Hyundai Elantra 5-door

iowaelantra · September 2005

you apparently get everything standard except maybe the auto tranny. When I did the build and price it was for a GT 5 door with AT. There was nothing in the options lists except for things like sunroof wind deflector, carpeted or rubber floor mats, locking lug nuts, winter wipers, block heater, side sills, rear spoiler, nose mask, touchup paint, emergency kit, etc, etc, etc. No major items whatsoever in the options list. It seems it is just coming with everything on it standard, so I'm sure the MSRP is going up, also. Wonder if the US will be along the same lines as Canada???? The only thing that would bother me, if US is similar to Canada, would be having to pay extra for a color other than black or white. Guess we will just have to wait and see what happens. I know Hyundai has done things a little different in Canada than they have here, so will be interesting to see what shakes out.

nortsr1 · September 2005

I just read about 250,000 Elantras are being recalled...something to do with the passenger front seat air bag..

smith20 · September 2005

Check the Elantra problem and solutions thread . . . there's a discussion about this recall over there.

tjm1957 · September 2005

I had to replace the battery in my 2001.5 GT yesterday after almost 4 years of
Chicago weather and a little over 50K miles, which sounds about average from what I've read in this forum. I had also read the Consumer Reports
article about the Advanced Auto Silver 24-5, but was told that the GT uses a Battery Group Size 47, a size not reviewed in the CR article.
I ended up buying a Sears Diehard International for 99 bucks because I'd run out of
research time and had to get the car running. Has anyone been able to use a standard Group 24 replacement battery (without mods) ?

5port · September 2005

My GT is the same age (2001.5) and I'm going to replace the batt before the snow falls. A little research shows there are only two good choices:

1) Sears Diehard International $99.99

2) Interstate Mega-tron $89.99

For $10 more I'm going for the Diehard as you did. Thanks for the info.

doohickie · September 2005

But Hyundai seems to be lengthening its product cycles--the Accent was replaced after six years, and the Sonata after 6-1/2 years.

It makes perfect sense if you think about it: Hyundai is trying to improve their quality reputation, right? When is quality the worst? When a new model is introduced and all the bugs are being worked out. And if they are purposely spending an extra year on the new design to work out the kinks, maybe the new Elantra won't have the quality hit usually associated with new models. Heck, if it is really just a variant of the new Kia Spectra, they can let Kia take the quality hit while they protect the main Hyundai brand. (That would explain why the Spectra was all new as a 2004.5 model while the Elantra gets the redesign 2+ years later.)

I don't see a six year design cycle as a bad thing, necessarily. If they plan for mid-cycle updates (like the new grill the Elantra got in... 04, was it?), you can keep the design fresh a bit longer.

dovid2 · September 2005

I don't think they still do it, but the first year's hit used to stay in South Korea, as they got the new models a year before we did. I was just remembering the previous Elantra, which was refreshed for 99 and 2000 and redone in 2001. So I figured this one was refreshed for 04 and 05 and would be redone for 2006. And I thought I had heard the 06 would be totally new. Obviously not.

doohickie · September 2005

New in 07. Like I said, though, it may be that the new models are available in the U.S. as Kias (Spectra == Elantra, more or less).

backy · September 2005

It could be that the '07 Elantra will be a completely different car than the Spectra (e.g. bigger, different platform), due to Hyundai/Kia's strategy to increase the brand differentiation. I haven't seen anything saying that the new Elantra will be a re-skinned Spectra, but maybe it will be. The Elantra may at least have different engines than the Spectra--unless Kia changes those too.

doohickie · September 2005

I saw a spy photo claiming to be the new Elantra hatch and it looked very much like the Spectra5.

zoomzoomitis · September 2005

FWIW, in my trip over to my local Hyundai dealer yesterday, the sales guy (very briefly!) showed me a brochure of the '06 lineup that included the '06 Elantra. Just got a glimpse and nothing more but the grill definitely looked significantly different than the current model. Makes one wonder why they won't release ANY info on these upcoming cars.

backy · September 2005

You could ask the same question about other manufacturers, such as Honda. They are extremely tight-lipped about their new models. Maybe Hyundai is trying to emulate more than just Honda's product quality.

gtovrit · October 2005

Long time no check...
My car was made in July 2001, and it's a 2002 model, so your car is probably covered. A recall like this should have nothing to do with the number of miles on the car.

masondc · October 2005

I need a gear shift lock -- something that will 100% prevent would-be robbers/towers from shifting the gear out of Park. Does such a thing exist that will fit the 2001 GT (Automatic)?

