Topic: 2011 Hyundai Elantra

[dougjp]

No manual transmission?  Am I reading that right?! 

Then you shouldn't have to pay extra for it.

Why not? Why should you have to automatically pay more for the automatic (no pun intended ).

These days, most people buy autos. Manuals are becoming more of a niche that less and less people buy. This isn't 1960 anymore where the manual is the "standard" transmission and an auto is a high priced luxury feature.

If most people buy a certain trim, the are building more of that trim, and stocking more of that trim at dealers, and therefore it should become cheaper. If the manual is becoming more of the specialty item being built in smaller numbers and being more of a special order option, why shouldn't its price reflect that.

Yes you make a good case, but sadly its all too logical.    Try getting all manufacturers to give up +$1k revenue per car and/or have to advertise showing higher "starting" $ prices. Notgonnahappen.

[Dante]

Unless Hyundai will offer HIDs standard (which I highly doubt), they are available on Mazda3 as well and front heated seats are available on many compact cars (Elantra is a compact not subcompact), again unless Hyundai will offer rear heated seats which would be a segment first.
In terms of standard and optional features Hyundai is at par with other manufacturers and actually they are catching up rather than breaking ground.

What it would be interesting to see is how good the platform is. Is it going to be a better handling/performing car than Mazda3? The numbers on the paper are one thing, how the car performs on the road is another thing. We’ll see how it plays out when the car will show up.
Regardless, there is little doubt that the new Elantra will be a very good car overall.

[Ice]

Unless Hyundai will offer HIDs standard (which I highly doubt), they are available on Mazda3 as well and front heated seats are available on many compact cars (Elantra is a compact not subcompact), again unless Hyundai will offer rear heated seats which would be a segment first.
In terms of standard and optional features Hyundai is at par with other manufacturers and actually they are catching up rather than breaking ground.

What it would be interesting to see is how good the platform is. Is it going to be a better handling/performing car than Mazda3? The numbers on the paper are one thing, how the car performs on the road is another thing. We’ll see how it plays out when the car will show up.
Regardless, there is little doubt that the new Elantra will be a very good car overall.

I suspect the Hyundai will split the difference and make the Elantra a mix of comfort and handling rather than going in the handling direction. There is the Veloster based on the same platform that will probably be oriented towards the handling side of things.

[Dante]

Unless Hyundai will offer HIDs standard (which I highly doubt), they are available on Mazda3 as well and front heated seats are available on many compact cars (Elantra is a compact not subcompact), again unless Hyundai will offer rear heated seats which would be a segment first.
In terms of standard and optional features Hyundai is at par with other manufacturers and actually they are catching up rather than breaking ground.

What it would be interesting to see is how good the platform is. Is it going to be a better handling/performing car than Mazda3? The numbers on the paper are one thing, how the car performs on the road is another thing. We’ll see how it plays out when the car will show up.
Regardless, there is little doubt that the new Elantra will be a very good car overall.

I suspect the Hyundai will split the difference and make the Elantra a mix of comfort and handling rather than going in the handling direction. There is the Veloster based on the same platform that will probably be oriented towards the handling side of things.

It will be intersting if they will be able to strike the right balance like Mazda, Ford, VW did with their compact platforms.

[Dante]

In terms of mechanics and standard equipment the Elantra blows it's competition out of the water.  HID, heated rear sights, DGI and 6 speed auto in a subcompact car?  Absolutely outrageous. 

Elantra is a compact car and if anyone "blows the competition out of water" by those accounts, that would be Ford offering a Dual-Clutch 6-speed in the new Fiesta, which is indeed a sub-compact car.

[safristi]

HEATED REAR SEATS ARE FER PIZZA DELIVERY GUYS..........No it's not delissio it's home made......

[goonboy]

Wow.  What an amazing looking car.  Easily the best and most expensive looking car in it's class.  More tastefully done than the overly styled Mazda 3.  Check out those gorgeous looking 18 or 19 inch rims in the photos above. 

In terms of mechanics and standard equipment the Elantra blows it's competition out of the water.  HID, heated rear sights, DGI and 6 speed auto in a subcompact car?  Absolutely outrageous. 

