MM Review: 2011/2012 Hyundai Elantra Sedan
06-03-11, 09:38 AM
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MM Review: 2011/2012 Hyundai Elantra Sedan
By general CL interest, a condensed-review of the 2011/2012 Hyundai Elantra.
http://www.hyundaiusa.com/elantra/
IN A NUTSHELL: Money well-spent by inexpensive compact-car standards, especially for the GLS version.
(Two-Tone Interior)
Though I haven't gotten much in the way of actual review requests for the new Elantra, I decided to go ahead and give it at least a shorter condensed-review anyway, as a number of CL members, in the CAR CHAT forum, have commented on their high opinion of the car. Comments in auto-test magazines and Consumer Reports have also been generally positive, and there is little question that the Elantra is enjoying growing sales, popularity, and acceptance by the public.
That growing acceptance, though, of not only the Elantra, but other Hyundai/Kia products, only came after a number of years in the late 1980s and 1990s when the company had a deserved reputation for low quality and poor enginering. In fact, the first Hyundai models sold in the U.S., such as the Excel and Scoupe, were actually rebadged Mitsubishi Precis models....Hyundai, at first, did not even design and build their own engines until a few years later. The Elantra model was first introduced as a low-cost compact intended to compete with the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Mazda GLC/323, and Nissan Sentra. It sold well, at first, on its low price, but a number of buyers were turned off by the rather poor quality and indifferent customer-service. Finally, the company, in the late 1990s, decided to get serious about quality. The rest, of course, is history. I don't have to go into it in great detail here....Hyundai's vast improvement in vehicle quality after 2000 is well-documented.
For 2011, the all-new Elentra, in the 4-door sedan versions, comes in two trim levels....GLS and Limited. Both use a 1.8L in-line 4 that is certified for both ULEV and PZEV emissions-levels, with 148 HP (slightly less for PZEV) and 131 ft-lbs. of torque. The GLS comes with a choice of a conventional 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed Shift-Tronic automatic, while the Limited has only the automatic. There is a rather wide price differential ($14,945 and $20,195) between the two trim levels, At first, this makes the substantially cheaper GLS look like a more-attractive buy on the surface, but the $14,945 is for the manual-transmission. One must pay a more-than-average $2250 extra for the automatic (and the other standard-equipment in that package) on the GLS, making its real base-price $17,195. So, as most people would probably choose the automatic, this makes its real base-price over 17K. The automatic also has the same EPA mileage-ratings as the manual (up to a superb 40 MPG on the highway), so the extra money for the automatic-package might be worth it for that reason alone....besides the obvious advantage of not having to shift manually in heavy traffic. But, either way, IMO, what I said in the "IN A NUTSHELL" comment above stands.......I think this car is money well-spent.
One thing about the marketing of the new Elantra series that I like is that Hyundai decided to keep the versatile, space-efficient 5-door Elantra-Touring-Wagon in production, though that version is still done on the old Elantra platform, and doesn't benefit from the latest engineering on the new ones. Still, it has a nicely-done interior layout, with simple controls, a conservative squared-off rear-hatchline for space-efficiency, and doesn't have the aggressive, in-your-face styling of the new sedan series (more on that below). I'm not going to go into the old wagon version in much detail, as the all-new Elantra sedan is the theme of this review, but, for those who are interested in the wagon, I'll post the Hyundai web-site link:
http://www.hyundaiusa.com/vehicles/2...antra-touring/
At the Hyundai shop I was at today, there were only about a half-dozen or so Elantras in stock, including a couple of the Touring Wagons....and only one manual-transmission model. New Elantras are selling quickly, as the car's long warranty, good write-ups in the auto press, and 40-MPG highway mileage seem to be attracting customers in this day of high gas prices. A couple of the all-new 2011-models were left (I had intended to review a 2011), but, since there were also some new 2012 models on the lot, I picked out a 2012 GLS automatic sedan for the review. The 2012 model is virtually identical to the 2011 except for a slight price increase of a couple of hundered dollars, some slight differences in standard equipment, and a $10 increase in the destination/freight charge to $760. Despite the more than $2000 between the automatic and manual, I still think most Elantra buyers will choose the automatic, so that's what I also picked out. The GLS automatics in stock generally listed in the 18-19K range.....my brand-new 2012 was $19,150.
Despite some minor complaints and irritants, I was generally pleased wth this car, and enjoyed the review. Like with all the vehicles I review, I found a list of plusses and minuses, but it is clear that Hyundai is not ripping people off with this car...it is generally money well-spent. Some of you, in CL, may be considering a new Elantra as a commuter-car for yourselves, or as a first-car for your son or daughter going off to college. So, here are the details.....read on.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2011 Hyundai Elantra GLS Automatic 4-door sedan.
BASE PRICE: $17,445
OPTIONS:
Preferred Package (includes alloy wheels and some electronic/audio gear): $600
Carpeted Floor Mats: $95
Accessories (I-Pod, Wheel-Locks, Roadside-Emergency-Kit, Rear-Bumper Applique, Cargo Net): $250
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $760 (about average)
LIST PRICE: $19,150
DRIVETRAIN: FWD, Transversely-mounted, ULEV/PZEV 1.8L in-line 4, 148 HP @ 6500 RPM, Torque, 131 Ft-lbs. @ 4700 RPM, 6-speed Shift-Tronic automatic transmission.
EPA MILEAGE RATING: (Manual/Automatic) 29 City / 40 Highway / 33 Combined.