Thanks in advance.

audiogirl · November 2005

HI- I'm new to this forum. I own a new '06 Sonata. The problem is- I do not love the car. I was replacing a 10 year old Honda Accord sedan that I loved. I had done all my research on the Elantra GT and was set to purchase if I liked the test drive. I did.. but I also liked the look and feel of the new Sonata, and the dealer offered such a great deal, that I bought the Sonata.
Now, 2 months later, I wish I had the Elantra GT because it is the good looking, sporty car I had been looking for.
Does anyone have experience with both cars and can give me a pro vs. con between the models? I am actually thinking of trading in or selling independently to get something different. Thanks for the help.

smith20 · November 2005

I have an '04 Elantra GT and I enjoy it very much. However, how do you know that you won't have buyer's remorse if you do in fact get the Elantra GT. When it came time for you to plunk down the money two months ago, for some reason you chose to go with the Sonata so at that time it was the more appealing car.

I'm not trying to be critical, I just want to point this out because it will certainly cost you a few thousand dollars if you decide to trade in after a few months and you should be sure that switching to the Elantra is going to be worth a few thousand dollars to you compared to sticking with the Sonata. Furthermore if you do switch to the Elantra and it isn't what you think it's going to be, you'll be a few thousand dollars poorer and feeling the same way.

Even though I own an Elantra, I have my eye on a Sonata and wonder what it's like to own that car, which is just the opposite of you. So this could be a "grass is greener on the other side of the fence" situation.

audiogirl · November 2005

Smith 20-
I think that you are the same nice person who responded to my MPG question over on the Sonata site.
I am not sure if I would love the Elantra GT- that is why I asked for feedback from owners.
BTW- I think the Sonata is a great car- truly an acceptional value. It is very well equipped, super quiet, and extremely roomy on the inside. My only issue is that the steering wheel is too far away for my arms to be comfortable, no matter how I adjust the seat, unless I want my knees crammed into the dash.
This is a relatively small issue.
The sportiness is what I miss.

backy · November 2005

Driver's comfort is very important. That's one of the things I like most about the Elantra--its driving position.

Before you decide, ask your dealer if you could take a GT on an extended test drive. Many dealers use Elantras as loaners--I got a GT 4-door this fall for a loaner. So maybe you could even rent one for a weekend. That will help you decide if you really like the GT enough to trade in the Sonata.

You might want to wait a few weeks to trade the Sonata for the Elantra, if you decide to go that route. Rebates on the Elantra are at their lowest point in years. They are bound to go up--not guaranteed, but with year-end coming and also the all-new Elantra out next year, I think rebates on the Elantra are bound to increase. So you might at least wait until the year-end. The other good news is that if there is an owner's loyalty rebate on the Elantra, you would qualify for it! And of course the extra good news is that since the Sonata costs more than the Elantra, you shouldn't have much cash out of pocket in a trade and maybe can walk out with a little cash, depending on the rebate situation.

inharmsway · November 2005

I rented an Elantra (GLS) on a two week vacation, liked it so much I bought one (GT). That might work for you. I rent cars all the time just to try them out.
Niels

smith20 · November 2005

Well comfort is certainly very important, and from what I have seen/read it seems like Hyundai actually took a step backwards on the seat comfort on the Sonata. I think the dual knob adjuster, such as you will find on an Elantra, is very effective for adjusting the driver seat into a comfortable position.

One thing you might want to consider is that the Elantra is in its final year of the current generation and will be completely redesigned for the 2007 model year. Perhaps if you could wait a year you might be able to get more of the car you desire with more advanced features and technology as is found in your Sonata. Just a thought of another option you might want to consider.

But as for my experience with my Elantra GT . . . I enjoy it very much . . . so much that it has motivated me to stick around on the Edmunds message boards long after we purchased the car so that I can tell other people about what a good car the Elantra is and what a good company Hyundai is.

doohickie · November 2005

Ditto what smith20 said!

