Topic: Worthwhile Thread, Because of Pics :)

[Jaeger]

Most awesome. And a most excellent colour. Congrats!

[dougjp]

BWII; interesting question because they are different in so many ways, yet the specs suggest they aren't. The Verano has 250 HP, 260 Torque, but weighs about 400 lbs. more than the Elantra. It feels like more of a weight difference than that to drive.

The Verano aimed to isolate the driver from surrounding noise and the road surface, using triple glazed windows, a good amount of insulation, sub frame, noise cancelling and so on. In other words, its primary goal was to insulate the occupants from the world like some bigger cars do. The 6 speed automatic was lazy too. Handling was just OK, but like a standard family sedan. It didn't wallow about, but had no sporting intentions. A great car for its intended purposes.

The Elantra Sport has a firm suspension and “average” noise isolation, however potholes don't jar you. I tested a Mazda 3 (not the latest version though, which I understand has been improved) and the Elantra in comparison was clearly better with NVH. The Elantra “feels” fast and is able to put a smile on the face   It seems to accelerate faster than the Verano especially with the right gear picked but that might be because of the differences mentioned above. Handling is no comparison.

dirtyjeffer; yes that's true, but to be fair I wouldn't overstate it. The other cars were worth more, just not anywhere near that much more, IMO. Remember too the other cars are AWD while this is FWD. AWD had limited value to me as it adds weight and parasitic drag, and I'm not forced to drive in really bad weather. However these days as we all know, many will want AWD.

Colours....what a dilemma that was as I liked the blue and orange especially, made worse when the dealer called to say I could have a blue with no waiting! The white and black looked great too. I haven't seen a grey one. Actually the only colour I can't appreciate is "blazing yellow".   

[G.Bombay]

Congrats, I saw one parked at the dealer last week. I did a double take as it really is a sharp looking car in the flesh. Enjoy!

[Patrick_D1]

This is the grey. Driving this one (press car) in Quebec City this weekend, but mine is identical-looking (aside from mine having the Tech Package).

[ArticSteve]

Congrats on the new ride.  Enjoy the newness!  All ways great.

[JohnnyMac]

Congrats on the new ride.  Sounds like you trade your vehicles quite often...did you choose this vehicle to save a bit in the short term to get something a bit more special later?  Reason I ask is because it is a strategy that I might employ in a few years to finally get a RWD vehicle that I've always wanted.

What do you think you'll miss most from the Verano you traded in!  What impressed you the most of the Elantra?

[dougjp]

Congrats on the new ride.  Sounds like you trade your vehicles quite often...did you choose this vehicle to save a bit in the short term to get something a bit more special later?  Reason I ask is because it is a strategy that I might employ in a few years to finally get a RWD vehicle that I've always wanted.

What do you think you'll miss most from the Verano you traded in!  What impressed you the most of the Elantra?

Interesting thoughts and comments, thanks!

There are so many individual factors in such a decision, just a few of which are what kind of driving is being done (eg: local short trips or long distance highway) and how much, a person's age and lifestyle.

I always thought that having a low mileage late model same brand make trade would pay off best, but found out otherwise with GM/Buick. Maybe I'll get luckier with this one!

I admit to looking forward to the Genesis G70, but when the Kia Stinger was announced it suggested the G70 on the same platform would most likely be oversize for me. That was a small factor in giving up waiting and getting me out test driving. However only a small factor. My car buying time clock had gone off and there was no stopping me once I got started  Like a disease But also I became disillusioned with how the car market was going in a number of ways, and don't expect there will be much new coming of the kind of vehicle I'm interested in, so concluded I'd make a move on something that exists.

So buying a new depreciating car isn't usually a good platform to talk strategy in terms of saving! However one thing is for sure. With 13% tax plus other taxes and escalating fees, every time we do a car transaction so much money is thrown away, trading vehicles often (not forgetting early years depreciation too) doesn't make much financial sense. But the higher the price of the car, the more the "throw away" money becomes because of GST and excessive luxury brand fees.