EXTERIOR COLOR: Midnight Black
INTERIOR: Gray Cloth
PLUSSES:
Long Hyundai 10/100 and 5/60 mileage warranty.
Good reliability record of previous versions.
Hyundai Trade-in Value Program (for purchases, not leases).
Superb 40-MPG-highway gas-mileage for both automatic and manual versions.
Versatile 5-door wagon version kept, though on the old Elantra platform.
Relatively smooth/refined (but not quiet) 1.8L four.
Smoooth-shifting 6-speed automatic transmission.
Slick shifter-action despite the annoying ziz-zag pattern.
Low wind noise.
Low road/tire noise for a compact.
Moderately quick steering-response.
Flat cornering by non-sports-car standards.
Well-done brakes and brake-pedal feel.
Generally good underhood layout, except for plastic engine-cover.
Eight decent exterior paint-colors offered.
Well-done paint jobs, especially the Titanium Gray Metallic.
Slick-operating, easy-fold outside mirrors.
Nicely-done interior trim in both GLS and Limited.
Good interior hardware.
Well-designed, easy-to-use controls/buttons/stalks.
Smooth-working manual tilt/telescope steering-column.
Standard satellite radio (free for 3 months) unusual in this class.
Clear, well-done primary gauges.
VERY comfortable, form-fitting front seats.
Plush, velour-like seat cloth.
Well-finished trunk for an inexpensive compact.
Trunk-mounted remote rear-seat releases for loading convenience.
MINUSES:
Long Hyundai warranty only transferable, on resale, to an immediate-family member.
Automatic-package GLS substantially higher-cost than the manual-version (but still a reasonable price).
Controversial body-styling (subjective, but I was not a fan of it)
Engine adequate but no powerhouse.
Noticeable exhaust noise.
Plastic engine-cover hampers access.
Smallish trunk opening.
Somewhat tinny-closing doors.
Underhood manual prop-rod instead of struts/springs.
No body-side mouldings for parking-lot protection.
Fix-a-Flat tire-inflator instead of a spare tire.
Zig-zag transmisison shifter instead of fore/aft.
Cheapish sun-visor material.
Rather mediocre stereo-sound quality.
Tight rear headroom for tall people.
Somewhat tight rear legroom.
Brake pedal not ideally located for big feet.
Push-button engine start/stop restricted only to special-package Limited models.
Smallish, quirky, bar-graph fuel/engine-temperaure gauges.
Rather small, restrictive trunk-lid opening due to slanted-roofline.
EXTERIOR:
Walking up to the new Elantra, the general body shape/styling bears a strong resemblance to that of its bigger-brother Sonata, although the grille-shape is different. The front-end styling bears a little of the fish-face-look of the new Tucson, but not as pronounced (the Tucson, of course, is derived from the Elantra's platform). I myself am not a fan of this kind of styling, which, apparantly, is also going to be shared with the new Hyundai Accent as well, but I realize that is subjective, and opinions will differ on that.
The exterior sheet metal and doors are fairly solid-feeling, but the doors shut with a somewhat tinny sound/feel. All of the exterior trim is solid and well-attached. The twin side-mirrors are well-shaped and swivel/lock smoothly and easily. Eight exterior colors are offered.....mostly the usual shades, though I liked the Indigo Blue Pearl....a medium/dark blue-purple. The Elantra paint-jobs, in general, were quite well-done, though the Midnight Black showed some small traces of orange-peel.....it seems tough for a number of automakers to do black paint jobs without at least some orange peel. I don't normally care for silver/gray metallic colors, but the heavily-metallic-pattern Titanium Gray is superbly-done. Hyundai cost-cutters, like those of many other manufacturers, decided not to put on body-side mouldings to protect against parking-lot dings. My test-car had handsome alloy wheels, which, as part of the $600 Preferred Package, was, IMO, a good deal. The heavily-raked/slanted rear-roofline cut significantly into rear-seat headoom and ease of entry/exit for tall people, and also forced a small, restrictive trunk-lid opening......two of several reasons why I don't like this new body-styling.
UNDERHOOD:
Generally a good layout, though as one opens the fairly solid hood, he or she must fumble with a manual prop-rod instead of convenient struts or springs. The 1.8L, transversely-mounted in-line four fits in pretty well, with a reasonable amount of room around the sides of the block to reach engine-components. I forgot to check, as I usually do, to see if there was an underhood-insulation pad. Unfortunately, a big black plastic engine-cover, on top, blocks most of the top-engine access. Many vehicles in this price-class don't have any engine-cover at all, but Hyundai decided to use one. Otherwise, though, underhood-access is pretty good. Dipsticks, filler-caps, and fluid-reseervoirs are generally easy to see and reach. And the battery, back slightly and to the right of the engine, has no covers and is easily-accessed.