Finance-wise, though, you are bound to take a bath if you get rid of the Sonata now. The one knock against Hyundais is resale value. You are in the worst part of that dip right now. I think you need to learn to like your Sonata for a couple years at least.

audiogirl · November 2005

For now,
I have decided to do exactly that- learn to love the Sonata. It is a very nice car- it has more standard features at the base model than the Accord or the Camry- beat both out in the consumer reports for the 06 models- and it drives beautifully. It really shines on the freeway- where it is the smoothest and quietest car I have ever driven. I will have to be careful not to get a ticket-it rides at 80MPH as if it were at 65...
I bought my base model Sonata for 15k. That is well under what I could have gotten one of the competitors for. Having said that- I have decided I don't want to give up any of that great value by trading in or selling the car.
For anyone else who is worried about the arm/steering wheel comfort issue- if you upgrade beyond the base model, it has a telescoping wheel and more adjustable seats. Maybe that would solve the problem!
Thanks for all the great feedback.

backy · November 2005

Good decision.

BTW, only the top-line LX has the telescopic wheel and power seat standard. The GLS has the power seat available as an option, but no telescopic wheel.

backy · November 2005

Took the Elantra GT in for its 15k service yesterday, and took care of a few other little things at the same time. The good news was the bill came out to $67, and that included about $25 for changing both license plate bulbs (yeah, I know, but I was in a hurry and it's cold out there now). I also had a coupon for a free oil change. Their standard fee for a 15k service is $169.95. I pulled out my trusty warranty booklet and went down the list and asked why an oil change, air filter change, and a few inspections was so much. Also, my coupon said "oil/filter change and 15-point inspection." There were about 7-8 inspections in the warranty book. They said these inspections were different. :surprise: So finally the service writer gave up, and said, "We can do the inspections for $89.95." He must have finally decided to honor my coupon, because the total wasn't $90 even with the air filter and the bulb changes. At the same time, they did the OCS reprogramming on the passenger seat (even though I really didn't have a problem with it, better safe than sorry) and replaced the multi-box under warranty (I think my DW broke it, but I'll take a new free part any day). They were also supposed to replace the driver's sun visor under warranty (a tiny rip in the plastic near the hinge, and the door on the mirror broke off, again I think with some abuse by my DW), but they had ordered the passenger-side visor instead, so they had to re-order it. Best thing was, they had me in and out in about an hour--just enough time to check Town Hall and read the '06 Azera and Accent brochures.

One thing bugged me though... when I bought the car 20 months ago, I noticed that there was no illumination in the shift console. I thought that was odd, even though the gear status is shown on the dash, so I asked in this discussion if anyone could verify whether there was supposed to be a lamp there. No one replied, and I kind of forgot about it until last summer, when I drove an Elantra GT loaner and noticed the shift console was illuminated! So I told the service writer about it and asked them to fix it under warranty. He said, "No, can't do that--it's over one year, and light bulbs are only covered for one year." I explained that it was this way since I bought the car, but no dice. Oh well. If I have some time on my hands, I might write a letter to Hyundai Customer Support with the sob story ("I own two Elantras, might buy another Hyundai in a few months, have this light bulb that never worked, do you think you could fix it for me" etc.).

doohickie · November 2005

and replaced the multi-box under warranty

multi-box? Are you referring to the center console?

Also, with respect to the center console lights: First of all, check to see if there is a separate fuse for that. (I bet not, but it's worth a look since it would be easy to fix.) Then, if you're adventurous, you may want to remove some of the trim around the shifter and check the bulb. Once in there, should be an easy fix. Who knows? It could turn out that the harness isn't there cuz they put the manual harness in that area, and then it WOULD be covered under warranty (missing component).

A whold other direction would be to do what I've heard other people have done: get a leather shift boot and put in over your auto shifter; after all, the gear indicator is in the dash anyway, right?

Good luck.

backy · December 2005

By multi-box I mean the little pull-out box to the lower left of the steering wheel.

I suspect if the bulb in the shifter were controlled by a separate fuse, the service writer would have said "no problem, we'll look at it". I think he envisioned tearing apart the shifter housing. Which I don't want to get into--I am not that adventurous, especially now that high temperatures are in the teens. But the fuse thing is worth a look. As for a shifter boot, no thanks. If I buy any new parts my first priority is a short-throw shifter for my '01 GLS.

