Vehicle Tested
| 2011 Hyundai Elantra GLS
Base Price: $14,830
At-Tested Price: $16,930
Built in Montgomery, Alabama.
Options
Popular Equipment Package
- Air Conditioning
- Cruise Control
- Telescope steering wheel
Floor Mats
iPod Cable
Engine: 1.8-liter I4
Transmission: 6-Speed Manual
Drive Wheels: Front-Wheel Drive
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Hyundai goes all-in with the swoopy design architecture of the Sonata with a similarly styled Elantra. New from the ground up, the 2011 Elantra sedan is the South Korean automaker's compact entry, designed to battle with class stalwarts like the Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Mazda 3, Nissan Sentra and Toyota Corolla.
Though the Elantra sedan is all new for '11, the four-door hatchback version called Elantra Touring carries over with little change. Both seat five on twin front buckets and a three-place rear bench seat.
In addition to the fresh exterior styling, the 2011 Elantra sedan sports new features and a new, and more powerful, engine. Exterior dimensions grow slightly. The new Elantra is two inches longer and rides a wheelbase that's one inch longer. Despite the larger package curb weight is down by almost 200 pounds.
Two trim levels are offered GLS and Limited. Power for both comes from a new 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 148 horsepower. That engine replaces a 138-horsepower 2.0-liter engine that's still offered on the Elantra Touring. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the GLS. Optional on that model and standard on the Limited is a six-speed automatic.
Standard safety features include antilock four-wheel disc brakes with brake assist, stability control, traction control, tire-pressure monitor, daytime running lights and dual-front, front-side and curtain-side airbags. A rear-view camera is offered with the available navigation system. Park assist and blind-spot warning are not available.
The $14,945 GLS comes with manual transmission, tilt steering wheel, cloth upholstery, height-adjustable driver seat, center console, split-folding rear seat, heated power mirrors, power windows, power door locks, keyless entry, AM/FM/CD/MP3 player with satellite and digital-media player connection, trip computer, outside-temperature indicator, intermittent wipers, rear defogger, 195/65HR15 tires and wheel covers.
Opting for the automatic transmission in the GLS will set you back $2250 but you'll also get air conditioning, tilt-telescope steering wheel, cruise control and 205/55R16 tires.
The limited lists for $20,195 and adds to the GLS automatic leather-wrapped steering wheel with radio controls, leather upholstery, heated front and rear seats, sunroof, Bluetooth cell-phone link, 215/45R17 tires and alloy wheels.
Stand-alone options are limited to navigation system, which includes a rear-view camera, and automatic headlamps. Most of the features offered on the Limited are available on the GLS as part of a Preferred Equipment Package.
The Elantra is built in both Alabama and South Korea and has a destination charge of $750.
Get Up and Go Despite losing some displacement, the 2011 Elantra's engine is significantly more powerful than last year's mill. When mated to the six-speed automatic, Elantra hits sixty mph from a standstill in a little over nine seconds. That's almost a second faster than last year's model and just half a second slower than the class-leading Chevrolet Cruze turbo.
The engine feels refined and peppy around town and offers acceptable passing power. Though it never feels fast, there's enough grunt that you don't feel like your piloting an economy car.
The manual transmission has longish throws but a light and accurate clutch. Automatic transmissions provide smooth shifts and reasonably quick downshifts.
EPA numbers for both the automatic and manual transmission models come in at 29 mpg city and 40 mpg highway. While 40 mpg highway is the current bogey for compacts, it's still quite an impressive number and something that only a few competitors can match. Like most competitors, the Elantra runs fine on regular-grade gasoline.
Real-world driving will likely yield about 30 mpg in typical suburban commuting, though if your trip includes a lot of highway driving, you'll easily top 35 mpg overall. Straight highway drives will net out at about 38 mpg.
On the Road The new Elantra has a composed and comfortable ride. The suspension does a good job of smothering small pavement imperfections and softening larger jolts. The low-profile tires on the limed have a firmer ride, but it's far from harsh.
