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| Wednesday, August 09, 2006 |
2006 Hyundai Elantra Review |
 Roomy, agressive looking from the front, fold down seat, plenty of cargo space, soft (but not too soft) and supportive seats... This is really a mix between a compact car and a midsized car... Its dimensions are larger than most compact cars, and it has that quite ride of a midsize, but it still rides (and costs) more like a compact.
It has awesome Saab-like styling, is very fun to drive, and comes with nearly everything you can think of standard, including leather for around 14K. The all around quality on the car is also superb. I couldn't ask for a better car for the money!
News
Elantra is redesigned for 2007. It was slated for sale this fall, but a recent labor dispute in South Korea has postponed the start for at least a few months. Whenever it arrives, the new-style Elantra will have larger dimensions that lift it into the midsize class, according to the EPA, gaining two inches in width and 2.2 inches in height. Powertrains are carried over, but standard features include curtain side airbags, previously unavailable, and ABS, a former option. Keep checking back with us for further updates.
New for 2006
Hyundai adds a new Limited trim to the 2006 Elantra. The 2006 Hyundai Elantra Limited features woodgrain interior trim, beige leather seating surfaces and automatic transmission with leather-wrapped shift lever. On the exterior is a chrome vertical-bar grille and fog lights. The only option offered is the Premium Package including a power sunroof, ABS and traction control, which is available on all 2006 Elantra trims.
Interior Design and Special Features
Inside, the Elantra has a dated but simple layout. It's not exciting, but the switchgear is high in quality and all of the controls are right where you expect them to be. GT models have a more upscale flavor with leather wrappings on the seats, steering wheel and shift knob, as well as Volkswagen-inspired red-and-blue gauge illumination -- it's a nice idea, but it clashes with the green backlighting on the center stack. Hatchbacks offer 20 cubic feet of cargo capacity with the rear seats in use and 37 cubes when they're folded.
Safety
Side airbags for front occupants are standard on all Elantras, and antilock brakes are optional. In government crash testing, the Hyundai Elantra earned five stars out of five for driver protection in frontal impacts and four stars for the front passenger. In side-impact tests, the Elantra received five stars for front-occupant protection and four stars for rear-occupant protection. The IIHS gave it a "Good" rating for frontal-offset protection, but a "Poor" rating for side impacts.
Powertrains and Performance
Every Elantra comes with a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine good for 138 horsepower (132 with SULEV emissions equipment). Drivers have their choice of either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission. If you like shifting your own gears, the manual is definitely the way to go, as it makes it easy to keep the engine in its power band. Equipped with the automatic, the Hyundai Elantra delivers ample around-town power but can feel sluggish during highway passing maneuvers, as the transmission waits too long to downshift.
Body Styles, Trim Levels and Options
The Hyundai Elantra sedan is available in GLS, Limited and GT trim, while the five-door hatchback comes in either GLS or GT. Standard equipment on the GLS includes air conditioning; power windows, mirrors and locks; keyless entry; a center armrest with storage; and a 60/40-split-folding rear seat. In addition to that, the GLS hatchback includes a sport suspension and four-wheel disc brakes. The Limited adds wood grain trim, leather seating, chrome trim and foglights. GT models provide all of the above, plus alloy wheels, cruise control, an instrument panel with red/blue illumination and trip computer, a six-speaker CD audio system and a rear spoiler. Among the factory options are cruise control and a CD player on GLS models, and antilock brakes and a sunroof on all trims.
Driving Impressions
The Hyundai Elantra is among the quickest cars in its class. Elantra boasts 138 horsepower and 136 pound-feet of torque. That's more than enough power to hustle through traffic, pass with confidence or zip through mountain passes. With the manual transmission, the Elantra accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in the mid 8-second range, which is quick for the class and more than adequate for most traffic conditions. This engine meets the government's ultra-low emissions (ULEV) standards.
Elantra's continuously variable valve timing allows more complete combustion of nitrous oxide in the exhaust. Models sold in California, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Maine are tuned to meet super ultra-low emissions (SULEV) standards; the SULEV engine produces slightly less power: 132 horsepower and 133 pound-feet of torque.
Either way, you need to rev the engine to wring the most power from it, making a manual transmission the best choice for the Elantra. There just isn't gobs of power at lower engine speeds. Most of the acceleration-producing power is at higher revs, coming in around 4400 rpm and carrying through to the 6400-rpm redline. That means you'll need to work the transmission, shifting to get the most from the power plant. Enthusiast drivers enjoy that. But if you're used to an engine with more low-end torque, and you don't let the Elantra wind out, you might wonder where the goods are. And when you find them, you might be disconcerted by the ruckus of a hard-working four-cylinder howling near 6000 rpm. These power characteristics are better suited to a manual transmission than an automatic. Also, the Elantra drivetrain isn't as smooth as that of some of the other cars in this class.
Nor is it a leader in fuel economy. Elantra nets an EPA-estimated 27/34 mpg City/Highway with the five-speed manual, 24/32 mpg with the automatic. Elantra's relatively heavy weight means other cars in the class deliver better fuel economy.
In addition to its acceleration performance, Elantra makes up for these deficiencies with its balance of ride and handling. Indeed, the Elantra GT offers levels of handling associated with a good European sedan, with speed-sensitive power steering and a sophisticated multi-link rear suspension. The steering requires only a light touch during parking maneuvers or in tight quarters, yet it firms up at travel speeds and gives the driver a good idea of how well the front tires are gripping. The rear suspension keeps the tires firmly on the pavement, even on bumpy roads, to keep the rear of the car from bouncing around. This all adds up to maneuverability in traffic, secure, reasonably precise handling on curving two-lane highways and a ride that is neither floppy nor buckboard stiff. Only on freeways with a rapid succession of excessively uneven expansion joints does the Elantra tend to get bouncy. The weakest link in the handling package on the GT is its hard, wear-resistant all-season tires. A set of speed-rated performance tires would further improve handling though at the expense of faster tire wear.
The Elantra hatchback does not suffer from the flexing and rattling that is the bane of some five-doors. It's decently screwed together and satisfactorily solid.
Four-wheel disc brakes, vented in front do a great job of slowing Elantra five-door models. We recommend the available anti-lock brakes, which come bundled with traction control. ABS allows the driver to maintain steering control in an emergency braking situation, while traction control enhances stability when accelerating.
Ratings Snapshot 2006
Hyundai Elantra Sedan GT
Consumer Reports Overview
Highs: Quietness, ride, warranty, controls and displays.
Lows: Lack of agility, fuel economy, optional ABS brakes are hard to find, IIHS side-crash test.
The Elantra rides relatively comfortably and quietly, and the cabin is fairly spacious. The engine feels refined and provides adequate acceleration, but fuel economy is unimpressive. The automatic works well. Handling is secure but not particularly agile, even in the supposedly sportier GT trim. IIHS offset-crash results are good, but it received a Poor rating in the IIHS side-crash test, even with its standard side air bags. ABS can be very difficult to find. Reliability has been average. Expect a redesign for 2007.
Favorite Features
Good sound system, low price, gets from point A to point B. Fairly roomy for the price. Engine fairly responsive -- when it works.
Overall Review
This car is great! It handels well and it drives well. I would really reccomend this to a tennager that is starting to drive!
MSRP Price Range $13,865 - $15,715
Invoice Price Range $12,964 - $14,537
Labels: Hyundai
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posted by Algreen  |
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