Road Tests: Long-Term Test

How much does the Edmunds.com editorial staff like its new Hyundai Elantra GLS? So much that its role as the BMW 3 Series replacement for the long-term fleet is making more and more sense all the time. Just look at their many common characteristics. Both cars are four-door sedans. They both come with a manual transmission. Neither has a CD player. And both cars are the focus of repeated comments and accolades by all who drive them.

Oh sure, in terms of passion, luxury amenities, engine size and brand cachet, the BMW has a slight advantage over the Elantra. But don't forget, the $38,770 we paid for our long-term Bimmer would net you 3.2 Hyundai Elantras.

And it's that "Price of Test Vehicle" issue that most impressed Executive Editor Karl Brauer during the month of May. After spending a few weeks in the Elantra, Karl realized that his primary impression of the car was...nothing! No complaints about the steering, ride or handling. No bemoaning a lack of acceleration or seat comfort. Not even a whine about the missing CD player. In fact, as Mr. Brauer started thinking about what he would report for the long-term update, a near panic rose in him with the realization that the Elantra was leaving him with little to say.

But then Mr. Brauer concluded that the Elantra's greatest strength is, well, its lack of creating a strong impression. Or, as he puts it, "Nothing about the car stands out. Doesn't sound like a compliment, but when a $12,000 car doesn't leave you with anything terrible to say, that's pretty impressive. Most vehicles in this price category have at least one major failing (often several), so for a vehicle to have no glaring deficiencies while costing less than half the price of an average new car is quite an accomplishment."

Not only does the Elantra have all your basic transportation needs covered, but, according to Karl, it includes several features that you don't expect at this price point. "The one-touch-down driver's window is one of those items that has become ubiquitous on modern cars, so much so that vehicles without this feature feel exceedingly low-grade. Thankfully, the Elantra has it and I use it at least twice a day when going in and out of the parking garage with my key card. One item that the Elantra doesn't have is keyless entry, and that feature I did miss. Unlike cruise control, which is almost useless in Los Angeles (even when you drive on the freeway), keyless entry comes in handy every time you enter or leave the vehicle. This is one item I'd like to have...more so than a CD player. Speaking of a CD player, I don't really miss this feature at all. Mr. Wardlaw warned about the whining we'd hear on this subject in the Elantra's introduction, but you won't hear any on this point from me. In fact, I find it somewhat fitting that my custom-made cassette tapes sound so good in the Elantra. My theory is that the reduced sound quality of MP3 recordings transferred to a cassette tape perfectly matches the quality of the head unit in the Elantra. If I played these tapes in a Mark Levinson/Lexus system, you'd hear every flaw, but in the Elantra, the tapes' low fidelity is masked by the cassette player's limited abilities. Whatever the case, my tapes sounded fine in the Hyundai."

Though his overall feeling about the Elantra was one of complete adequacy, Karl did manage to come up with a few comments, good and bad, to report. "The drivetrain is particularly capable for such an inexpensive car. The engine makes solid power with a useable torque curve, and the shifter is great! I like the shift ball shape itself (large and easy to grab) and I like the reassuring snick it provides as it goes into each gear." But while Mr. Brauer was particularly happy with the drivetrain, his feelings about the exterior design were not as clear-cut. "Styling of the Elantra is, for the most part, attractive. I like the profile and rear styling, but the front-end, with those dual headlights mounted behind a single large lens, reminds me of the current Chevy Impala. I know Hyundai is trying to appeal to American sensibilities with its latest products, but if there is one vehicle they don't want to emulate, it's the Chevy Impala."

Another item that caused Mr. Brauer some concern related to the steering wheel, which had to be held slightly off center (to the right) to keep the car going straight. After checking the tire pressure and finding it to be slightly low in every tire, Karl adjusted it to factory specs. But even filling the tires to correct pressure didn't fix the problem (though it did add some stability in cornering). Mr. Brauer didn't notice this trait when he first drove the car, so he's wondering if something went wrong with the front end (either a loose adjustment piece or a suspension part that's been somehow bent). He says he never jumped any railroad tracks or plowed over a curb or anything, so if there is a problem with the front end, he's not sure how it happened. Either way, it's not terrible, as the car just slightly pulls to the left.

Is Karl ready to give Hyundai's new Elantra the "Brauer Good Seal of Approval" after his month behind the wheel? In his own words, "At this point, I would have no qualms about recommending this vehicle over a Civic, Focus, Protegé or Sentra. Not because the Elantra is a better car than any of those models, but because many of the people in this market are looking to spend as little as possible on a new car. If money is a buyer's number one concern, the Elantra is competitive with those vehicles in terms of feature content, performance and comfort, while it beats them in terms of price and warranty coverage."

In other words, the Elantra may not be a Civic or Focus, but at this price, and with this level of feature content and warranty protection, it's close enough for Mr. Brauer.

Current Odometer: 2,294
Best Fuel Economy: 30.9 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 19.9 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 27.5 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: Very slight pull to left.