2003 Hyundai Elantra GT 2.0L 4 cylinder DOHC from North America

Summary:

Excelent car for the money!

Faults:

Absolutely Nothing has gone wrong with the car thus far. Everything works great. Stereo is loud and clear, seats are comfy and it drives great.

General Comments:

Over all and excellent car for fourteen grand. Features are great. Stock features: A/C, CD player, spoiler, aloy rims, fog lights, LEATHER interior, cruise. Trip and gas mileage computer. VERY COOL BLUE/PURPLE instrument cluster. And the list goes on.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 3rd December, 2003

9th Nov 2004, 22:36

The list of features is very impressive in this price range, especially the side airbags and the GT's leather seats and fog lights. I got mine for 13,000 with sunroof and ABS. Test drive one if you are considering one. All the controls are where you expect and it makes you feel right at home. The GT has a very nice ride. Quiet, and smooth, but not completely soft, so it feels pretty agile. The leather and side airbags really raise eyebrows in the segment.

Acceleration could be better for a "GT," although comparable (slightly better) to other economy cars. Braking is very good. Handling is Good and can be significantly improved with cheap modifications, unlike the acceleration. The hatchback practicality is excellent, and although you can look at the car and figure out if you like the styling, I think it's one of the best looking designs around. Very Saab 9-3ish.

Mine had a loose radiator hose and had to be towed back to the dealership the next day, but that's the only problem so far (18months). Apparently 1 problem per car is the average for Hyundai nowadays, which is very low. I think they're tied for first place with Honda in initial quality.

3rd Mar 2005, 10:31

I thought Quality as well when I purchased in October 2003 but now after 35000 miles I need a new Serpantine belt and a clutch. A clutch after 35000 miles, I got 150000 on a 90 Honda Civic CRX and would give anything to have the car back.

7th Aug 2005, 16:53

You call it a great car after only driving it 130 miles??? You have no basis for this review!!!

2003 Hyundai Elantra GLS 2.0 liter from North America

Summary:

A great, affordable, safe and fun to drive car!

Faults:

The car has been great to drive and I cannot report any problems.

General Comments:

The car is very stylish, fun, affordable and stands out among the other imports.

The interior feels richer than what you actually pay for it.

There were a lot of standard items on the Elantra that made it a 'must have'.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 4th November, 2003

18th Jan 2011, 15:24

The 2003 Elantra I have has 170,000+ miles on it.

The only part I ever had to replace was the radiator which sprung a small leak. Other than routine maintenance (oil/filter/transmission fluid, spark plugs, brake-pads and rotors), which I do myself, I have not replaced ANYTHING else, including the timing belt or water pump.

Probably foolish, but now I am anxious to find out how long it will last. :-)

2003 Hyundai Elantra VE 135 HP DOHC from North America

Summary:

A great bargain and a reliable ever-day car!

Faults:

No serious problems with this car.

Noticed that the paint is quite thin. It doesn't take much to scratch or chip the paint.

The sheet metal is also quite thin so it doesn't take much to dent this car either.

General Comments:

Aside from the above notes, this car has proven itself to be a good everyday running car. It has ample power and tight steering. A real gas miser!

The cabin is well designed and aside from the seats being a little stiff, it is quite comfortable.

Advice to prospective buyers: Fork over the extra bit of cash and get the VE: power group upgrade includes A/C, power heated side mirrors, power windows, cruise control and more!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 25th October, 2003

22nd Jan 2004, 18:01

Yes, the Olds was a nice car. But the repair bills were piling up and when the head gasket blew, I gave up on it.

As for the Elantra, well I've put 31,000 KMs on it since I bought it in April. No problems whatsoever. I have no reason to believe that this car will give me any problems either. I haven't experienced any of those annoying problems that you encounter with some other new cars (squeaks and rattles, etc.)

Your concerns about the power are justified. Although this car has only 135 HP (138 in the '04 models), it is important to note that it is also smaller and lighter than the Oldsmobiles. I don't have any problem peeling her if I want to (manual transmission) and passing on the highway isn't an issue either. Most of this car's torque is in the higher RPMs. Meaning that she's pretty gutless until you get up to highway speeds. But that's where you want it, right?

If you don't like the Elantra, I've heard plenty of good things about the Sonata. Apparently it is well made and has quite a bit more under the hood than the Elantra or Tiburon.

Now seems to be the time to buy a Hyundai. As you said, they seem poised to become the next Honda. They're reputation is keeping sticker prices low, but they're working very hard to compete with the likes of Honda and Toyota. Translation: You get the high quality of a reputable car manufacturer for the price of a cheap domestic.