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2009 Hyundai Elantra
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Comments
· Hyundai’s USB/iPod auxiliary inputs (Delayed availability)
· New audio system with larger display and improved XM Satellite Radio™ reception (Delayed availability)
· Improved instrument cluster design (Delayed availability)
· Enhanced suspensions (Delayed availability)
The 2009 GLS I saw recently looked exactly the same as the 2008, except the sticker. So no "improved instrument cluster design" for example. So I wonder when these features will be at cars at dealers?
Hyundai's Elantra Touring, a cheaper alternative to the Mazda3 hatchback, will go on sale in the near future with a base price of $18,495. As is the norm with Hyundai products, the list of standard features is seemingly endless, including remote keyless entry, air conditioning, steering wheel-mounted audio and cruise controls, cooled glove box, 172-watt AM/FM/CD/MP3/Satellite radio (with USB and auxiliary input jacks), and an eight-way adjustable driver's seat.
As for options, customers can order up a four-speed automatic transmission instead of the standard five-speed manual, and there's also a Premium Sport package which includes heated front seats, a sunroof, and seventeen-inch alloy wheels. The Elantra touring should be hitting dealerships within the coming months.
In a similar situation a few years ago, the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan received poor scores on the IIHS side impact crash tests. Ford took quick action to make some design changes, and as a result the cars got a Good score on the side impact tests after only a short delay, and those cars are now rated an IIHS Top Pick for 2009 because they have ESC available. It's really pretty sad that Hyundai could not take action like that to protect drivers of Elantras. Hyundai's executives should be ashamed of themselves.
I was looking very seriously at the Elantra for a car that I would drive for a few years and then turn over to my daughter for school. That will not happen now. I have not given up totally on Hyundai, e.g. the Sonata remains an alternative as it has relatively good crash test scores plus standard ESC. But no more Elantras for me until Hyundai improves its side crash protection. :mad:
The 2009 sonata isn't much better given that it's one of the few cars in the large midsize field that got less than "Good" in side impact.
FYI: the Fusion and Milan are IIHS top safety picks, something the Sonata, Elantra, Accent, and Tibby never have received.
Given the price of Elantras (even with discounts) are only a bit less expensive than far better cars, it makes little sense to purchase one right now.
I guess you didn't notice I already mentioned the Fusion and Milan are IIHS Top Picks. However, they still don't offer standard ESC as the Sonata has for 3-1/2 years.
Hyundai's larger vehicles, especially their large SUVs and minivans, seem to do quite well in crash tests. For some reason they have trouble on that with their smaller cars, i.e. Accent and Elantra. They'd better realize that kind of safety performance is no longer acceptable, or competitive, if they expect to sell many small cars in the future. With a mid-gen refresh due for the Elantra next year, perhaps it is something they will correct for the 2010 MY, similar to what they did to improve the 2004 Elantra's IIHS frontal crash test results from Poor (before 2004) to Good.
Back to the Elantra. If history is a guide, I wouldn't expect the Elantra to ever improve it's crash worthiness. For the past 8 years (since 2001) it's either been POOR or MARGINAL. (now to mention the POOR Driver Torso on the 2009).
The ratings still reflect that of the 2006 Sonata, it was not re-tested. Ditto on the 07 Elantra, not 09 - IIHS (and NHTSA) do not perform crash test for every vehicle every single model year.
And, if history was a guide, then you would have noticed the improvements of Hyundai vehicles, for the most part, in variety of categories, including safety.
Buying an Elantra in my mind doesn't make economic sense when a similarly equipped (and much safer) Corolla can be had for roughly the same price. Case in point, my neighbor recently purchased a loaded 2009 Corolla XLE Auto w/ ESC and alloys for $16.8K after rebates. The Elantra he priced was actually a bit more money comparably equipped.
IIHS:
Elantra overall ratings:
Front: 2001-03 (Poor); 2004-2006 (Good); 2007-current (Good)
Side: 2001-06 (Poor); 2007-current (Marginal)
Rear: 2001-06 (Poor); 2007-current (Average)
Granted, still a lot of room for improvment, but you were saying "haven't seen much in the way of improvement" - come again?
As for the Accent, it was first tested in 2006, and the only time to date, in its current generation, so no comparisons can be made.
As for "improvement," when you start at the bottom of the barrel (POOR, POOR, POOR), any movement, even if to MARGINAL is "improvement." Though, in 8 years, I guess it's not unreasonable to expect a bit better. Lesser brands have, why not Hyundai.
