Automotive Guide - Hyundai Elantra
Knoxville, Tennessee

Elantra is the latest giant leap forward

If Hyundai had legs, it would be called the strider.

Over the last few years, the South Korean vehicle manufacturer has made giant-sized strides in virtually every aspect of its business, but especially in the all-important areas of product innovation, design and quality.

Where once Hyundai was derided as little more than the Asian version of the Yugo, it has developed, in a very short time, into a serious contender in one of the most competitive areas of the world economy.

Hyundai now boasts a full range of automobiles, sport utility vehicles and a minivan _ though no pickup trucks here as yet.

Seven of those have arrived in the last two years, even as Hyundai has climbed in independent surveys of vehicle quality. Despite this, the company has retained its extended warranty, which includes five-year, 60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper coverage and 10 years, 100,000 miles on the engine and transmission.

The newest entries in the Hyundai lineup are the revamped Tiburon sport coupe and an all-new Elantra four-door sedan.

The Tiburon is a tight, sweet-handling coupe that competes against the Scion tC, Honda Civic Si, Mitsubishi Eclipse GS and Chevrolet Cobalt SS.  There are four versions, including the GS with a 138-horsepower four-cylinder engine and the GT, SE and GT Limited models with 172-horsepower, 2.7-liter V6 power.

Of most interest to the young buyers at which the Tiburon is aimed are the GT and SE models. The former, which is the more softly sprung of the two, starts at $19,895 and is available with either a five-speed manual gearbox or a four-speed automatic transmission with a manual-shift mode.

The SE is an all-out sports coupe. Though it has the same engine, it is far more stiffly sprung to enhance handling, and comes only with a six-speed manual gearbox. As might be expected, the ride is harsh and choppy _ just the thing for people who like to up-tune their rides for occasional track events.

The all-new Elantra is another matter entirely. It is a family car, pure and simple, and a nice one for the price. Though marketed as a compact, it has mid-size passenger space and a commodious, well-finished trunk of 14 cubic feet. The rear seatback also splits 60-40 and folds down for extra cargo.

There are three Elantra models, starting with the GLS at $13,995 with a five-speed manual gearbox and topping out with the four-speed automatic transmission Limited at $18,295.

Every Elantra comes with basic safety equipment, including antilock disc brakes on all four wheels, electronic brake-force distribution, front-seat side air bags, side-curtain air bags front and rear, front seatbelt pre-tensioners and active front-seat headrests.

The test car was the mid-level SE model with an automatic transmission. With a sticker price of $17,295 and no options, it was equipped with most every feature a budget-minded buyer might want.

Among them: air conditioning, an AM-FM-CD audio system with steering-wheel controls and an auxiliary jack for iPods and similar devices; remote locking with a security system; power windows and outside mirrors; cruise control; a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel; a trip computer; fog lights, and European-styled alloy wheels.

Power goes to the front wheels through an easy-shifting four-speed automatic that doesn't get confused hunting for the right gear on hills. As such, it makes good use of the engine's 138 horsepower. It is the same engine as in the base Tiburon GS. City/highway fuel economy works out to 28/36 miles to the gallon.

This is no sports sedan, so the handling is not what you would consider pinpoint. There is softness in the suspension system, resulting in some wallowing on tight curves at speed, though handling in normal circumstances is acceptable. The soft springing, however, contributes to a comfortable ride on all but the roughest surfaces.

Cruising on the freeways, the Elantra is commendably quiet, with little engine, road and wind noise. At idle, you can barely sense that the engine is running.

Inside, the SE model had what appeared to be sturdy cloth upholstery and seats that were supportive and comfortable front and rear. With the tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and a height adjuster for the driver's seat, it's easy for almost anyone to find a comfortable driving position. Leather upholstery is an option on the Limited model.

The back seat provides ample head and knee room for two people in the outboard positions. As is customary in most cars, the center-rear passenger is offered only a punishing perch.

The instrument panel is noteworthy for a clean and classy look, with good materials and workmanship. And Hyundai also has thoughtfully provided a large dead pedal for the left foot _ the better to brace oneself in those tight curves.

There's also an abundance of storage spaces, map pockets, assist grips, cup holders and even a center fold-down armrest with cup holders in back,  although the SE did not have an assist grip for the driver.

The Elantra competes in a tough crowd that includes the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Nissan Sentra, Mazda 3, Ford Focus, Chevrolet Cobalt, Volkswagen Rabbit and Jetta, Kia Rio, Suzuki Forenza, Mitsubishi Lancer and Subaru Impreza.

By FRANK A. AUKOFER
Scripps Howard News Service