It’s not easy to find a bargain these days, it seems like everything from milk to movie tickets is costing more and more. The same is true of new cars, it seems like only yesterday when $15,000 bought a well-equipped, mid-sized family sedan; today that would be a bargain. While nearly every automaker from Chevrolet to Toyota has moved their cars further and further up market, brands like Kia and Hyundai have stolen a market the Japanese used to have a firm lock on – great-looking cars that offer lots of features for a budget price.

Hyundai has always been about finding the bargain shopper. The first Hyundai sold in the US, the Excel, offered such amenities as, cloth seats, AM/FM/Cassette stereo, power steering, sunroof and air-conditioning for a price of about $6000. A new car for $6000! Sure, it seemed like a bargain, trouble was, those cars were not made very well. Breakdowns were not rare, and warranty claims were common. It quickly became clear to American consumers why a Honda was so much more expensive than a Hyundai. And Hyundai has had a problem with the public’s perception of quality ever since that first Excel hit US shores. As a side note; it still seems odd that Kia can offer a new car for about $9000 more than 15 years after the first Excel and the dreadful Yugo GV.

Even the casual observer would have to admit that Hyundai is in the midst of reinventing itself – perhaps they’ve already done it. Offering budget priced cars is one thing, but building and selling budget priced cars that consumers will shop regardless of price is another matter altogether. The Tibron, Sonata and Santa Fe are all Hyundai’s worth considering, even if the cost is the same as a similar Japanese import. The same is true of the Elantra GT – it just looks so cool. Is it me, or does the Elantra GT bear a slight resemblance to certain Saab products? Oh, I know, that is treading on sacred ground for some, but more than one person has made this uncanny observation.

It takes more than good looks to truly be considered a value in today’s ultra competitive new car marketplace. Does the Hyundai Elantra GT add up to a significant value for the average consumer when factoring in quality, styling, features, price and performance? In short, the answer is yes.

Invoice price on an Elantra GT with a 5-speed manual transmission is about $12,900, while a sedan (which offers fewer standard features) has an invoice price of $11,500. The main difference between the GT and GLS sedan is, of course the 5-door hatchback configuration of the GT. The GT also offers standard features which are optional on the sedan – the GT comes standard with leather, CD player, 6-speaker stereo, fog lights, alloy wheels, four-wheel discs, remote power door locks and cruise control.

The Elantra GT has many pluses with only a few minuses. Certainly we applaud the Elantra’s value, styling, ride quality and overall usefulness. Inside the Elantra, glowing blue neon adorns the instrument cluster similar to that used on most VW products. VW has become the very definition of cool, so it’s no wonder Hyundai chose to mimic a decidedly VW-like feature. The only problem with this dash arrangement is that only the main instruments have the cool-blue glow, lights for the ventilation system, stereo and other center-dash features are still lit in the plain green found on most budget cars.

Other than the odd mis-matched lighting, the Elantra GT’s interior is quite nice – a step above most economy cars, but just below entry-level luxury cars. Leather is a wonderful standard feature on a $14,000 car, but don’t expect supple, Lexus like leather. The Elantra GT’s leather seems more sporty and durable rather than luxurious. In fact the entire interior has deliberate sport flair.

Front seats are comfortable and supportive; rear seats seem slightly softer and more comfortable. Five adults will fit in the Elantra’s spacious passenger compartment, but if all five passenger happen to be full grown men, they’d better be VERY good friends. In fact, if they aren’t when the journey begins, they will be once everyone fastens their seatbelts. Although the Elantra GLS sedan offers a surprisingly accommodating trunk, the GT has even more cargo capacity thanks to the hatchback configuration.

For a bargain priced car, there are a lot of little things that make themselves know gradually while using the Elantra in everyday situation. Things like front reading lights, one-touch down power driver window, and a dual mode center armrest/storage bin are all features one might find on a car costing thousands more. Also, front side air bags are standard equipment.

A bit of a complaint about the sunroof/moon roof - It’s terrific to have this feature on an economy car, but why can’t the tilt feature and slide-open feature be controlled with just one switch? The Elantra, uses two switches to operate the sunroof; one to tilt the sunroof open, and another separate switch to slide the sunroof all the way open – it’s kind of a hassle.

The Elantra GT is a real performer on the road. A 2.0L 4-cyldiner engine makes a class leading 140 hp. Only the Suzuki Aerio tops the Elantra with 141 hp. The little 2.0L engine is very fun to drive hard, and especially fun with the 5-speed manual transmission. Like many engines this size, the Elantra’s lacks low-end power, however launching from a dead stop not is disappointing by any means. The DOHC, 16v inline-4 has a smoothness and solidity to it that Honda owners have enjoyed for decades, newly implemented hydraulic engine mounts really do a good job of isolating vibration. When pushed to near the 6500 RPM redline, the Elantra’s motor begins to loose a little (very little) of it’s composure and can tend toward harsh – but only barely, and this is only true when the revs exceed 5500 or so. Most drivers will never shift so aggressively and therefore will notice only the quiet, refined and linear delivery of power.

Like the revvy little engine, the Elantra’s handling tends toward sporty. In GT trim the Elantra offers four-wheel disc brakes (antilock brakes are optional) and thicker front and rear anti-roll bars. The Elantra feels light, tossable and fun. There is noticeable lean when cornering aggressively, but it only goes so far. In short, cornering is fun but not flat. Around town and the Elantra is able to effectively soak up bumps and rough roads and delivers a pleasant ride overall. Open highway driving is also pleasant; the Elantra lacks the wind, road and engine noise usually found on smaller or budget priced cars. Even at speeds of 80 mph, in 5th gear, the Elantra feels stable, and remains fairly quiet.



Overall, the Elantra GT is a success in many ways. The GT version of the Elantra offers more than just sporty paint and decals to set it apart from the GLS – bravo to Hyundai for “getting it.” Opt for the Elantra GT and you’ll truly get a car that is sportier than the Elantra GLS sedan. The Hyundai 2.0L engine makes an impressive 140 hp and is actually quite fun to drive when mated to a 5-speed manual. In addition, the Elantra GT offers lots of standard features for a reasonable price. Fog lights, remote keyless entry, alloy wheels, and leather seating used to be standard equipment only on more expensive cars. Not only does the Elantra GT offer more features than you’d expect for under $15,000, it also offers more in terms of styling than most other cars in its price range. While cars like the Aerio, Focus and ECHO have a purposefully funky look (I hope it’s purposeful); the Elantra GT has a classy, sporty, almost European look to it – inside and out.

Finally, one has to wonder how much longer Hyundai is going to keep “America’s Best Warranty” in place. 5 years or 60,000 miles bumper to bumper and 10 years or 100,000 miles for the power train is VERY impressive. Chrysler recently made a big deal about their new 7/70 power train protection, while Hyundai and Kia have been offering a longer warranty for years. The Hyundai warranty is icing on the cake, the Elantra GT is worth having even without the warranty, but with the warranty the car is even more desirable. When one considers value, features, and warranty it’s hard not come down on the side of the Elantra – a car so good it all but erases the memory of the old Excel.


Amount Paid (US$): 13,345
Condition: New
Model Year: 2002
Model and Options: GT 5-Speed