I've already said there are room for improvement...
Of course, you don't expect the Elantra to improve, ever...
While the Elantra has improved in crash protection over the years, it is now uncompetitive in that area. Which is especially strange since Hyundai has touted safety for the Elantra and other models in its brochures and advertising for many years. Less talk and more action is what is needed by Hyundai on crash safety for the Elantra, IMO.
I don't think the Elantra is overpriced in today's market, since it has improved a lot over the years and offers mid-sized room for a compact price, but I do expect that for its higher asking price it be fully competitive with Civrollas et. al. on safety, fuel economy, and other key aspects. On crash safety at least, Elantra has fallen behind. I hope we don't have to wait for the next generation Elantra to improve in that area.
Actually, compared to the Elantra, the Sonata offers a much nicer car for about the same money after rebates and discounts, with more power, better safety (crash scores and standard ESC/traction), and more room without much of a fuel economy penalty. Probably why the Sonata has outsold the Elantra for much of the recent past.
One justification to buy an Elantra over a Corolla is if the buyer simply likes the Elantra more than the Corolla. That is not far fetched. I happen to prefer the Elantra over the Corolla, except for side impact crash safety of course. CR rated the Elantra over the Corolla also--although I expect they will take away the Elantra's
"Top Pick" designation now that the IIHS side impact crash test has been published.
Does it stack up better in side impact tests, by today's measures, than your '08 Elantra?
And while other makes have their problems spots, Hyundai has yet to ever produce a car (not truck or minivan) that received a "Good" side impact score. Pretty sad.
Fixed. Hyundai Genesis, for example, has not been tested by the IIHS. It has received 5 stars across the board on the government NHTSA test, including rollover rating, a rare thing on the passenger car line.
Just noticed 5 stars across the board occur less than IIHS top picks
Then you would be surprised, and the list is long (in Genesis's pricing range 33-42K, or more): BMW 3er, 5er, Z4, Cadillac CTS, DTS, STS, Chevy Corvette, Chrysler 300, Infiniti G35/G37, Jag X-Type, S-Type, Lexus IS, ES, Lincoln MKS, MKZ, MB C-Class, E-Class, Nissan 350Z, Saab 9-3, 9-5, Toyota Avalon, VW Passat, Volvo S40, S60...
And many others not listed, or not tested (almost all $60K+ models).
I digress...
You started with the line every Hyundai passenger car line produced have not received a "good" score in the IIHS side impact crash test. (By the way, this isn't a Hyundai criticize/bashing thread, this is a thread about the 2009 Hyundai Elantra and Elantra Touring.)
Anyway, I corrected you, as not every single passenger car model has been tested. I then pointed out the Hyundai Genesis, for example, aced the governmnet mandated NHTSA test, with 5/5/5/5/5 ratings.
You came back and said a car costs this much (not really that much relatively speaking) should have aced the test.
So I then listed out a partial but a long list of models (cars only) haven't aced the gov't crash standards (NHTSA), those models with similar pricing range, or more.
Interestingly enough, models having achieved 25 stars on the NHTSA government test, especially passenger cars, are a lot less the number of IIHS top picks.
This was never intended to be a comparison of the test standards especially since this isn't the place for something like that, so let's get back to the Elantra.
I got the call last week that the Touring was delayed until summer, then a few days later, got another call that one had just arrived at the local So. Cal. Dealer, so I went to see it and take if for a test drive this weekend.
It was a loaded model with all the options, and was very sporty looking. It drove as expected, with a little bit stiffer suspension than the sedan, but better driver response and road feel. The acceleration was good though not a neck snapper, but the cool sounding, throaty exhaust, almost made up for it.
Comfy seats, with lumbar on driver’s side. Dash and interior was nice and quiet.
I wonder if the side crash safety test has been done on this car, separate from the Elantra sedan. I would be very curious to see if they were rated the same.
The shipments have started and will start trickling into dealers on the west coast over the next few months according to the lot manager.
I was tempted to buy it and have the first Touring to be seen on the roads (around here) but the color was a slick metallic charcoal grey, almost black, nice, but that’s not going to work for me on a hot summer day in So. Cal. so no sale.
Sticker price was $20,900 with the $1,500 sport option package included. I have no idea what a negotiated price, with the discounts and incentives would be, didn’t get that far.