Conversely, the soft suspension leads to excess body motion in fast maneuvers and lots of squat and dive in acceleration and braking. Compared to the Ford Focus or Chevrolet Cruze, the Elantra feels anesthetized, almost numb. That same feeling is translated into the video-game-like steering. Though it's very accurate, there's absolutely no road feel and feels dead on center. Brakes have good stopping power and the pedal is easy to modulate.
When compared to other compact cars, Elantra is quiet. However, not as quiet as the class leading Chevrolet Cruze. On the highway there's some tire roar and wind rush around the side windows. The engine growls in hard acceleration but cruises quietly.
Behind the Wheel The Elantra's interior is stylish and modern with materials entirely appropriate for the class, if not a bit better than expected. Most surfaces are nicely finished and the overall feel is upscale and airy.
Drivers face two large dials for engine and vehicle speed. They are easy to read day or night. The center stack houses controls for the climate and audio systems and the optional navigation screen. Climate controls are a bit low, but nicely arranged and easy to operate at speed. The standard audio unit is easy to operate and features simple controls. Opting for the navigation system necessitates some compromised radio controls in favor of the large display screen. Ancillary controls for the windows and locks are right where they belong on the driver's armrest.
The front seats are adult sized and quite comfortable, if a bit soft. There's plenty of head and leg room for large adults. The driving position is good with great outward visibility. It would be nice if the tilt-telescope steering wheel were standard on all models, though. One nice touch is the sliding center-console armrest.
Elantra packs more rear-seat room than just about any car in the class, perhaps trailing only the new Volkswagen Jetta. There's good head and leg room and the seat is comfortable and supportive.
Elantra's 14.8 cubic foot trunk is quite roomy but that's somewhat offset by the smallish opening and folding rear seats that create a six-inch step in the cargo floor. Interior storage is good with lots of cubbies and covered bins.
Bottom Line The Hyundai Elantra jumps to the head of the class with its 2011 redesign. The new car is significantly more roomy and refined than its predecessor and is more powerful and fuel efficient. Hyundai's also added a touch of flair with a dollop of big-brother Sonata's styling cues.
Base prices are quite attractive. A nicely-equipped GLS lists at about $17,000 if you don't mind opting for the manual transmission. Add an automatic, as I am sure most would and you're up to more than $18,000. Still not a bad value overall. The Limited, though it comes loaded to the gills, tops out at $22,000 and that's nudging into many midsize competitors.
If you're looking for a comfortable, refined and roomy compact that gets great fuel economy the Elantra should top your "must see" list.
Specifications 2011 Hyundai Elantra GLS
| Dimensions
| 4-door sedan
| Engine
| DOHC I4
| Wheelbase, in.
| 106.3
| Size, liters/cu. in.
| 1.8 / 110
| Length, in.
| 178.3 | Horsepower @ rpm
| 148 @ 6500
| Width, in.
| 69.9
| Torque (lb.-ft.) @ rpm
| 131 @ 4700
| Height, in.
| 56.5
| Transmission
| 6-Speed Manual
| Weight, lbs.
| 2661
| EPA Estimates, mpg
| 29 city / 40 highway
| Cargo Capacity, cu. ft.
| 14.8 |
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| Fuel Capacity, gals.
| 12.8
| Manufacturer's Warranty
| Seating Capacity
| 5
| Bumper-to-Bumper
| 5 years / 60,000 miles
| Front Head Room, in.
| 40.0
| Powertrain
| 10 years / 100,000 miles
| Front Leg Room, in.
| 43.6
| Corrosion
| 7 years / Unlimited miles
| Second-Row Head Room, in.
| 37.1
| Free Roadside Assistance
| 5 years / Unlimited miles
| Second-Row Leg Room, in.
| 33.1
| Free Scheduled Maintenance
| None
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