As for warranty, it should be covered under warranty, PERIOD. The thing has never worked. When I told them about the fact that there was no warning light or beep when the driver's seatbelt is unfastened on my '01 GLS, more than four years after buying the car, they didn't say, "Sorry, it's out of warranty." They checked it and fixed it. That too had been a problem since the car was new--it was just an unlatched connector, which I suspect happened when they did a pre-delivery recall on the side airbag wiring.

doohickie · December 2005

Try sweet-taliking them... long time repeat customer, etc. I bet that'll work. But why did you wait so long to begin with?

backy · December 2005

Because since no one here replied to two queries on this, I figured there was not supposed to be a light in the console. I only learned after the warranty expired that there really should be a light there. And it's not like the wheels were fallling off the thing, so it wasn't a big priority for me--not with 3 kids and a 80-hour-a-week job.

doohickie · December 2005

I'm guessing that is because I wasn't posting here yet. I joined late this summer before I bought. In fact, you were a big part of the reason I looked closely at the Elantra.

backy · December 2005

Yes, I am sure you would have replied. Oh well, I've lived with it this long; it was more their attitude about it than the problem itself. At least I got the multi-box and the sun visor fixed for free. Those license plate bulbs didn't last long, however. I've had two burn out on my '01 Elantra also, but it took almost five years for those to go.

1racefan · December 2005

My light bulb story....
Last November ('04), my wife goes to the dealer for her state inspection. License plate bulb, and a side marker light are out. They replaced them there for her (she did pay), so the car would pass inspection. I made a note as to which ones were replaced.

3 weeks later, the same 2 bulbs go out again. I told her to run it by the dealer to have them check to see if something was fishy. She tells me they just replaced the bulbs (for free) and sent her on her way.

A month later, the same 2 bulbs, and a headlight go out. I had her take it back to the dealer, and this time asked her to put me on the phone with the service advisor once she got there. I asked him to check the electrical system, and the alternator (in case it was spikeing or something). He goes into a dissertation with me about how the bulbs they use are bottom of the barrel bulbs, but he had some "higher quality" ones that he would use (for free - including the headlight) and that there should be no problems with the electrical system. I told him that if he was sure that would solve the problem, than I would take his word, but it was becoming an annoyance to stop by there every couple of weeks for bulbs. My wife said she went to the waiting area, and sat there for a while this time. They then told her the car was ready, and the paperwork she was given only mentioned bulbs being replaced...no diagnostic work. Well it has been over a year now, and no other bulbs have gone out (knock on wood). Don't know if the bulb story was correct, or if they actually corrected something with the electrical system???

jlflemmons · December 2005

Seeing as all incandescent bulbs are made much the same way, I will relay this episode I had with household bulbs. Found a great sale on Phillips 60W soft white bulbs. Bought a dozen of them. Not a one lasted more than a month. Replaced each location with a GE bulb, 60W. Same lumens. None have burned out in almost a year. The Phillips bulbs were very sensitive to any movement while burning. Bump the desk with a lamp on it and pop went the bulb.

Back when I worked parts I found that most auto bulbs other than headlamps were actually rated for 13-15 volts. Especially dash bulbs which are a pain to change.

jlflemmons · December 2005

Backy, You must be having the same issues with mental-pause as I do. Go to the problem and solutions forum from Dec '04, long about message 1281.

"Back a ways someone asked if the console gear selection indicator was illuminated. On an '05 GT, yes it is."

Thought that conversation seemed familiar!

backy · December 2005

In Dec. '04 I was in crisis mode at work, so that is why I missed it probably.

jlflemmons · December 2005

is there any other mode???

backy · December 2005

Not lately.

ksmith66 · December 2005

I have 130,000 on my 2001 Elantra. I recently took it in to get the clutch and timing belt replaced, now it runs like crap below 2,500 rpm. The repair shop is telling me that it is the manifold. Doesn't make sense though, because if the manifold were leaking the loss of power would be noticible at any speed. Is there any mileage requirements for Campaign V04? If I take it in to the dealership will they replace it with 130,000 miles?

backy · December 2005

The V04 campaign for the exhaust manifold is for 10 years and unlimited miles.

ksmith66 · December 2005

Thank you!

ksmith66 · December 2005

I have another problem now. I recently took my Elantra in to have the clutch and timing belt replaced. When I got it back it ran fine except for an annoying clicking sound so i took it back to the repair shop the same day. They said there was a lose camshaft gear retaining bolt that caused the gear locating pin to be damaged and needed to be replaced. They said it was their fault and would replace at no cost to us. Two weeks later I finally get my car back and now it runs like crap below 2,500 RPM. If I rev it up before taking off and keep up the RPM's there is no problem, but anything under that it runs like a dog. They are trying to tell me it's the cracked manifold that are causing the problem. When I told them it was covered by this recall, they said to have the dealer fix it and if it still runs bad then they will try to find the problem. The problem is, the dealer will not fix the manifold and give the car back to me running the way it is now and wants the repair shop to fix their problem or they will charge me to fix it when they replace the manifold.

