cbrmale
05-16-2007, 10:14 PM
Let me go back in time to mid-2000, when I was thinking of buying a new car. I don't like driving big cars, but whatever I buy needs to be big enough for my family and luggage. And we do a bit of country road driving, so performance and chassis dynamics have to be up to the mark. I didn't want to spend a fortune, and then I read some American reviews of the newly released Elantra XD, and they seemed impressed by the car. I kept that in mind when the XD was released in Australia, and I decided to buy an automatic hatch.
The car is mostly average: average performance, average fuel economy, average handling, average reliability. A few areas are below average, finish and brakes in particular. The brakes are awful, spongy when cold and prone to fading when pushed.
Now the car is due for replacement, and I thought the i30 hatch might be an option (I don't like the sedan much, and a hatch has more load flexibility). Not yet released here, so I took a HD sedan for a test drive to get a feel for how the latest Elantras are. It felt similar to my XD, especially the engine. I didn't get a chance to throw it around tight roads, but there is no doubt that it is sprung too soft to be anything better than an average handler. But the steering! Even though recalibrated for Australia, the steering is just dreadful: vague, rubbery and totally lacking feel.
So what else is around for a similar price? One is the Holden (Opel) Astra, which comes standard with some lethargic 1.8 engines, but with a cool 2.2 litre on one of the top of the line models. The Sri has the 2.2 engine with direct fuel injection, along with lowered suspension, decent wheels and tyres (225 x 45 on 17 inch rims), leather interior, body kit and so on. For the money (after I negotiated a discount, it was only $2,000 more expensive than an Elantra elite), it was excellent value. And the Koreans haven't got close to German steering, handling, braking dynamics. I didn't hesitate to sign the contract once we negotiated a good change-over price.
The Astra is somewhere between Singapore and Sydney, so I should have it in two weeks. And the more I think about the Astra, the more I think that Hyundai could do this if they wanted to. The 2.2 litre all-alloy balance-shaft engine is not radically different to the Theta range of engines. Hyundai could have a sports model with decent-sized wheels and tyres along with stiffened suspension. They could do it if they could bring themselves out of building soft and spongy cars that are at their best driving to the supermarket.
One thing Hyundai have done in Australia is peg the price of new cars. Despite a strong Euro, Holden still have to make this import price-competitive with the Elantra, as do Ford with the Focus and Mazda with the 3.
I guess we all benefit, even if we don't buy Hyundais. But the problem is the XD Elantra was a leap forward in refinement and quality over its predecessor, but the HD is little improved over the XD, and really doesn't cut it against the competition anymore. The i30 is Elantra by any other name, and I am certain that it will have quite ordinary steering, braking and handling relative to its competition.
The car is mostly average: average performance, average fuel economy, average handling, average reliability. A few areas are below average, finish and brakes in particular. The brakes are awful, spongy when cold and prone to fading when pushed.
Now the car is due for replacement, and I thought the i30 hatch might be an option (I don't like the sedan much, and a hatch has more load flexibility). Not yet released here, so I took a HD sedan for a test drive to get a feel for how the latest Elantras are. It felt similar to my XD, especially the engine. I didn't get a chance to throw it around tight roads, but there is no doubt that it is sprung too soft to be anything better than an average handler. But the steering! Even though recalibrated for Australia, the steering is just dreadful: vague, rubbery and totally lacking feel.
So what else is around for a similar price? One is the Holden (Opel) Astra, which comes standard with some lethargic 1.8 engines, but with a cool 2.2 litre on one of the top of the line models. The Sri has the 2.2 engine with direct fuel injection, along with lowered suspension, decent wheels and tyres (225 x 45 on 17 inch rims), leather interior, body kit and so on. For the money (after I negotiated a discount, it was only $2,000 more expensive than an Elantra elite), it was excellent value. And the Koreans haven't got close to German steering, handling, braking dynamics. I didn't hesitate to sign the contract once we negotiated a good change-over price.
The Astra is somewhere between Singapore and Sydney, so I should have it in two weeks. And the more I think about the Astra, the more I think that Hyundai could do this if they wanted to. The 2.2 litre all-alloy balance-shaft engine is not radically different to the Theta range of engines. Hyundai could have a sports model with decent-sized wheels and tyres along with stiffened suspension. They could do it if they could bring themselves out of building soft and spongy cars that are at their best driving to the supermarket.
One thing Hyundai have done in Australia is peg the price of new cars. Despite a strong Euro, Holden still have to make this import price-competitive with the Elantra, as do Ford with the Focus and Mazda with the 3.
I guess we all benefit, even if we don't buy Hyundais. But the problem is the XD Elantra was a leap forward in refinement and quality over its predecessor, but the HD is little improved over the XD, and really doesn't cut it against the competition anymore. The i30 is Elantra by any other name, and I am certain that it will have quite ordinary steering, braking and handling relative to its competition.