INTERIOR:
The new Elantra's interior mimics that of the new Sonata to some extent. While I don't particularly care for the basic style of either one in their basic shapes, lines and angles, I was quite pleased with the interior trim-quality of the Elantra and the way that Hyundai designed the controls/*****/buttons for easy-use and clear visibility. The painted-silver plastic and chrome-plastic dash trim, somehow, even in an inexpensive car like this, managed to look much more pricey than it really was. The door-panels all had multi-color/tone, pleasant-looking, pleasant-feeling trim, and integrated door-pull bars for easy-closing. The front seats were extremely comfortable and form-fitting (even for big rumps/torsos like mine), though, like many Asian-designed cars, the bottom seat cushions were a little short for thigh-support. The cloth on the seats was very soft and plush-feeling, like the old velour seats of years ago (I wish more auto manufacturers did seat-fabric like that today). The upper-dash surface was attractive and had a nice padding. The steering-wheel was well-shaped, comfortable to hold, and the manual tilt/telescope mechanism for the column worked smoothly and easily......something that can't be said for a lot of manually-operated columns. All of the buttons/*****/stalks/levers were well-designed, clear and easy to use (my test-car was a non-NAV), and slick-feeling. The parking-brake, instead of an awkward left foot-pedal like other automakers are using more frequently these days, is a nice easy-to-use pull-up lever on the console. Headroom and legroom in the front seat, even with the low roofline (my test-car did not have a sunroof), was adequate for people my height (6' 2'). Best of all, there seems to be very little difference between the GLS and Limited interior (in both monotone and two-tone colors), even though the Limited model costs several thousand dollars more. But the Limited model, for that money, gives you both front and rear heated-leather seats....something that no other car in this class that I know of does.
As with any vehicle's interior, though, there are also a couple of flies in the ointment. The sun-visors are large, thick and effective, but are done in an unpleasant, hard, cheap-feeling material. The small video/bar-graph fuel and engine-temperature gauges between the primary-gauges are rather quirky....conventional analog ones, IMO, would be essier to read at a glance. The stereo controls are all easy to use, but the stereo sound itself is not particularly great...it's not the worst one I've seen, but you can tell it's not a Mark Levinson or Harmon-Kardon unit. Rear-legroom for tall people is not very good. And the Humpback-Whale/droop-down rear-roofline pays its price in rear headroom and ease of entry-exit for tall people.....automakers are going to have to learn, once again, to start putting function over form. Of course, the old-platform Elantra Touring Wagon, with its ultra-roomy rear end, solves some of those ergonomic problems.
CARGO AREA/TRUNK:
As I mentioned before, the low, sharply-raked rear-roofline not only impacts the rear-seat headroom, but also cuts significantly into the size and shape of the trunk lid, creating a smallish hole at the very rear-end of the car. There is room for regular-sized packages/bags and luggage to fit through the opening, but some big suitcases and other bulky cargo might be a problem......one more reason, IMO, to look at the still-available but outdated Elantra Touring Wagon if cargo-size is a priority. The trunk itself, once you get past the small, stuffy opening, is fairly roomy for the car's size, and is well-finished on the floor with a nice, plush-feeling grade of black carpeting. The substance used on the walls is not quite as plush, but still feels nice. A nice cargo-net (an accessory-option) helps hold up packages and bags. There is a nice trunk-mounted pull-release, at the very back, to drop the rear seat for added cargo space, a nice touch missing in even some more-expensive sedans. Under the floor, the bean-counters struck with a wallop....no spare tire of any kind at all, and only a tire-inflator kit.
ON THE ROAD:
Start up the small 1.8L four with a conventional ignition key and side-column-switch (only special-package Limited versions get a START/STOP engine button), and the four comes to life and idles smoothly and fairly refined. This engine, of course, with only 131 ft-lbs. of torque, and at a rather high 4700 RPM at that, is no powerhouse, but there's enough spunk for sensible, sedate, normal driving. But with a substantial load in the car, or on hilly terrain, the lack of power would be noticeable. Exhaust noise is also quite noticeable on acceleration....otherwise, the engine runs fairly quietly. Of course, the low power level helps with the excellent 40 MPG mileage rating on the highway....something to consider with the high price of both gasoline and hybrid-cars. The 18-22K Elantra, like its Ford Focus competitor, gives almost the same mileage as some more expensive hybrids in the same size-class.
Also helping out with the good mileage is the versatile, smooth-shifting 6-speed Shift-Tronic transmission. The lever has the often-seen (and, IMO, annoying) zig-zag primary-shift pattern, but the lever itself glides so smoothly and slickly that the zig-zag pattern is almost unnoticeable. Manual shifts can be done with the lever in the usual separate-gate, as there are no shift-paddles on the steering-column. The lever has a nice padded-vinyl grip to grasp it with.
The chassis is no BMW, but, nontheless, for an inexpensive compact car, is well-done. Steering response is moderately quick, and cornering shows surprisingly little lean or body-roll. The ride-comfort is reasonably good by small-car standards, but a little firmer than I like....sharp bumps are both noticeably felt and heard. Wind noise is very-well muted (almost to luxury-car standards), and I didn't notice much road/tire noise either, though I didn't get to sample it on quite as many different road-surfaces as I usually do.
The brakes were also very well-done, with a smooth, firm, effective German-sport-sedan feel to the brake pedal and almost no sponginess. The pedal's location, though, was, like on many vehicles I sample, a little too high and close to the brake pedal for big feet. My classic men's-size-15 clown-shoe tended to catch on the edge of the brake-pedal when lifting from gas to brake, unless I was careful to lift my foot straight up.
THE VERDICT:
Hyundai and Kia didn't get to where they are today by continuing to build junk like in the 80s and 90s, and the new Elantra is just one more example of the company's determination to build competitive, well-engineered vehicles at prices that equal or undercut the competition. I've already covered my objections to some of the new styling features that rob function for form, but, other than that, I'm very pleased with this car as an all-around inexpensive compact. Like the new Ford Focus competitor, it gives superb gas mileage in this age of empty-your-wallet gas prices, only with a noticeably smoother 6-speed automatic than the twin-clutch automanual in the Focus. Like the Chevy Cruze competitor, it offers a plush, rich-looking interior. Like the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic, it offers excellent build-quality and reliability.....though the 2011-2012 version, of course, is new and untested in the long-run. Its excellent brake pedal is smooth, firm, and doesn't have the excessive sponginess of the Corolla's brakes, though Toyota may (?) have addressed that issue on the latest Corolla). And, for those who need more cargo-space and rear-seat room, Hyundai (wisely) kept the old Touring Wagon available, though it is not as mechanically-advanced as the newer sedans.
