2007 Hyundai Elantra SE
Reviewed by Susan Frissell
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SPECS
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While driving the all-new 2007 Hyundai Elantra SE one day during test week, I was stopped at a light in a nearby suburb. It dawned on me as I glanced around at the other vehicles waiting for the light to change, there were six Hyundai models surrounding me; three Accents, one Elantra and two Sonatas. That is a scene you wouldn't have witnessed some 10-12 years ago. Now it's common place.
The Elantra is a very quiet, comfortable riding car with plenty of zip and pep. We have always enjoyed the Hyundais and this is no exception. The 2007 Elantra is bigger and better than its predecessor and offers a lot of standard equipment you may not find on other comparable vehicles; namely, the safety features and exceptional warranty. And our test Elantra SE came equipped with a number of amenities such as power locks/windows/mirrors, remote keyless entry with alarm, AM/FM/CD audio with auxiliary jack and six speakers, cruise, trip computer, fog lights, leather-wrapped steering wheel, center console with armrest and a 60/40 split folding rear seat.
Elantra is the seventh all-new product in 24 months from Hyundai and went on sale in the fall of 2006. Competitors include Toyota Corolla, Chevrolet Cobalt, Ford Focus and Honda Civic, none offering what Elantra does. First off, Elantra leads the compact category in safety equipment: six standard airbags, two advanced front airbags, front seat mounted side-impact airbags and two side curtain airbags. And Elantra is the only one of the compact cars that offers 4-wheel disc brakes; a leader in the segment. Civic, Corolla and Cobalt still come equipped with traditional drum brakes.
With an all-new chassis, Elantra is a wider and taller car than its predecessor, with an increased height of 2.2 inches. The driver's seat position has been moved up 1.8 inches, creating a more spacious interior. Elantra now boasts 97.9 cu. ft. of passenger room and 14.2 cub. Ft. of trunk space.
Options were slim on our SE and included only one, carpeted floor mats, $85. This is a "stripped" car although it doesn't seem so given all the standard features. The cloth seats are resilient and vacuumed up very nicely when covered with dog hair. A worry since the seats were black, but they came out spotless. Seating although fairly comfortable could be a tad more substantial, especially when entertaining a long drive.
One mishap we encountered was locking the keys inside. Fortunately I left the driver's side window slightly ajar so we managed to get a coat hanger inside and fumble for the keys were left in the cup holder! We did manage to grip them and pull them to the window. Frustratingly, it happened more than once: the doors locking by themselves?
For an all-around mid-size sedan you can't beat the Hyundai Elantra. At 28/36 mpg. it's an affordable car to drive on a daily basis. The standard 2.0-liter, L4 engine is peppy and adequate for most driving situations. In our test car the 2.0-liter was teamed with a manual 5-speed transmission which added some zest.
Controls are easily located and operated and a center glove box is handy for small items. Map pockets located in the front doors are also useful for wallets, CD's or other misc. items. Elantra is an effortless car to drive, park and handle. This makes it very attractive to many buyers, particularly those on a limited budget with long miles to drive each day. Once you spend a week or two in an Elantra, you'll be hooked. We are.