In my case, I'm so old there's no waiting to get something special later!    No, it was more a case of buying something that I liked, that suited my current driving situation, and represented good value for money so that I wouldn't get that dreaded "buyer's remorse" later. 

I will certainly miss the Verano's seats and general comfort the most, followed by having a dealer within walking distance. However their Sales section lost my trust as did GM no longer making anything for me.

The Elantra Sport is closer to what I value in cars and closer to the performance kind of cars I have owned in the past. Three things stand out in impressing me about the Elantra. Number one, the thing that impressed me most, is the suspension/handling. Its well sorted, well balanced, no "vices" that I can determine. It was such a pleasant shock, because Hyundai hasn't been noted for this in the past. Next, the appearance inside and out appealed to me very much. Finally, that value for money and getting pretty much everything I wanted.     

[5 Wheel Drive]

That is a sharp looking little sedan!  Congrats on the new wheels! 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Sweet! Congratulations on a sharp looking car. 

[OliverD]

Congrats! I agree that this is one of the better values available today.

[carcrazed]

Awesome buy! Congrats!
I love how the blue ones look on the road when they're clean.  Your choice of colour is much more sensible!

[sszoomzoom]

Very sharp looking and the colour is perfect, makes it look fast. Happy motoring.

[dougjp]

Update with thoughts as ownership settles in. I'm really liking the look of this car, maybe even more than when I bought it! Detailing it helps. And the car has been hidden from the weather in the garage. I like all the angles of the exterior and the dash/steering wheel layout.

Normally I don't have much interest in how good or bad the mileage is in my cars, its the least of my priorities. However I found its quite amazing for something that also has acceptable performance credentials.

The car has about 1,000 Kms. on it now after several trips. These were mostly on secondary highways at 95-100 kph, which I know is above ideal speeds for maximum mileage, but not bad. Unfortunately I was using the "loud pedal" numbers of times passing people. Still, I was getting 6.3 L/100.    And I'm no longer using premium gas either which I did with my previous cars.

Contrary to what I said I'd miss before, the seats are good and no problems there. And I don't miss the multiple power settings I was used to. The suspension is firm but not jarring, although I find myself looking to miss bad pavement. The thing I do miss though, is sound deadening. I'm thinking of adding some Dynamat, and wish there was someone reputable near by to do this work. I don't think the car is much different from any other compacts, and is better than some, but I'm used to something that is better.

No other complaints! 

[Patrick_D1]

Glad you're enjoying it, still! The NVH is pretty good by compact standards, but I can see how it would seem loud after the Verano. It's even a little loud compared to my wife's 2.0L Elantra, probably due to the more boom-y exhaust and larger tires.

I just put my summer tires back on, and wow, I'd forgotten how sharp the car is. My Michelin X-Ice winters aren't bad, but putting back on the summer Ventus rubber, it's like a new car.

[dougjp]

Glad you're enjoying it, still! The NVH is pretty good by compact standards, but I can see how it would seem loud after the Verano. It's even a little loud compared to my wife's 2.0L Elantra, probably due to the more boom-y exhaust and larger tires.

I just put my summer tires back on, and wow, I'd forgotten how sharp the car is. My Michelin X-Ice winters aren't bad, but putting back on the summer Ventus rubber, it's like a new car.

Actually Patrick, I don't think its the exhaust at all. I only hear it when I'm on it, not while driving normally. And that's another thing I really like, the sound level which never drones, but when accelerating its just right, inside the car anyway. 

IMO its two things. First, there is no sound deadening in the trunk or rear wheel wells (although there is some in the front wheel wells), and I suspect the same under the thin floor mats. Perhaps not in the doors either. Second, the tires are 40 series ultra performance which for our roads are too stiff compounded by not enough sidewall, for me. Given a choice I would have 17" wheels with 45 or 50 aspect. But that's just me. Many buyers of this car will appreciate the attributes those spec tires give.

