2000 Hyundai Elantra gls review from North America

When I bought it used in 2006, the interior trim and upholstery seemed cheaply built. The fabric on the doors was puckered and ill-fitting. The plastic under the fabric was cracked and broken. I fixed these cosmetic flaws fairly easily by myself. Additionally, the black finish had worn off of the power window buttons exposing plain white plastic. I left this alone.

The "check engine" light was on, but I had the code checked and it was a transmission fluid temperature sensor which does not affect the car's performance. I have continued to drive with this light on.

In short, I expected flaws on a cheap used car so I knew what I was getting up front.

The car has performed far better than I had hoped. It is very quick for a 4 cylinder engine, and I can drive 85 MPH on the highway with my foot barely pressing down on the accelerator. When I need to pass, there's no hesitation. The car flat-out moves!

The gas mileage is good. It usually gets about 26 mpg, but I just returned from a long trip where I got 41.33 mpg. I was surprised initially by how small the gas tank was (about 10 gallons)

I am over 6 feet tall and the driver's seat is fairly comfortable. I don't need to put the seat all the way back to drive it.

The car handles extremely well. The steering is very tight and responsive.

In all, it's a very fun car to drive if you don't need luxury.