ONGTERMTESTS
Anyway, what good is a manual transmission if the car's main mission is cruising on the highway?
Have you taken the Sonata on a long drive cross-country? I have. Seven hours behind the wheel and nearly 400 miles in one day. Very pleasant trip. But there were no mountains. I guess the people who travel a lot in the mountains need to buy a different brand.