2007 Hyundai Elantra GLS 2.0L from North America

Summary:

For what I paid and all the features I got, the Elantra is an outstanding bargain

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong yet. Knock on wood.

General Comments:

I love my new Elantra. It is way better than my old Stratus, but my old Stratus had over 180,000 miles on it and was getting old, and I needed a new car.

The Elantra rides smoother, is quieter, gets better gas mileage and accelerates better. It is even better on insurance because of all the safety features.

So far there are only 3 things that irk me about the car.

1. There is a huge blind spot on the drivers side, and I can't seem to adjust the power mirrors just right to eliminate it. However, I always look over my shoulder before I change lanes.

2. This car does not take potholes very well. The suspension is too light and even a small hole produces noticeable bounces and rattles, but then again no car really goes over a pothole well. This is just a nitpick I suppose.

3. During full acceleration the engine is noisy, which is odd because at idle or freeway cruising, the engine very quiet, even with the A/C on. In fact, I already scratched the starter once because the car idles so smoothly and quietly.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 10th May, 2007

7th Oct 2007, 22:02

You might want to stop going over potholes! Alignment is important!

6th Nov 2007, 10:31

Sounds like you made a good buy!

4th Mar 2008, 17:41

I'd be curious to know how big the potholes are. No car withstands the shock of a true pothole, and only in the most expensive luxury cars are they not annoying. There should be a standardized pothole test, say 14 wide, 3 inches deep - a car should be able to handle this without the passengers flinching. Otherwise "doesn't take potholes well" is pretty meaningless.

13th Jun 2008, 13:04

I can understand your point on engine noise. I test drove an '07 Optima 4cyl. It was very smooth and quiet at idle and in normal acceration, but with hard acceleration it was kind of loud and gruff sounding. For me that's good though because it will discourage me from wanting to push it too hard. I hope your Elantra keeps you satisfied for a long time.

9th Jun 2011, 19:03

Well I no longer have my beloved Elantra. I was rear ended by some moron talking on his cell phone, not paying attention to where he was going. No one was hurt fortunately. Sad. This was the most dependable, reliable car I EVER owned. Never let me down. Not once. I almost had it paid off. But, I will be getting another Hyundai. Maybe a Sonata this time.

2007 Hyundai Elantra 1.8 GLS Beta 1.8 DOHC 16v from Malaysia

Summary:

Way, way better than expected

Faults:

Nothing so far and keeping my fingers crossed.

General Comments:

The list of standard options is huge: 16 valve twin-cam, HIVEC g/box, airbags, ABS, all 4-discs, electronic brakeforce distribution, leather, CD player, talking reverse sensor, tinted glass... damn amazing for a car of this price.

Some small touches are really nice... I especially like the in built radio antenna in the rear screen and the multitude of storage spaces which makes storing all those knick knacks a breeze.

Interior trim overall better than most in its class... the plastics don't feel cheap and the beige leather option makes it more upmarket. Seats are large and comfortable, including the rear seat. Headroom is excellent. Instrumentation and controls are very intuitive and easy to use. Air-conditioning is really cool with 4 large vents.

On the road, the biggest surprise was that this 1.8 packs a punch. Throttle response is really good and the car gets up and goes immediately. The suspension does a good job of smoothing out potholes, very little wind roar but if there's one complaint its that tire roar is a bit loud...could be due to the particular brand of tire though...

Overall, nothing much to complain about and a great bargain.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 8th March, 2007

9th Mar 2007, 22:12

This review is USELESS because it praises the "bargain" price, but does not mention the price anywhere!!!

11th Mar 2007, 00:10

I'm in Malaysia... the price wouldn't make much sense to anybody out of this country, that's why its not there.

31st Mar 2008, 01:04

I think this review is very good.

Great information for me, as I am about to buy one.

31st Oct 2009, 10:41

I'm planning to purchase a new Elantra 1.8 2009 Edition. The price were dropped down from RM 81,000.00 to 65,000.00. Can anybody give me an idea why the price dropped that much?

24th Jan 2011, 23:44

Well thank you for the comment, I about to get 2nd Elantra 07 model, miles around 50k, the price is around 37k.

Can anyone give me any comments?

Anyway, I am just trying to get a car within the amount I can afford.