I also love the NAV with the display setting change you mentioned, and how intuitive all the controls/buttons/touchscreen is/are. 

[Scaerio]

Congrats on the new wheels!

[BritWRX]

Congratulations, I'm sure you're going to love it! If you have any questions on the specifics of how something works, feel free to PM me.

Pro tip: go into Setup, then Navigation, and scroll down under the "Display" section. One of the default options is "emphasize background" or something like that, but the one on the right is "emphasize roads." It darkens the map a bit making it easier to see the roads, easier on the eyes at night, and in my opinion more visually appealing. I also tend to use the red nav marker since the green one is pretty bright.

Thanks Patrick, I'll try that tomorrow. There are so many options here and there! I initially had trouble getting the hands free trunk opening and Homelink to work, but somehow figured those out.

Quadzilla, I'll definitely do that.

Arthur, most of my test drive time was spent in a higher snack bracket where I intended to lay out bags of cash.  But then the folly of it all, the sticker shock, hit home.  Compact cars of the size I wanted costing twice as much as this one. And I had a bunch of personal preferences, was picky about not compromising, because I wasn't in a rush. There were few that "qualified" like this car did.

My favorite test drive was a BMW M235i with what I considered perfect engine, gearbox and suspension in harmony. But it cost double this car, and over $ 8k "initiation" via freight, pdi, admin fee, and GST before paying for the actual car, really got me resetting where I wanted the money to go. There were other things I didn't like too. Also looked at the Audi S3, turbo lag was a bit of a turn off but loved lots of things about it.

I won't go into every personal preference that eliminated lots of cars from consideration. Suffice it to say there are lots of good cars in the marketplace but for me, this one checked the boxes and delivered way more for the money than anything else could.

I'm glad you're enjoying your Elantra Sport.  I just had one of these on test for 24 hours and was very impressed with it, especially for the money.  I was just wondering, you said that you tried the BMW M235i and Audi S3 and you did prefer them but they weren't really worth the massive premium.  Did you also try the Fiesta/Focus ST and Golf GTI?  If so, how did they compare?  I found the DCT transmission very impressive but too easy to pile on speed, so not quite as fun/involving as I had hoped.  Perhaps I would enjoy it more with the manual transmission.

[dougjp]

Congratulations, I'm sure you're going to love it! If you have any questions on the specifics of how something works, feel free to PM me.

Pro tip: go into Setup, then Navigation, and scroll down under the "Display" section. One of the default options is "emphasize background" or something like that, but the one on the right is "emphasize roads." It darkens the map a bit making it easier to see the roads, easier on the eyes at night, and in my opinion more visually appealing. I also tend to use the red nav marker since the green one is pretty bright.

Thanks Patrick, I'll try that tomorrow. There are so many options here and there! I initially had trouble getting the hands free trunk opening and Homelink to work, but somehow figured those out.

Quadzilla, I'll definitely do that.

Arthur, most of my test drive time was spent in a higher snack bracket where I intended to lay out bags of cash.  But then the folly of it all, the sticker shock, hit home.  Compact cars of the size I wanted costing twice as much as this one. And I had a bunch of personal preferences, was picky about not compromising, because I wasn't in a rush. There were few that "qualified" like this car did.

My favorite test drive was a BMW M235i with what I considered perfect engine, gearbox and suspension in harmony. But it cost double this car, and over $ 8k "initiation" via freight, pdi, admin fee, and GST before paying for the actual car, really got me resetting where I wanted the money to go. There were other things I didn't like too. Also looked at the Audi S3, turbo lag was a bit of a turn off but loved lots of things about it.

I won't go into every personal preference that eliminated lots of cars from consideration. Suffice it to say there are lots of good cars in the marketplace but for me, this one checked the boxes and delivered way more for the money than anything else could.