So, folks, anyone who wants this car, especially as a daily-driver, or as a gift to their son/daughter, or for whatever reason, certainly has my recommendation. Yes, it has a few irritants, but what car doesn't? Your hard-earned $$$$$$$, IMO, are well-spent with this vehicle, especially in the GLS versions, and it brings some meaning to the old slogan that Hyundai used to use...........
.............DRIVING IS BELIEVING
And, as always.....Happy Car Shopping.
MM
http://www.hyundaiusa.com/elantra/
IN A NUTSHELL: Money well-spent by inexpensive compact-car standards, especially for the GLS version.
(Two-Tone Interior)
Though I haven't gotten much in the way of actual review requests for the new Elantra, I decided to go ahead and give it at least a shorter condensed-review anyway, as a number of CL members, in the CAR CHAT forum, have commented on their high opinion of the car. Comments in auto-test magazines and Consumer Reports have also been generally positive, and there is little question that the Elantra is enjoying growing sales, popularity, and acceptance by the public.
That growing acceptance, though, of not only the Elantra, but other Hyundai/Kia products, only came after a number of years in the late 1980s and 1990s when the company had a deserved reputation for low quality and poor enginering. In fact, the first Hyundai models sold in the U.S., such as the Excel and Scoupe, were actually rebadged Mitsubishi Precis models....Hyundai, at first, did not even design and build their own engines until a few years later. The Elantra model was first introduced as a low-cost compact intended to compete with the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Mazda GLC/323, and Nissan Sentra. It sold well, at first, on its low price, but a number of buyers were turned off by the rather poor quality and indifferent customer-service. Finally, the company, in the late 1990s, decided to get serious about quality. The rest, of course, is history. I don't have to go into it in great detail here....Hyundai's vast improvement in vehicle quality after 2000 is well-documented.
For 2011, the all-new Elentra, in the 4-door sedan versions, comes in two trim levels....GLS and Limited. Both use a 1.8L in-line 4 that is certified for both ULEV and PZEV emissions-levels, with 148 HP (slightly less for PZEV) and 131 ft-lbs. of torque. The GLS comes with a choice of a conventional 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed Shift-Tronic automatic, while the Limited has only the automatic. There is a rather wide price differential ($14,945 and $20,195) between the two trim levels, At first, this makes the substantially cheaper GLS look like a more-attractive buy on the surface, but the $14,945 is for the manual-transmission. One must pay a more-than-average $2250 extra for the automatic (and the other standard-equipment in that package) on the GLS, making its real base-price $17,195. So, as most people would probably choose the automatic, this makes its real base-price over 17K. The automatic also has the same EPA mileage-ratings as the manual (up to a superb 40 MPG on the highway), so the extra money for the automatic-package might be worth it for that reason alone....besides the obvious advantage of not having to shift manually in heavy traffic. But, either way, IMO, what I said in the "IN A NUTSHELL" comment above stands.......I think this car is money well-spent.
One thing about the marketing of the new Elantra series that I like is that Hyundai decided to keep the versatile, space-efficient 5-door Elantra-Touring-Wagon in production, though that version is still done on the old Elantra platform, and doesn't benefit from the latest engineering on the new ones. Still, it has a nicely-done interior layout, with simple controls, a conservative squared-off rear-hatchline for space-efficiency, and doesn't have the aggressive, in-your-face styling of the new sedan series (more on that below). I'm not going to go into the old wagon version in much detail, as the all-new Elantra sedan is the theme of this review, but, for those who are interested in the wagon, I'll post the Hyundai web-site link:
http://www.hyundaiusa.com/vehicles/2...antra-touring/
At the Hyundai shop I was at today, there were only about a half-dozen or so Elantras in stock, including a couple of the Touring Wagons....and only one manual-transmission model. New Elantras are selling quickly, as the car's long warranty, good write-ups in the auto press, and 40-MPG highway mileage seem to be attracting customers in this day of high gas prices. A couple of the all-new 2011-models were left (I had intended to review a 2011), but, since there were also some new 2012 models on the lot, I picked out a 2012 GLS automatic sedan for the review. The 2012 model is virtually identical to the 2011 except for a slight price increase of a couple of hundered dollars, some slight differences in standard equipment, and a $10 increase in the destination/freight charge to $760. Despite the more than $2000 between the automatic and manual, I still think most Elantra buyers will choose the automatic, so that's what I also picked out. The GLS automatics in stock generally listed in the 18-19K range.....my brand-new 2012 was $19,150.
Despite some minor complaints and irritants, I was generally pleased wth this car, and enjoyed the review. Like with all the vehicles I review, I found a list of plusses and minuses, but it is clear that Hyundai is not ripping people off with this car...it is generally money well-spent. Some of you, in CL, may be considering a new Elantra as a commuter-car for yourselves, or as a first-car for your son or daughter going off to college. So, here are the details.....read on.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2011 Hyundai Elantra GLS Automatic 4-door sedan.
