Topic: CD Article: 2007 Hyundai Elantra

[Minou]

Glad you agree Minou. "Security Package" sounds even cool (it's catchy) and I'd bet would sell well.

 

[mdxtasy]

This kind of eye candy has no place in an automobile as far as I am concerned. Thank goodness this company chose to give the public the better rotating knobs as an option. With accidents on the rise, insurance rates what they are and hospital crowding there surely is a case for a regulatory body to take a look at the safety aspects of dashboard controls design so that drivers can pay more attention to talking on their cell phones and looking at their onboard navigation systems.
Regards

You're not supposed to need to adjust climate control while driving; it keeps the car at the set temperature, right?  The AIR CONDITIONING (without climate control) has proper knobs.  As least, that's how it appears in the pics.

What's the problem?

I have a touch screen navi, and an auto climate control, and a host of other things.  I don't see myself being distracted.  It's not difficult to operate the touch screen...and it's one or two adjustments and we are off.  The rest is taken care of.  Navi functions are voice controlled.  It may be the case that manual HVAC controls are operated more than the auto climate controls....now who's more distracted? 

[Rupert]

With respect, it's not the touch of the screen that is the point. It's the eye distraction required to see where to touch and in this instance to see what you have done. From the point of view of more or less usage required on the climate control, I have the feeling that "if you build it, it will be used" probably equally from the point of view of directing the flow. I wonder if insurance industries are building information relating to this topic into their data banks. If vehicles with this kind of equipment, including navigation screens are found to be in accident reports disproportionately to their numbers, then maybe an increase in premium is called for, to make up for the losses. I note that cell phone usage is already under scruitiny. You have your point of view. I just don't agree with it. That's democracy. I do like the car though; it's a nice effort.
Regards

[mdxtasy]

When I first got the MDX, the navi was distracting.  Once you learn where the buttons are and where on the screen you need to touch, it's pretty easy.  The readout on the Hyundai is small and I agree that it would be extremely tough to read that while driving.  However, from personal experience driving a car with a number of buttons and features, it's not hard to learn and figure out where all the buttons are.  I haven't touched the HVAC controls in the car for over a month, the car takes care of it.

[sirAQUAMAN64]

S-line

Hyundai is moving upscale... moved up to mimicing Audi now 

I liked the first gen Tibby and Santa Fe, but not so hot on this in the more basic models I've seen. Think specifically because the wheels look small.

[Benhaze]

This design really make the wheels look small...

[Rupert]

It's funny you know; the 15 inch wheels on the Sable that I had never looked small and that was a larger car. The tires on this are lower profile though so that the overall tire diameter is less and this would affect the visual ratio. I suspect that we will become accustomed to this ratio as time goes by. I have not checked the height of this vehicle but it seems higher which will allow easier access and this will exagerate the affect. The positive side to keeping wheel dia. down is that less wheel arch clearance is required and thus there will be more space inside the vehicle. Style and function is a difficult trade-off. I have only seen pictures of these cars to this point.

[Rupert]

Why not make the steel wheels 16"dia also. This would mean that the tire size would be standard. Those who wanted alloy rims could get a package that would have a better grade tire with a little wider footprint. The tires on the steel rims could be upgraded to the better tire when the originals wore out. Come to think of it do this for the Accent also. Many motorists are not totally enthused with alloy rims. They require more maintenance and and tire pressures are not maintained as constantly. Maybe there is a manufacturing technical reason. Actually the tires on the larger rims should be cheaper; there is less rubber in them. Hey even eccological. This would be an instant one up on Toyota.
Regards