2006 Hyundai Elantra GLS 2.0

Summary:

Great value

Faults:

Nothing so far.

General Comments:

I just got this car and have been tooling around with it. I got the car for $13,400 out the door including tax tags and dealer prep charges. The car impressed me with it's standard features and surprised me with the smoothness of the ride. I came from a Lincoln Mark VIII to this and I like the Hyundai's ride almost as much as the Lincoln believe it or not.

Having power windows, PL, heated PM, Alarm, keyless entry standard helps. The only option my car had was floor mats, but with the standard list so long who needs anything else? The car has turned a few heads and got impressive remarks from co workers who saw it today. I would recommend this car for anyone looking for a great car on a budget.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 6th April, 2006

25th May 2006, 11:02

Yes, the ride quality of the Elantra is excellent, but that's my one issue with the car-- I could've sacrificed some ride quality for better handling.

27th May 2006, 11:57

Hi. I used to own 2 Elantras. My first was a 99. So Reliable. Then I bought a 2004. Much better than my 99.

I currently now have an 06 Sonata. What a move up from an Elantra. I loved both my Elantras. They were great little cars and Hyundai is the best. I will only buy Hyundais.

The 99 Elantra was my first car ever. Used it to go to school. Traveled about 400 miles a week for a year. NO PROBLEMS AT ALL. I have had no problems with my 04 either.

Hope this helps if anybody is interested in an Elantra.

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2006 Hyundai Elantra VE - Rental

Summary:

Perhaps on of the most impressive cars I've ever driven

Faults:

Sadly, we only had it 10 days.

General Comments:

I received it as a rental while my Honda Accord was being repaired and had the pleasure of driving it for 10 days.

I drove it through an ice storm and through thick slushy snow. It handled both beautifully, common sense prevailing for I wasn't driving like a maniac in either situation. But it plowed through some pretty miserable road conditions and through it all I felt completely safe.

I got to test the brakes when driving it in fog. A transport truck was performing a turn on the highway and suddenly there was a wall of white looming before me. The ABS worked perfectly, it stopped on a dime, unlike my heart which pounded for quite some time afterwards.

It was roomy enough to be comfortable, very quiet and warmed up quickly even during sub-zero temperatures. We enjoyed several long drives in the car and never once felt stiff or achy. The adjustable seat height and lumbar support was an added bonus.

It was quick on the turns and reached a comfortable cruising speed quickly. I found it as snippy as our Iroc for handling on winding roads and almost as fun.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 29th January, 2006

5th May 2006, 18:00

My '06 also warms up quickly in cold weather. It is a very comfortable cold weather car. I have no experience with it in warm temps however.

2006 Hyundai Elantra GLS

Summary:

Pretty good except for the above problem

Faults:

Hi

Its to do with the initial starting. The clutch of the car seems to be a bit stiff - it releases late. I have driven stick shifts all my life, never had this problem. Because the clutch releases late, I am unable to synchronize clutch release and acceleration so the car either shuts off or moves with a jerky movement. This problem doesn't exist once the car is in motion for obvious reasons. It's a brand new car!!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 21st January, 2006

6th Apr 2006, 13:51

I just bought a 2005 5spd GLS and have not noticed this problem, hopefully it does not appear anytime soon. I would not accept the explanation that this is they way the car is made, I have a hard time believeing that.

16th Jan 2007, 19:03

May I suggest you simply learn the way this clutch grabs and adjust your driving accordingly? Not all clutches are created equal. Just because something is different doesn't mean it is necesserily inferior. My truck has a very light clutch, and other people say they can't drive it because they can't feel the clutch even being present.

I've driven other trucks where the clutch does exactly what the elantra does - it grabs late in the travel. Just learn to drive it the way it wants to be driven.

12th Jul 2008, 22:23

I have a 2006 GLS 5 speed. Around 40,000 miles the clutch went out. Took it to the Hyundai shop and come to find out the main cylinder also had to be rebuilt. All was covered under warranty, and I haven't had another problem.

3rd Sep 2008, 09:38

Hyundai has a little valve that makes the clutch release slowly so that engagement is smooth. This is good for drivers who can't drive a stick, but bad for the rest of us. Removing this valve is very simple and takes only about 15-20 minutes total. There are several write-ups on the Hyundai Elantra boards on how to do this "valve-ectomy".

10th Oct 2008, 20:02

Yes, a valvectomy is the way to go. Look in the DIY section on the elantraclub.com board, you will be glad you did.

I own a 2006 Elantra GLS hatch 5 speed. Try out elantraclub.com; not much you can do or want to do to a motor under warranty, but we have lots of handling upgrades and other topics.