BASE PRICE: $17,445
OPTIONS:
Preferred Package (includes alloy wheels and some electronic/audio gear): $600
Carpeted Floor Mats: $95
Accessories (I-Pod, Wheel-Locks, Roadside-Emergency-Kit, Rear-Bumper Applique, Cargo Net): $250
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $760 (about average)
LIST PRICE: $19,150
DRIVETRAIN: FWD, Transversely-mounted, ULEV/PZEV 1.8L in-line 4, 148 HP @ 6500 RPM, Torque, 131 Ft-lbs. @ 4700 RPM, 6-speed Shift-Tronic automatic transmission.
EPA MILEAGE RATING: (Manual/Automatic) 29 City / 40 Highway / 33 Combined.
EXTERIOR COLOR: Midnight Black
INTERIOR: Gray Cloth
PLUSSES:
Long Hyundai 10/100 and 5/60 mileage warranty.
Good reliability record of previous versions.
Hyundai Trade-in Value Program (for purchases, not leases).
Superb 40-MPG-highway gas-mileage for both automatic and manual versions.
Versatile 5-door wagon version kept, though on the old Elantra platform.
Relatively smooth/refined (but not quiet) 1.8L four.
Smoooth-shifting 6-speed automatic transmission.
Slick shifter-action despite the annoying ziz-zag pattern.
Low wind noise.
Low road/tire noise for a compact.
Moderately quick steering-response.
Flat cornering by non-sports-car standards.
Well-done brakes and brake-pedal feel.
Generally good underhood layout, except for plastic engine-cover.
Eight decent exterior paint-colors offered.
Well-done paint jobs, especially the Titanium Gray Metallic.
Slick-operating, easy-fold outside mirrors.
Nicely-done interior trim in both GLS and Limited.
Good interior hardware.
Well-designed, easy-to-use controls/buttons/stalks.
Smooth-working manual tilt/telescope steering-column.
Standard satellite radio (free for 3 months) unusual in this class.
Clear, well-done primary gauges.
VERY comfortable, form-fitting front seats.
Plush, velour-like seat cloth.
Well-finished trunk for an inexpensive compact.
Trunk-mounted remote rear-seat releases for loading convenience.
MINUSES:
Long Hyundai warranty only transferable, on resale, to an immediate-family member.
Automatic-package GLS substantially higher-cost than the manual-version (but still a reasonable price).
Controversial body-styling (subjective, but I was not a fan of it)
Engine adequate but no powerhouse.
Noticeable exhaust noise.
Plastic engine-cover hampers access.
Smallish trunk opening.
Somewhat tinny-closing doors.
Underhood manual prop-rod instead of struts/springs.
No body-side mouldings for parking-lot protection.
Fix-a-Flat tire-inflator instead of a spare tire.
Zig-zag transmisison shifter instead of fore/aft.
Cheapish sun-visor material.
Rather mediocre stereo-sound quality.
Tight rear headroom for tall people.
Somewhat tight rear legroom.
Brake pedal not ideally located for big feet.
Push-button engine start/stop restricted only to special-package Limited models.
Smallish, quirky, bar-graph fuel/engine-temperaure gauges.
Rather small, restrictive trunk-lid opening due to slanted-roofline.
EXTERIOR:
Walking up to the new Elantra, the general body shape/styling bears a strong resemblance to that of its bigger-brother Sonata, although the grille-shape is different. The front-end styling bears a little of the fish-face-look of the new Tucson, but not as pronounced (the Tucson, of course, is derived from the Elantra's platform). I myself am not a fan of this kind of styling, which, apparantly, is also going to be shared with the new Hyundai Accent as well, but I realize that is subjective, and opinions will differ on that.
The exterior sheet metal and doors are fairly solid-feeling, but the doors shut with a somewhat tinny sound/feel. All of the exterior trim is solid and well-attached. The twin side-mirrors are well-shaped and swivel/lock smoothly and easily. Eight exterior colors are offered.....mostly the usual shades, though I liked the Indigo Blue Pearl....a medium/dark blue-purple. The Elantra paint-jobs, in general, were quite well-done, though the Midnight Black showed some small traces of orange-peel.....it seems tough for a number of automakers to do black paint jobs without at least some orange peel. I don't normally care for silver/gray metallic colors, but the heavily-metallic-pattern Titanium Gray is superbly-done. Hyundai cost-cutters, like those of many other manufacturers, decided not to put on body-side mouldings to protect against parking-lot dings. My test-car had handsome alloy wheels, which, as part of the $600 Preferred Package, was, IMO, a good deal. The heavily-raked/slanted rear-roofline cut significantly into rear-seat headoom and ease of entry/exit for tall people, and also forced a small, restrictive trunk-lid opening......two of several reasons why I don't like this new body-styling.
UNDERHOOD:
Generally a good layout, though as one opens the fairly solid hood, he or she must fumble with a manual prop-rod instead of convenient struts or springs. The 1.8L, transversely-mounted in-line four fits in pretty well, with a reasonable amount of room around the sides of the block to reach engine-components. I forgot to check, as I usually do, to see if there was an underhood-insulation pad. Unfortunately, a big black plastic engine-cover, on top, blocks most of the top-engine access. Many vehicles in this price-class don't have any engine-cover at all, but Hyundai decided to use one. Otherwise, though, underhood-access is pretty good. Dipsticks, filler-caps, and fluid-reseervoirs are generally easy to see and reach. And the battery, back slightly and to the right of the engine, has no covers and is easily-accessed.