I'm glad you're enjoying your Elantra Sport.  I just had one of these on test for 24 hours and was very impressed with it, especially for the money.  I was just wondering, you said that you tried the BMW M235i and Audi S3 and you did prefer them but they weren't really worth the massive premium.  Did you also try the Fiesta/Focus ST and Golf GTI?  If so, how did they compare?  I found the DCT transmission very impressive but too easy to pile on speed, so not quite as fun/involving as I had hoped.  Perhaps I would enjoy it more with the manual transmission.

Thanks! I see from the other thread that you test drove the same version as mine (Tech auto). I find the car is fun and love the exhaust note too. Of course the Mini will be closest to a Kart in terms of giving the impression of speed, with its wheelbase I find my car to be fun, although as always I want more.    To each his own. I test drove a manual and its very good indeed in the way the shifter/clutch/transmission works. Mazda/Honda type good. I can't really comment on whether it would be more enjoyable for you, I'd really suggest driving one while your memory of your auto test drive is fresh.

I always drove manuals but its more convenient with the auto now, as my wife can't drive the manual and we can swap cars. CVTs need not apply. 

I never drove any hatchbacks this time as we already have one, which is enough for moving things. Also I don't like the look of the Fiesta/Focus dash. My preferences included having sufficient proper trunk space, ie; the closed/hidden space with seats in place in hatches is not acceptable. Proper trunks also provide better overall noise insulation. As you can see, my preferences (and these were only some) mostly eliminated the current marketplace.   

[BritWRX]

Congratulations, I'm sure you're going to love it! If you have any questions on the specifics of how something works, feel free to PM me.

Pro tip: go into Setup, then Navigation, and scroll down under the "Display" section. One of the default options is "emphasize background" or something like that, but the one on the right is "emphasize roads." It darkens the map a bit making it easier to see the roads, easier on the eyes at night, and in my opinion more visually appealing. I also tend to use the red nav marker since the green one is pretty bright.

Thanks Patrick, I'll try that tomorrow. There are so many options here and there! I initially had trouble getting the hands free trunk opening and Homelink to work, but somehow figured those out.

Quadzilla, I'll definitely do that.

Arthur, most of my test drive time was spent in a higher snack bracket where I intended to lay out bags of cash.  But then the folly of it all, the sticker shock, hit home.  Compact cars of the size I wanted costing twice as much as this one. And I had a bunch of personal preferences, was picky about not compromising, because I wasn't in a rush. There were few that "qualified" like this car did.

My favorite test drive was a BMW M235i with what I considered perfect engine, gearbox and suspension in harmony. But it cost double this car, and over $ 8k "initiation" via freight, pdi, admin fee, and GST before paying for the actual car, really got me resetting where I wanted the money to go. There were other things I didn't like too. Also looked at the Audi S3, turbo lag was a bit of a turn off but loved lots of things about it.

I won't go into every personal preference that eliminated lots of cars from consideration. Suffice it to say there are lots of good cars in the marketplace but for me, this one checked the boxes and delivered way more for the money than anything else could.

I'm glad you're enjoying your Elantra Sport.  I just had one of these on test for 24 hours and was very impressed with it, especially for the money.  I was just wondering, you said that you tried the BMW M235i and Audi S3 and you did prefer them but they weren't really worth the massive premium.  Did you also try the Fiesta/Focus ST and Golf GTI?  If so, how did they compare?  I found the DCT transmission very impressive but too easy to pile on speed, so not quite as fun/involving as I had hoped.  Perhaps I would enjoy it more with the manual transmission.

Thanks! I see from the other thread that you test drove the same version as mine (Tech auto). I find the car is fun and love the exhaust note too. Of course the Mini will be closest to a Kart in terms of giving the impression of speed, with its wheelbase I find my car to be fun, although as always I want more.    To each his own. I test drove a manual and its very good indeed in the way the shifter/clutch/transmission works. Mazda/Honda type good. I can't really comment on whether it would be more enjoyable for you, I'd really suggest driving one while your memory of your auto test drive is fresh.

