Road Tests: Long-Term Test

This month, we have Elantra comments from not one but three people. Just as he had for his road test of this car, this month's Elantra assignee, Road Test Editor John DiPietro, had mostly positive comments about Hyundai's competent compact. "This is just a pleasant car all around. It's peppy, comfortable, well-built and a breeze to drive. The manual transmission isn't a hassle in bumper-to-bumper traffic, as the clutch takeup is smooth, and both clutch pedal and gearshift efforts are light." DiPietro also noted Hyundai's attention to detail. "When you scrutinize the cabin, you notice many nice details, such as the padded console armrest that's covered in the same material as the seats. And the adjustable driver seat is appreciated by those with smaller frames."

John says that "the highest praise I can give this car is that I recommended it to a colleague's wife." In short, wife Julie loves the car and when asked what made her decide on the Elantra, she said that the major factors were safety, performance and the long (10-year/100,000-mile) warranty. As she bubbled over with enthusiasm, she went into greater detail, saying that the standard side airbags and optional ABS are nice to have at such a low price (she paid around $12,000 for her five-speed car that had Option Package #5). Echoing Mr. DiPietro's sentiments, Julie also liked that Hyundai had sweated the small stuff. She pointed out the hooks that hold the floor mats in place and the abundance of storage space in the center console and door pockets.

When asked what she didn't like, she stated that she thought a CD player should be standard or at least optional by itself. As it stands now, one must go with an option package that includes other features the buyer may not want. But she quickly admitted this was nothing against the car itself and a minor gripe (one that Edmunds.com editors have carped about ad nauseum) at best.

There may have been some feelings of bias against the Elantra when Consumer Advice Editor Philip Reed took the keys for a few days. He has never been a fan of the styling of Hyundai's cars, and he's heard horror stories about their reliability in the past. However, he had a special interest in our Elantra since he handled the purchase of it for our long-term fleet. He remarked that the dealership experience was fairly positive and the buzz on the car was good. So, what was his verdict?

Phil's first impression was that the steering was too light at low speed. A finger hooked in the steering wheel spoke was all it took to maneuver the car when parking. He felt this might equate to a lack of road feel at higher speeds. Not so. The steering tightened up and he found that this little car was quite nimble.

"There is almost a Honda-like feel to this car," Phil noted. "All the pieces have come together in harmony. What it provides above the Honda experience is some fun in the corners. And, given the price of the car, it's a cheap thrill."

Of course, our Elantra has the five-speed stick, which, to a gearhead, is essential. Phil speculated that some of the pleasure might evaporate if the car were equipped with an automatic. Still, for the money, the Elantra packs a punch, he concluded, joining the pack of Elantra endorsers.

Current Odometer: 5,864
Best Fuel Economy: 29.0 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 20.5 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 26.6 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None