INTERIOR:
The new Elantra's interior mimics that of the new Sonata to some extent. While I don't particularly care for the basic style of either one in their basic shapes, lines and angles, I was quite pleased with the interior trim-quality of the Elantra and the way that Hyundai designed the controls/*****/buttons for easy-use and clear visibility. The painted-silver plastic and chrome-plastic dash trim, somehow, even in an inexpensive car like this, managed to look much more pricey than it really was. The door-panels all had multi-color/tone, pleasant-looking, pleasant-feeling trim, and integrated door-pull bars for easy-closing. The front seats were extremely comfortable and form-fitting (even for big rumps/torsos like mine), though, like many Asian-designed cars, the bottom seat cushions were a little short for thigh-support. The cloth on the seats was very soft and plush-feeling, like the old velour seats of years ago (I wish more auto manufacturers did seat-fabric like that today). The upper-dash surface was attractive and had a nice padding. The steering-wheel was well-shaped, comfortable to hold, and the manual tilt/telescope mechanism for the column worked smoothly and easily......something that can't be said for a lot of manually-operated columns. All of the buttons/*****/stalks/levers were well-designed, clear and easy to use (my test-car was a non-NAV), and slick-feeling. The parking-brake, instead of an awkward left foot-pedal like other automakers are using more frequently these days, is a nice easy-to-use pull-up lever on the console. Headroom and legroom in the front seat, even with the low roofline (my test-car did not have a sunroof), was adequate for people my height (6' 2'). Best of all, there seems to be very little difference between the GLS and Limited interior (in both monotone and two-tone colors), even though the Limited model costs several thousand dollars more. But the Limited model, for that money, gives you both front and rear heated-leather seats....something that no other car in this class that I know of does.
As with any vehicle's interior, though, there are also a couple of flies in the ointment. The sun-visors are large, thick and effective, but are done in an unpleasant, hard, cheap-feeling material. The small video/bar-graph fuel and engine-temperature gauges between the primary-gauges are rather quirky....conventional analog ones, IMO, would be essier to read at a glance. The stereo controls are all easy to use, but the stereo sound itself is not particularly great...it's not the worst one I've seen, but you can tell it's not a Mark Levinson or Harmon-Kardon unit. Rear-legroom for tall people is not very good. And the Humpback-Whale/droop-down rear-roofline pays its price in rear headroom and ease of entry-exit for tall people.....automakers are going to have to learn, once again, to start putting function over form. Of course, the old-platform Elantra Touring Wagon, with its ultra-roomy rear end, solves some of those ergonomic problems.
CARGO AREA/TRUNK:
As I mentioned before, the low, sharply-raked rear-roofline not only impacts the rear-seat headroom, but also cuts significantly into the size and shape of the trunk lid, creating a smallish hole at the very rear-end of the car. There is room for regular-sized packages/bags and luggage to fit through the opening, but some big suitcases and other bulky cargo might be a problem......one more reason, IMO, to look at the still-available but outdated Elantra Touring Wagon if cargo-size is a priority. The trunk itself, once you get past the small, stuffy opening, is fairly roomy for the car's size, and is well-finished on the floor with a nice, plush-feeling grade of black carpeting. The substance used on the walls is not quite as plush, but still feels nice. A nice cargo-net (an accessory-option) helps hold up packages and bags. There is a nice trunk-mounted pull-release, at the very back, to drop the rear seat for added cargo space, a nice touch missing in even some more-expensive sedans. Under the floor, the bean-counters struck with a wallop....no spare tire of any kind at all, and only a tire-inflator kit.
ON THE ROAD:
Start up the small 1.8L four with a conventional ignition key and side-column-switch (only special-package Limited versions get a START/STOP engine button), and the four comes to life and idles smoothly and fairly refined. This engine, of course, with only 131 ft-lbs. of torque, and at a rather high 4700 RPM at that, is no powerhouse, but there's enough spunk for sensible, sedate, normal driving. But with a substantial load in the car, or on hilly terrain, the lack of power would be noticeable. Exhaust noise is also quite noticeable on acceleration....otherwise, the engine runs fairly quietly. Of course, the low power level helps with the excellent 40 MPG mileage rating on the highway....something to consider with the high price of both gasoline and hybrid-cars. The 18-22K Elantra, like its Ford Focus competitor, gives almost the same mileage as some more expensive hybrids in the same size-class.
Also helping out with the good mileage is the versatile, smooth-shifting 6-speed Shift-Tronic transmission. The lever has the often-seen (and, IMO, annoying) zig-zag primary-shift pattern, but the lever itself glides so smoothly and slickly that the zig-zag pattern is almost unnoticeable. Manual shifts can be done with the lever in the usual separate-gate, as there are no shift-paddles on the steering-column. The lever has a nice padded-vinyl grip to grasp it with.
The chassis is no BMW, but, nontheless, for an inexpensive compact car, is well-done. Steering response is moderately quick, and cornering shows surprisingly little lean or body-roll. The ride-comfort is reasonably good by small-car standards, but a little firmer than I like....sharp bumps are both noticeably felt and heard. Wind noise is very-well muted (almost to luxury-car standards), and I didn't notice much road/tire noise either, though I didn't get to sample it on quite as many different road-surfaces as I usually do.
The brakes were also very well-done, with a smooth, firm, effective German-sport-sedan feel to the brake pedal and almost no sponginess. The pedal's location, though, was, like on many vehicles I sample, a little too high and close to the brake pedal for big feet. My classic men's-size-15 clown-shoe tended to catch on the edge of the brake-pedal when lifting from gas to brake, unless I was careful to lift my foot straight up.