I always drove manuals but its more convenient with the auto now, as my wife can't drive the manual and we can swap cars. CVTs need not apply. 

I never drove any hatchbacks this time as we already have one, which is enough for moving things. Also I don't like the look of the Fiesta/Focus dash. My preferences included having sufficient proper trunk space, ie; the closed/hidden space with seats in place in hatches is not acceptable. Proper trunks also provide better overall noise insulation. As you can see, my preferences (and these were only some) mostly eliminated the current marketplace. 

Thanks.  Yes, it's a fantastic car.  No complaints with the chassis really.  It seemed a little firm and there was some road noise but then I got back in my MINI and it was really nothing in comparison!  It seems silly to say it's too quick, the linear thrust was pretty addictive but then I was doing 120 all too quickly and not feeling like I was moving!  Using the paddles, I launched it onto the highway and before I reached 5th I was already breaking the speed limit.  With the MINI, I can work it quite hard in all the gears and stay legal and with the WRX, I had to drive around the turbo lag and when it came on boost it felt even more ballistic!  Having said that, I always found the mk5 Golf GTI fun even with the DSG transmission with a similar power delivery but probably would have still chosen the manual.  The DCT makes a lot of sense though, faster acceleration, better fuel economy, nicer to drive in traffic.  If someone else was paying, I might be tempted to go DCT but as it's my own money, I would probably save the $1500 and get the manual.  I think the Sport would be a very easy car to live with as a daily but then would I feel like I needed something else that demands a bit more effort from myself too?  I can't really justify having two vehicles, so it's about finding something that provides the best compromise between performance, practicality, comfort, running costs and fun.

I'm torn between something more focussed like another MINI, a Cooper S this time, Abarth 500 or Toyota 86 or a quick, comfortable all-rounder like an Elantra Sport, Focus ST or Golf GTI.  Either way, the Elantra Sport has to be one of the best new vehicle bargains out there.

[dougjp]

Just a brief update on my ownership experience as its getting close to 5,000 kms. No problems at all and still enjoying it. I still think its one of the best looking sedans on the road.

The standout has been fuel mileage, something I'm not that interested in compared to other things, but I figured potential buyers who focus on this would like to know. We have taken a number of drives north and east of us. In a trip up to the Haliburton Highlands (and yes that is uphill overall from where we are), we got 5.8 L/100 ! This is on regular gas and in a car which has enough engine to pretty much haul a$$ and loudly too when passing the nova-cane crowd.    Other trips got in the low 6.xL/100 range. Needless to say, when Hurricane Harvey caused the gas prices to spike temporarily, I didn't care. 

What have I done to the car since buying it?  The first thing was change the oil and filter at 1,800 kms. to Hyundai's pure synthetic. Then, as in previous posts, I mentioned the noise factor, and being more interested in luxury and sound suppression than the typical buyer of this kind of car. I found a tire dealer to give me a good trade on the original tires and put on Dunlop Signature HP. Same size as OEM, same category (ultra high performance all season). However based on what I read and Tire Rack's surveys, the Dunlop is considerably better handling road noise and performs the same or better in all categories, ie; the dry, wet, snow etc. - look it up at Tire Rack. It only cost $ 400- to do this. Then I bought $ 100- worth of FatMat sound insulation material and coated the trunk spare wheel well. This added only 6 lbs. The car is noticeably better than stock with these two changes, and the cost was like getting some option on the car.

The only thing I can't get my head around is commanding the navigation. There's nothing wrong with it, its just my mental block. I've never had Nav before, but I'll keep trying. It doesn't understand me. 

I took the plunge on this car after the Kia Stinger was announced, because it was too big and the G70 that I was waiting to hear about was said to use the same platform. Now I see the G70 is shorter!