Mazda really kicked their game up while Toyota and Honda fell asleep sitting on their laurels during the mid 2000's.  Now it is Hyundai's turn and they are cranking out winner after winner.  My next car will either be the Elantra or the Sonata Turbo.  Hyundai has intelligently started to go a little more upscale in it's designs and differentiate from it's Kia operations.

I am truly proud to call myself a Korean.  Way to go Hyundai! Daehan mingook manse!

Actually you're forgetting about the 2012 Focus which will probably show up around the same time.  Same features. We haven't heard specifically but I would be surprised about HIDs, not sure about heated rear seats (that'd be interesting even on the Elantra), and Dual Clutch 6 speed with a Direct Inject engine are all parts of the new Focus.

The Civic is old now and we know nothing about it's replacement except that Honda changed course mid stream. The Corolla is kind of old as it is... seeing as the design was out in 2007 in Europe and things have moved quickly (I own one of these cars ) so Toyota better be designing a revolution at this point   We'll see what happens in the segment... quite a few solid competitors. We'll see what consumers ultimately jump for.

The Focus is shaping up to be impressive for sure with the bigger motor, clutchless 6 speed and a host of high-tech options, but I haven't heard of it coming with HID....  I am interested to see what the pricing is like but somehow I think it will be more than the Elantra. 

I am hoping the Elantra gets a turbo motor and if so, all things being equal, I would buy it in the US to take advantage of the superior 5/10 yr warranty which is honoured in Canada.

[goonboy]

HEATED REAR SEATS ARE FER PIZZA DELIVERY GUYS..........No it's not delissio it's home made......

Hahaha...true that.

[goonboy]

In terms of mechanics and standard equipment the Elantra blows it's competition out of the water.  HID, heated rear sights, DGI and 6 speed auto in a subcompact car?  Absolutely outrageous. 

Elantra is a compact car and if anyone "blows the competition out of water" by those accounts, that would be Ford offering a Dual-Clutch 6-speed in the new Fiesta, which is indeed a sub-compact car.

Dude...the Fiesta is like the heaviest vehicle in it's class.  6 speed or not, it will be a slug.

[goonboy]

The Elantra is better looking than the Focus too in my opinion.

[Frontier1]

Fiesta, Elantra, Focus, Accent, Micra, Cruze...nice little cars coming our way.  Glad to see the nice selection for my retirement days.

[Dante]

In terms of mechanics and standard equipment the Elantra blows it's competition out of the water.  HID, heated rear sights, DGI and 6 speed auto in a subcompact car?  Absolutely outrageous. 

Elantra is a compact car and if anyone "blows the competition out of water" by those accounts, that would be Ford offering a Dual-Clutch 6-speed in the new Fiesta, which is indeed a sub-compact car.

Dude...the Fiesta is like the heaviest vehicle in it's class.  6 speed or not, it will be a slug.

DUDE... ... what does this have to do with the fact that Elantra is a compact car and the fact that Ford will offer a 6-Speed Dual-Clutch transmission in a car a class below Elantra's (sub-compact)?

FYI: Fiesta is not the heaviest nor the slowest car in its class (sub-compact that is). I'll let you look up the numbers. ...

[Shnak]

In terms of mechanics and standard equipment the Elantra blows it's competition out of the water.  HID, heated rear sights, DGI and 6 speed auto in a subcompact car?  Absolutely outrageous. 

Elantra is a compact car and if anyone "blows the competition out of water" by those accounts, that would be Ford offering a Dual-Clutch 6-speed in the new Fiesta, which is indeed a sub-compact car.

Dude...the Fiesta is like the heaviest vehicle in it's class.  6 speed or not, it will be a slug.

DUDE... ... what does this have to do with the fact that Elantra is a compact car and the fact that Ford will offer a 6-Speed Dual-Clutch transmission in a car a class below Elantra's (sub-compact)?

Sure, Ford will offer a Dual-Clutch in their sub-compact... but that sub-compact will cost more than Hyundai's compact car! You have to put value for money in the equation here... Ford isn't giving away their fancy transmission for nothing... they're making the customers pay for it!

