1998 Hyundai Elantra SE review from North America
"Great performance for the money!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Power steering belt was cracked and ready to go as soon as I got the car. However, the dealership was EXCELLENT about replacing this for me, for free! I still put the belt on myself, but I really appreciated the gesture!
The battery was also cooked, was replaced free of charge.
General comments?
Very impressed with acceleration! I can beat stock civics in races NO PROBLEM with this car, it's quite fast.
Shifting of the transmission is quite smooth, very fun to drive.
Engine is in immaculate condition (*knock on wood*), the oil after driving for 2000km after changing still looked brand new. Now however (82000km) is showing signs of darkening.
Paint is in good condition, the clear coat on the spoiler is showing signs of pinholes... (paint lifting after rain) Otherwise is great.
The air conditioning! WOW, I could refrigerate food in this car in the summer if I blasted the air, quite comfortable to drive. Air conditioning robs about 10HP (estimated) when it's on, it's definitely noticeable when accelerating with AC on...
The stock stereo is great as far as stock stereo's go... CD player functions as it should, and radio reception is excellent. Bass from this system is above average (this is a good thing) it's very nice. I do plan on putting in a different deck and a sub though.
One of the very few problems I've encountered is the lights in the center console sometimes do not light (IE, for the heater, fan, air selector) I think there might be a broken wire somewhere, am looking into fixing this... The lights do come on if you whack the side of the console... :-)
I also think the power steering pump may be going... Other than that, I'm very pleased...
Recommended reviews
| 1998 - Elantra SE 1.8L 130hp I-4 Very sporty for a 4dr and feels like a lot of car for the money |
|
| Fairly decent but worth the money |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1998 |
| First year of ownership | 2002 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.8L Manual |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 10 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 10 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 79000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 82000 kilometres |
| Date of Entry | 4th November, 2002 |