wonderwall · December 2005

just bought a 2005 elantra gls 5 door and i love it. an idiot college kid in his mom's buick park avenue ran a red light and totalled my dearly beloved mazda protege 5 over thanksgiving weekend. the mazda did well-- my wife who was sitting in the passenger seat walked away with bruised ribs and a small cut over her eyelid even though the jerk was going over 50 mph-- but there was just enough frame damage that the insurance company decided to total it out. i wanted to buy another mazda, but protege 5s are going for essentially what i talked the dealer into selling it to me for in 2003. i went to hyundai dealer with every intention of buying an accent (we're both going to grad school soon), but drove the elantra and discovered it was twice the car for just about $1000 more. paid right at $13,000 for a GLS hatchback (will never have another car with a trunk on it) and the dealer through in a 10 disc CD changer as that was my only objection with the car.

i've had it a week so far. 23 MPG, but i hope this will improve as the engine breaks in. it doesn't handle as sharply as the mazda, but the ride quality is better. it feels more like a luxury car whereas the mazda felt more sporty. the one thing is matches the mazda in is that the steering is firm; i feel very weird in toyotas or american cars with their loose steering feel. my wife says that the hyundai feels more adult. the seats really are my favorite feature of the car; they feel a lot like a volvo or SAAB's seats. the cargo area is very spacious as is the car generally. i am a pretty small guy in both height and weight and it took me longer to find a good driving position than it did with the mazda. the auto trans shifts very smoothly and it does go into a higher gear more quickly than the mazda and so the RPMs are lower and it feels a little more sluggish though not enough to put me off (and not like the overpriced honda civic i test drove). the fit & finish is excellent and the material quality looks very good to me.

the elantra looks like a little SAAB and i like that. i've always admired SAABs (yes, i wear black turtlenecks and smoke a pipe), but don't have the $$$ for upkeep or the time for hanging out in repair shops.

everyone i've told about the car initially was skeptical and once they drove it they were extremely surprised at how far hyundai has come.

my wife is totally sold on hyundais and says when her honda civic is ready for replacement and we've got our master's degrees in hand, she's going for a hyundai.

in the interim, i had a kia optima rental, which i HATED despite it's excellent acceleration. i called it the kia lesabre.

in summary, i mourn for my lithe little mazda, but i celebrate my stealthly refined hyundai.

jlflemmons · December 2005

I am sure you will love your Elantra, and yes, the mileage does improve after a couple of thousand miles.

Read back through the Elantra discussions and you will find that with the addition of the 19mm rear stabilizer bar from a 2003 Tiburon in place of the 14.2mm stock bar your little Elantra will handle even better than the Protoge with the same good ride.

I did mine about three weeks ago and consider it one of the best mods I have ever done to a car. Major difference in handling.

Jim

doohickie · December 2005

I second putting the Tibby sway bar on. If you buy it new at the dealer, it's a little over $100, including the bushings required for the larger diameter bar. The Elantra comes with "plastic" (I think fiberglass actually) end links, and some people like to install the metal end links that Hyundai paired with the 03 Tibby GT 19 mm rear sway bar.

It won't make it handle like a Mazda, but it will have a noticeably better road feel while still retaining the smooth ride.

If you decide to go for the upgraded sway bar, you need to tell the parts department at the dealer the following:

Quantity required- 1: 55511-2C000 BAR-RR STA (rear stabilizer bar for 03 Tiburon GT- must have a GREEN MARK)
Quantity required- 2: 55513-2C110 BUSH-STABI (rear stabilizer bar bushings for 03 Tiburon GT)

Note that Hyundai denotes the sway bar diameter with either a green (19 mm) or yellow (18 mm) splotch of paint about halfway down the bar. I ordered the part number for the 19 mm bar above, but it had the yellow mark and was only 18 mm. Once I realized the mistake I took it back to the dealer and they ordered the new part. Just to be safe, they ordered both part numbers (for the 18 and 19 mm bars), and the second time, BOTH had green marks. The warehouse is not very careful about this.

If you want to buy the end links, you can get them at the dealer if you want, but you can get them for less at auto parts stores; ask for TRW part number 18343 and/or Moog part number K90360 (quantity required- 2). In both cases, the parts are actually made by Moog. I paid less than $25 for a pair.

Changing out the bar takes about an hour and only requires common tools (socket & crescent wrenches, jack stands, and, to do it up right, a torque wrench). If you don't bother with the end links, it only takes about 15 minutes to put the new bar on, provided you can slide under the car without jacking it up.