[Dante]

In terms of mechanics and standard equipment the Elantra blows it's competition out of the water.  HID, heated rear sights, DGI and 6 speed auto in a subcompact car?  Absolutely outrageous. 

Elantra is a compact car and if anyone "blows the competition out of water" by those accounts, that would be Ford offering a Dual-Clutch 6-speed in the new Fiesta, which is indeed a sub-compact car.

Dude...the Fiesta is like the heaviest vehicle in it's class.  6 speed or not, it will be a slug.

DUDE... ... what does this have to do with the fact that Elantra is a compact car and the fact that Ford will offer a 6-Speed Dual-Clutch transmission in a car a class below Elantra's (sub-compact)?

Sure, Ford will offer a Dual-Clutch in their sub-compact... but that sub-compact will cost more than Hyundai's compact car! You have to put value for money in the equation here... Ford isn't giving away their fancy transmission for nothing... they're making the customers pay for it!

Please read the post I commented on. Here it is:

"In terms of mechanics and standard equipment the Elantra blows it's competition out of the water.  HID, heated rear sights, DGI and 6 speed auto in a subcompact car? "
If I read this correctly, the emphasis is on Hyundai offering with the new Elantra mechanics and standard equipment that "blows its competition out of the water”. Reasons I believe this is not correct:
- HID - already offered on Mazda3
- DI - Ford will have it in the new Focus and Mazda and VW used the tech in this class for years (mind you with turbo and for the sportier versions of their compact cars).
- Heated rear "sights" - I guess it means rear heated "seats" - can't comment as I haven't seen the full specs of the NA market 2011 Elantra  (have you?)
- 6AT - Ford offers 6AT Dual-Clutch in a sub-compact which is truly exclusive and the new Focus will have the same tranny as well in the same class as Elantra so no first or exclusive here either. Moreso, VW has a 6AT on the entry level City not to mention the DSG on the Golf.

Price was not part of the conversation, but if you'd like to side-track, I bet you that a similarly equipped Fiesta sedan will still be cheaper than the 2011 Elantra as it should. Besides, Ford Fiesta offers very good bang for the buck as well IMO.

I'm not trying to compare Elantra with Fiesta, but just to point out that Hyundai with the new Elantra doesn't seem to bring any class-first or exclusive mechanicals or features to “blow the competition out of the water”, but Ford does at least in the sub-compact class with Fiesta. That's all.

This is no denying that the new Elantra will be at the top of the class on both accounts, at least on the paper.

[safristi]

who sez the competition "is in the water and needs blown out".........when Focus 2011 breaks her water...there is gonna be a tsunami of buyers....and one UGLY Focus Placenta for sale on E BAY....

[Dante]

... Ford isn't giving away their fancy transmission for nothing... they're making the customers pay for it!

Come on Shnak! You cannot be serious... Which mainstream manufacturer gives AWAY ANY sort of automatic tranny? Can you name one?

Ford charges $1250 for the new 6AT Dual-Clutch tranny in Fiesta, while Hyundai charges $1200 for the ancient 4AT in Elantra/Elantra Touring and $1000 for the equally ancient 4AT in the Accent.  Where exactly is the value for the money?

Do you really think Hyundai will charge less than $1250 for the new 6AT in the Elantra? I don't think so. There is exactlly $1600 price difference between the 2011 Soanta GL Manual and Auto and the only differences I see between the two is the transmission and front heated seats.

[EV Dan]

One spotted parking trying to get parked:

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/18/video-next-generation-hyundai-elantra-caught-practicing-its-par/#continued

Tail lights are way overdone, but otherwise Hyundai chose a great design direction with their cars.

[Ice]

Looks really good. Maybe better than the Sonata.

Wonder what the heck they were doing with the parking there. Does it have an auto parking assist feature or something like that?

[Ontariodriver]

very aggressive looking and muscular. Looks like they creating cars that look like you've got more for ya money that you've actual spent.

[Erik]

Wow.
What a horrible looking, overstyled car.