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.