THE VERDICT:
Hyundai and Kia didn't get to where they are today by continuing to build junk like in the 80s and 90s, and the new Elantra is just one more example of the company's determination to build competitive, well-engineered vehicles at prices that equal or undercut the competition. I've already covered my objections to some of the new styling features that rob function for form, but, other than that, I'm very pleased with this car as an all-around inexpensive compact. Like the new Ford Focus competitor, it gives superb gas mileage in this age of empty-your-wallet gas prices, only with a noticeably smoother 6-speed automatic than the twin-clutch automanual in the Focus. Like the Chevy Cruze competitor, it offers a plush, rich-looking interior. Like the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic, it offers excellent build-quality and reliability.....though the 2011-2012 version, of course, is new and untested in the long-run. Its excellent brake pedal is smooth, firm, and doesn't have the excessive sponginess of the Corolla's brakes, though Toyota may (?) have addressed that issue on the latest Corolla). And, for those who need more cargo-space and rear-seat room, Hyundai (wisely) kept the old Touring Wagon available, though it is not as mechanically-advanced as the newer sedans.
So, folks, anyone who wants this car, especially as a daily-driver, or as a gift to their son/daughter, or for whatever reason, certainly has my recommendation. Yes, it has a few irritants, but what car doesn't? Your hard-earned $$$$$$$, IMO, are well-spent with this vehicle, especially in the GLS versions, and it brings some meaning to the old slogan that Hyundai used to use...........
.............DRIVING IS BELIEVING
And, as always.....Happy Car Shopping.
MM
Last edited by mmarshall; 06-03-11 at 10:12 AM.
06-03-11, 10:06 AM
#3
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Thanks. 
Sample the nice, plush fabric in the GLS and you probably won't want to spend extra for the leather. The Limited model, though, includes more than just the leather.....it is the only inexpensive compact that I know of with both front/rear heated seats.
Double stitched leather!
06-03-11, 10:10 AM
#4
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
for the money it's amazing.
06-03-11, 11:54 AM
#5
Pole Position
Actually, it was the Misubishi Precis that was a rebadged Hyundai. The Excel did use a Mitsubishi engine but the car was designed, built, and manufactured in Korea, by Korean auto workers. Mitsubishi stuck their own emblems on a Hyundai Excel.
Last edited by IS350jet; 06-03-11 at 12:05 PM.
06-03-11, 01:54 PM
#6
Nice review Mike. As discussed in a few other Elantra/compact sedan threads, the Elantra is certainly at the top (if not atop) its segment. I think the interior is best in class in terms of design, layout, and materials used. And the price is still hard to beat. We've seen the Elantra come out on top of the 2012 Civic, 2012 Ford Focus, Chevy Cruze, 2011 Mazda3, 2011 VW Jetta. I have no doubt the Elantra's kissing cousin Kia Forte will be better come a refresh/redesign. That said, as we know where the Elantra stands, this is an EXCELLENT opportunity for the Toyota Corolla and the "where have you been?" Nissan Sentra to get back into the game seeing as the Elantra's played its cards. Question is will the two aforementioned answer back, remains to be seen. I'll also add that since this is such a lucrative segment these days, it would do Dodge good to come out with a better Neon/Caliber successor.
06-03-11, 03:03 PM
#7
Lexus Test Driver
A fine review indeed. I agree, this car would be a wise choice for someone looking in this class.
As far as styling, that would be one area of (subjective) controversy. I don't care for the overstyled front and rear. The dash is also flawed. The center A/C vents should be where the blanked-out silver plastic is off to the sides. But rather, they are down low at knee level. This positioning squeezes valuable center stack real estate, where the entire column seems to get pinched into a few inches worth of buttons. Strange design choice.
As far as styling, that would be one area of (subjective) controversy. I don't care for the overstyled front and rear. The dash is also flawed. The center A/C vents should be where the blanked-out silver plastic is off to the sides. But rather, they are down low at knee level. This positioning squeezes valuable center stack real estate, where the entire column seems to get pinched into a few inches worth of buttons. Strange design choice.
Last edited by Fizzboy7; 06-03-11 at 03:45 PM.
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06-03-11, 03:31 PM
#8
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Thanks. Regardless of which one was actually designed and built first, it was very difficult to tell the two apart unless you looked closely at the trim and logos. The Precis, no doubt, contributed to Mitsubishi's then-declining quality-image, though some of the Mitsubishi vehicles of the time, like the Montero, were quite reliable.
06-03-11, 03:42 PM
#9
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Thanks.
So would the new Civic line.....they are virtually bulletproof. They have natural-gas, Si, HF fuel-economy, and hybrid versions that the Elantra lacks, but the Elantra's interior wallops them in trim-quality.....Honda seriously cost-cut the interior this year. And there's no comparison to the Hyundai warranty.
I'm with you.......good materials/trim and quality inside, but not styled well. Gotta try those front seats, though....to me, they felt great.
I agree, this car would be a wise choice for someone looking in this class.
As far as styling, that would one area of (subjective) controversy. I don't care for the overstyled front and rear. The dash is also flawed.
06-03-11, 03:59 PM
#10
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Thanks.
Styling aside, I'd agree.
Close. Have you checked out the new Chevy Cruze?
The Elantra's interior, though, does use good materials, and the seat-fabric and seat-comfort is first-rate.
More so for the GLS than the Limited. Top-line Elantras are not necessarily bargain-priced.
Yes, I've read several other reviews, and, of course, the ones posted on CAR CHAT. I didn't let those influence my judgement, though........as always, I wrote up what I actually found, objectively.