If you have any questions, email me about it.

iowaelantra · December 2005

Hi backy, doohickie and others I've communicated with on this site. Well, my financing finally went through. About three weeks ago or so, my 1991 Ford Escort wagon caught fire and burned up. I had my 4 month old grandson in the car with me, but we bailed and both were ok but the Escort is now in Ford heaven. I live in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, but am visiting a friend in Council Bluffs, Iowa when I learned that money I was expecting had been deposited in my bank account. Along with that came the year end blow out at all the dealers around here. I decided to check out a dealer here in Council Bluffs. I was treated like royalty. Everyone was friendly and helpful. I ended up walking away with a new 2005 Elantra GLS with the 03 package, which gives me the basics that I wanted. The price we finally settled on was 12,700. Whether it was a good move or not, I opted to go with the extra 10 year, 100,000 mile no deductible warranty(since I'll probably drive this one til the wheels fall off). The business manager stated that with that warranty if something like the AC should up and die I'm covered for it at no charge. Since I was the very last sale of 2005, they cut me a break on the price of the warranty, or so they said. They said it was usually 1,300 but offered it to me for 945. Bottom line, by the time they added Iowa sales tax, documentation fees, title, registration, etc., my out the door price was 14,500. I took the car for a short spin when I left the dealer, and, so far, I love it. I checked the Edmunds pricing guide, and it showed that people in my area are paying about 13,600 for this same model, so I feel 12,700 was a pretty good deal. I guess you guys can clue me in on whether you think I got at least a decent deal. I paid cash for the car, so I don't have to worry about car payments and interest. I'm so pumped right now I feel like I want to go sleep in it tonight. LOL. I originally had my sights set on a GT with sunroof etc. in Tidal blue, but ended up with no sunroof and Sterling for the color. I'm not complaining, though. This particular car gives me all the essentials that I really wanted, and I'll get used to the color. I was sooooo tired of driving around in cars that were falling apart around me, so I feel like a kid with a new toy. YAHOO.

iowaelantra · December 2005

It was the five door. I love it.

backy · December 2005

Congrats on the new car--great way to usher in a new year! I think you will learn to like the color. The dark colors may look good when clean and new, but I and others have found they tend to show scratches more easily, and silver doesn't show dirt and salt spray as much as a darker color. I think my next car will be silver. I already have a champagne Elantra (and a rally red one) and I really like the champagne color, but time for something different. (I like red too, but the champagne car's paint still looks new after 5+ years and the red car isn't 2 yet and looks worse).

P.S. My DW often refers to Pintos as "Ford Firebirds". Now I know there is another Ford that warrants that moniker.

Glad you and your grandson were not hurt. This same thing happened to me when I was 4 and my Dad's Ford, a pretty new one, caught fire with my entire family in it. That was the only Ford he ever bought. I don't wonder why.

jlflemmons · January 2006

That does sound like a good deal. And the BTB warranty for 10 years/ 100K miles is a good price, too.

Congrats on the new wheels!

jim

doohickie · January 2006

So, does your interior look like this?

If so, you got a pretty rare (and imho sweet) interior- it's kind of the non-GT sport interior. I got that with my red GLS.

backy · January 2006

I have been wondering if that special cloth was carried over to the grey interior for '06--I haven't seen a '06 yet. It would be one of the big reasons I'd get a GLS 5-door vs. the sedan. Otherwise I don't see the value in the markup over the sedan ($400 for the rear door and some suspension tuning? C'mon...) The tan interior on the 5-door has the same cloth as the GLS sedan. I thought it was odd that Hyundai would put a special cloth into just some GLS 5-doors, rather than use the same cloth as the sedan all around.

w9cw · January 2006

I just saw a new 2006 GLS 5-door at the local Hyundai dealer yesterday. It was in Tidal Wave Blue, and had the special grey cloth interior. It appears to be either dark gray or black in color with the inserts on the seat a different shade with some multi-color hues in it. It doesn't match the color of the trim on the doors. Personally, I would prefer Hyundai to carry over the dark gray cloth interior from the GLS sedan - this is just one person's opinion of course.

I think "somebody" is going to be given a very strong talk at that dealer when they return from the Holiday break. The passenger side front window was about 3/4 of the way down - and we've had quite a bit of rain. It's amazing what you see at some car dealers - windows down, cars unlocked, etc. I guess they don't do much double-checking before they close the doors and go home.

Hyundai Elantra 5-door

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