2003 Hyundai Elantra

So yes, I have purchased myself a 2003 Hyundai Elantra in replacement for my not so excellent 1997 Honda Accord.

Shopping was difficult especially because my main objective was to buy a Mazda Protege 5 but price didn't allow, so this was the next best thing. In the end, I think this was the better choice.

Yes, I do in fact believe that a Hyundai beat a Mazda. As you sit there in your seats hitting the screen asking what's wrong with me I think you need to listen to my reasoning.

Style
Ok, so it isn't necessarily attractive in an obvious way, but there are some good style points to it. I find that mine, in beige, looks a bit like an Acorn. I sat in front of it for hours having this staring contest with the headlights and finally, I learnt to love the way it looks. My biggest issue was the difference between front and rear styling... they don't mesh. The front end is stunning while the back end is about as pretty as my dog's. The trunk is extremely convenient though and the privacy guard in the hatch is quite nice. Choosing between the GT model and the sedan model could be difficult for some people. Style wise, I prefer the GT... the car is strange anyways the hatch adds to the quirk. Interior styling on the GT is great, simple but effective. The best part is the purple and pink instrument cluster. At night the dash looks quite sporty and is very fun to take pictures of.

Comfort
The GT model comes with "sport cloth" in Canada which is cheap enough to rip from a fat man sitting on it. Not very good for the North American consumer. It lacks a warm fuzzy feeling that you want from your car. Yes, the support is good and the seats are soft on the bottom. Sure, the dash is ergonomically correct - everything is within an arm's reach and nothing except for big cups get in the way of the stick shift. But this car lacks in... well, love. The heart is there, its just hidden underneath cheap plastics and seats as fragile as bending over in jeans after thanksgiving supper. I miss the Accord's plush seats and vinyl dash... quality stuff, not Korean action figures melted down and shaped to fit on my car.

Drive
Here my car is a winner. In some ways. Ok, not exactly. My car has 78000km and drives great. The transmission is my pride an joy... very light clutch (hydrolic), shift is smooth as butter (if not smoother) and the gears are well suited to the engine. The 140 horsepower my car claims to have provides more than enough power for city driving and could be a little weak in 5th gear on the freeway... but isn't that what 4th is for? Steering is surprisingly nimble... at least enough for me to put a great set of Potenzas on the wheels. I can't say I'd like to corner with this thing as it's a bit stiff on the hard bends. It seems to handle them well though. The flaw with that nice stiffened suspension would be the ride quality. On smooth ground the car sits beautifully but hit one crack and your whole body is jarred into a state of paralysis. My car also came with a strange clunk from the rear over bumps. I have another quarrel and it is still to be uncovered. When I hit 2000rpm my car gives me a strange rattling noise like something is loose inside the dash. The noise is not on the outside, it's definitely coming from the dash. Very annoying.

Fuel Consumption
Far from the best in its class. The car returns to me on average 9.8 l/100km in the cold Canadian weather. Not too bad. However, other car manufacturers have managed to enlarge their engine capacity and still lower their fuel mileage. I can't complain though, this thing sips compared to the Accord. I wouldn't say this car is a fuelaholic, but compared to a Corolla or Civic my Elantra likes to get buzzed.

Safety
I am unsure of how well I can trust Hyundai's safety features but it seems fairly legitimate. The seatbelt only comes undone if I break really hard... wait, that's not a good thing. This car does have a lot of safety features though. Dual airbags, option of Traction Control, 5 generally working seatbelts (not like old Hyundai's where you just held for your life), optional ABS, the doors are still attached, the floor hasn't fallen through, my engine hasn't blown up, and several other nice features. Apparently my mirrors are heated as well though I'm yet to see the purpose in that.

Reliability
I have had the car for two months and am yet to discover a mechanical issue. For a Hyundai, I think that's a good thing. I checked the records of this car and it has been extremely reliable to the previous owner. I'm yet to see what the future will hold but I am hoping my car will continue its lucky streak. The only warning I have for buyers considering this car is that the timing belt needs to be changed quite early. It is a relatively inexpensive procedure considering what other manufacturers will charge but it is still something to be prepared for. If the car is over 96000km check that the timing belt has been done as that can be a large factor in whether you are going to purchase the car or not. Also, check the water pump.

Conclusion
The one thing I love about owning a Hyundai is that if something ridiculous goes wrong I can laugh about it. Hyundais are cars that you can make fun of. If the door falls off while I'm driving on the freeway I probably won't be upset because it serves me right for buying one of these. Low resale can be a big selling point as it was for me and I think for the price you can't go wrong. The car itself is actually quite up to standards, the brand on the other hand isn't ready to hold its own. People make fun of me because of my choice car and I don't blame them. To the average person it's ugly, uncomfortable and most likely going to fall apart. To me though, this car starts everyday and despite my parking break freezing up, it always gets me where I need to go. Isn't that what a car is for anyways?

It may be a Hyundai, but it's certainly not a Hyundont.