I did read the recent small-sedan review you posted from Motor Trend, however....that was a good comparison.
The Forte (and Forte Koup) are good compacts, but Kia didn't put the materials and trim, particularly inside, that Hyundai did with the new Elantra. You can tell (and I reviewed one) that the Forte was built to a budget.
I agree that the Caliber, like its Jeep Compass cousin, was a POS. If other newly-introduced Chrysler/Jeep products are any guide, I suspect the next small Dodge which replaces the Caliber will have major upgrades in refinement, powertrain smoothness, fit/finish, and interior quality. (and it is needed) 
As discussed in a few other Elantra/compact sedan threads, the Elantra is certainly at the top (if not atop) its segment.
I think the interior is best in class in terms of design, layout, and materials used.
The Elantra's interior, though, does use good materials, and the seat-fabric and seat-comfort is first-rate.
And the price is still hard to beat.
We've seen the Elantra come out on top of the 2012 Civic, 2012 Ford Focus, Chevy Cruze, 2011 Mazda3, 2011 VW Jetta.
I did read the recent small-sedan review you posted from Motor Trend, however....that was a good comparison.
I have no doubt the Elantra's kissing cousin Kia Forte will be better come a refresh/redesign.
That said, as we know where the Elantra stands, this is an EXCELLENT opportunity for the Toyota Corolla and the "where have you been?" Nissan Sentra to get back into the game seeing as the Elantra's played its cards. Question is will the two aforementioned answer back, remains to be seen. I'll also add that since this is such a lucrative segment these days, it would do Dodge good to come out with a better Neon/Caliber successor.
06-03-11, 08:05 PM
#11
thanks mike for the review, i really appreciate all of your reviews, even if i am sometimes critical, i really do appreciate them a lot.
that being said, i cant help to wonder if you shouldnt learn to live with zig-zag, no mouldings and plastic covers... all 3 are here to stay :-)
that being said, i cant help to wonder if you shouldnt learn to live with zig-zag, no mouldings and plastic covers... all 3 are here to stay :-)
06-03-11, 08:58 PM
#12
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
I put a lot of time and effort into them.
that being said, i cant help to wonder if you shouldnt learn to live with zig-zag, no mouldings and plastic covers... all 3 are here to stay :-)
Body-side mouldings, I agree, are being dumped more and more...but, here again, automakers sometimes run into customer-resistance. Subaru tried removing them (and the folding side-mirrors) from the redesigned 2010 Legacy/Outback to save money. The level of complaints was so high that the very next year, for 2011, the company quietly added back the folding-side mirrors as standard-equipment, and made the body-side-mouldings a dealer-applied accessory.
Although there are a few exceptions (like the new Elantra here) plastic-engine-covers seem to be primarily a mark of upscale vehicles.....the higher the price-line, the more likely the vehicle is to have them. Check underhood of a mid-grade or higher Mercedes or Lexus, for example, and it is simply absurd......big covers hide almost EVERYTHING, and sometimes even simple things like fluid-reserviors are hard to reach.
Since you didn't menton it in this post, I'll bring it up......I don't like the manual prop-rods underhood either. And, once again, I'll mention Subaru.....they have made underhood gas-struts standard now in ALL of their new models, including the cheapest base-level Impreza.
And spare tires? I'm a firm believer in traditional REAL spare tires and wheels, but I understand that many people don't change flats any more (or even know how to), preferring to let AAA or the automaker's Roadside Assistance (which often is simply an AAA contract) come and help them. But, even so, real spare tires/wheels help extend tire-life because they can be regularly rotated with the other 4 tires....temporary spares and donuts can't.
One thing I've learned, in the auto world over the years, is never to say something is gone for good. Whoever thought, for example, after what happened in the smog-choked 1970s, that the Detroit Muscle-cars of the 60's would return? Today, we see purple Plum-crazy Challengers, Hemis, Charger RTs, real Shelby Mustangs, white/orange-striped Camaro SS'es, Boss Mustangs, and massive-HP Corvettes, just like we did over 40 years ago.....what I grew up with in high school. Even the GTO came back for a few years.
Last edited by mmarshall; 06-03-11 at 09:09 PM.
06-04-11, 08:53 AM
#13
Lexus Champion
thanks mike for the review, i really appreciate all of your reviews, even if i am sometimes critical, i really do appreciate them a lot.
that being said, i cant help to wonder if you shouldnt learn to live with zig-zag, no mouldings and plastic covers... all 3 are here to stay :-)
that being said, i cant help to wonder if you shouldnt learn to live with zig-zag, no mouldings and plastic covers... all 3 are here to stay :-)
06-04-11, 09:04 AM
#14
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
The whole concept of zig-zag shifters came about because, like so many other safety-Nanny-litigation stuff in the auto industry, manufacturers were concerned about Klutz-drivers accidentally pulling/pushing the levers into the wrong positions.
06-05-11, 05:44 PM
#15
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Next planned Review:
2012 Subaru Impreza (when released). I may do some unplanned other reviews in the meantime.
I'm going to try and sample an all-electric Nissan Leaf, but that may be difficult because of the way Nissan markets and sells it. And I think that Mike (1SICKLEX) has already sampled one, so we have his report.
2012 Subaru Impreza (when released). I may do some unplanned other reviews in the meantime.
I'm going to try and sample an all-electric Nissan Leaf, but that may be difficult because of the way Nissan markets and sells it. And I think that Mike (1SICKLEX) has already sampled one, so we have his report.