Topic: 2017 Elantra Sport ~ 200hp and 6 sp. manual.

[Patrick_D1]

UHaul has a hitch for your Elantra

From what I see, only the regular Elantra. The Sport uses a completely different exhaust system with a problematic pipe routing.

That sucks. Why not get a roof rack solution? Would hate to see you get rid of a great car for a seemingly frivolous thing.

Doesn't exist, either.

Not to worry, it's not really "getting rid of." I get a new one every 12,000 km or so, meaning that frivolity is largely what dictates vehicle choices  . The current Elantra Sport is car #18 and I'm not 30 years old yet. Working in this crazy business has its advantages.

[dougjp]

A few new video reviews, all good. Universally the summary is "value for money". I'm still bewildered that there are no full road test reviews out on this car yet!

Zach's review is spot on compared with my test drives, except he gets it all wrong when talking about the Tech package. The dual zone climate control is the least of the items in that package, not the only thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm1EAysVIlA

Next is a more comprehensive review. The only thing I don't understand is the comments about the steering. Other reviews have talked about how great the steering is, and that's what I found. In this review he used sport mode which makes the steering heavier, which I didn't use. Could making the steering artificially heavy make it worse, making it vague as he says? Doesn't worry me either way, I thought the steering was better than most cars including some that cost over twice as much.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGaE_y348no

The third one below is a long detailed walk-around to see more detail, if you can stand the annoying presenter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jZjtR6lRXg&t=3s

This is the exact car I will be getting in less than a month, a Tech package with DCT. 

[Layne]

Some more:

http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1107083_2017-hyundai-elantra-sport-first-drive-close-encounter-of-a-turbocharged-kind

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/reviews/new-cars/review-2017-hyundai-elantra-goes-sporty-but-not-enough-to-scare-anyone/article32658453/

http://www.motortrend.com/cars/hyundai/elantra/2017/2017-hyundai-elantra-sport-first-drive-review/

http://www.automobilemag.com/news/2017-hyundai-elantra-sport-quick-take-review/

[Solstice2006]

A few new video reviews, all good. Universally the summary is "value for money". I'm still bewildered that there are no full road test reviews out on this car yet!

Zach's review is spot on compared with my test drives, except he gets it all wrong when talking about the Tech package. The dual zone climate control is the least of the items in that package, not the only thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm1EAysVIlA

Next is a more comprehensive review. The only thing I don't understand is the comments about the steering. Other reviews have talked about how great the steering is, and that's what I found. In this review he used sport mode which makes the steering heavier, which I didn't use. Could making the steering artificially heavy make it worse, making it vague as he says? Doesn't worry me either way, I thought the steering was better than most cars including some that cost over twice as much.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGaE_y348no

The third one below is a long detailed walk-around to see more detail, if you can stand the annoying presenter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jZjtR6lRXg&t=3s

This is the exact car I will be getting in less than a month, a Tech package with DCT. 

Trading one of the other cars? 

[dougjp]

Trading one of the other cars?

Yup, the Verano Turbo which as everyone knows has been discontinued and not replaced by anything either, and its warranty expires in 2 months. Sad to see it go, a great value near luxury car with decent power on one hand, but happy to get something a bit more, um, 'sporty' on the other. And as much by accident as anything, we end up as a 2 Hyundai car family.

What started out as a shopping exercise for cars worth much more (some twice as much) that I can afford, unearthed severe overall sticker shock and with it, a conclusion that they were limited value for money in my situation (not a great deal of "driving", and no longer going to the track, AWD nice not necessary). $ 2,100- + freight/pdi? $ 600- admin fees? For what..... These were shocks after only 3 years out of the new market. I guess they can be in their little inflationary bubble if they want to, and not realize people with cash but without inflationary incomes are walking away.

Market trends have left the upscale compact car market starved for new things, so waiting seemed pointless unless it was to keep what I have for many more years. Most of them "don't have a motor" which is a minimum requirement for me, and styling was getting strange for some. There were very few cars that worked for me, including what I know is coming in the pipeline over the next year. BMW M235i and Audi S3 did work despite missing on some of my preferences. Not much else.

I love the appearance of this car inside and out. All the boxes for personal preferences in a car were ticked, like a spare tire and jack, normal (not run flat) tires, no wheel size over 18" due to potholes and desire to avoid wheel repair, no CVT, NAV but no tablet crazy glued to the dash look for the screen, decent size trunk, heated steering wheel, car length no longer than the Verano. I will miss power seats a bit, miss the power and torque to weight more vs. the Verano.       

 

 

[Jaeger]

Just got back from the auto show and checked it out.  While I haven't actually driven it, all I can say is I would have zero hesitation in recommending it to anyone looking for a compact sports sedan.

[dougjp]

Just got back from the auto show and checked it out.  While I haven't actually driven it, all I can say is I would have zero hesitation in recommending it to anyone looking for a compact sports sedan.

You should go for a test drive just for fun, the suspension is the best part of the car in my opinion!

[Jaeger]

Just got back from the auto show and checked it out.  While I haven't actually driven it, all I can say is I would have zero hesitation in recommending it to anyone looking for a compact sports sedan.

You should go for a test drive just for fun, the suspension is the best part of the car in my opinion!

My local Hyundai dealer is very accommodating - I'm sure I will.