Automotive News Archive

2007 & 2008 | News Archive

Hyundai Elantra GT: Mind your dollars and sensible features

By Mark Maynard
Copley News Service

Hyundai is making its competitors look bad.

It's selling the perfectly good five-passenger hatchback Elantra GT for just under $15,000 (US).

And it comes loaded with a strong 4-cylinder engine, four air bags, four-wheel disc brakes, fog lights, leather seats, air conditioning, cruise control and top-notch 15-inch Michelin MXV4 tires on alloy wheels.

Sometimes you can stumble onto a sale like this from other manufacturers, but it's a tried model onits way out of production.

But Hyundai isn't selling distressed goods. It's selling a fresh, new model, which comes from the GLS sedan that was redesigned last year.

If Hyundai can turn out a car this flashy for a price too good for dickering, we might be heading into a price war. Already, the chrome H in the Hyundai grille is being seen a lot more in rearview mirrors.

The Elantra GT is a deal of the year, but it is more than just dollars and sensible features. It feels like a well-built little car - quiet on the road and more comfortable for its occupants. There's head and leg room for tall people and a height-adjustable driver's seat for short people.

The doors open wide and the seat height is comfortable for folks to climb in and out.

There's a big trunk that gets bigger with an easy flip of the 60/40 split rear seatback. Up front, there's an array of storage areas for cell phones, cups and CDs for the 6-speaker stereo with in-dash CD player.

Leather-trimmed seats might seem posh for family duty, but this leather is basic stuff and meant to be kicked, walked-on and scuffed - at least my kids did, and it was no worse for the wear. The back seat has generous foot room, but no center armrest or cup holders.

Outside, there's a touch of style in curves and bends of the sheet metal. Inside, the guages light up in purple and red, which has a cool look but also gives sharper visibility than orange or white.

The GT badge is more in the spirit of performance, but the so-called "European suspension" allows playfulness without roughness. And there's plenty of zip and sip in the 140-horsepower, 2.0-liter 4-cyliner engine.

Fuel mileage, on regular unleaded, isn't an issue at 24 mpg city and 33 highway. the test car came with a 5-speed manual transmission that was so forgiving it would be easy for a first-timer or young person. The 4-speed automatic transmission ($800 US) drops the quickness of the acceleration and the fuel mileage just 1 mpg.

There are only two factory options, a power moonroof with a sunshade ($650 US) and 4-wheel, 4-channel anti-lock brakes with traction control. With all the optional equipment, your GT will cost $15,699 (US).

Cheap economy cars get no respect. Use them, abuse them and dump them when the warranty runs out in three years. the Elantra GT is inexpensive, not cheap, and it has enough style and perks to last it through it's 5-year/60,000-mile (100,000-km) warranty.