Car And Driver May 2011 Issue - Compact Car Comparo (2011 Elantra included)

[bryantest]

1. How does a car that is the only player in its segment to have front and rear heated seats and the only other car in its segment to get a flash memory-based navigation system only get a 5 in the Amenities category? LOL

2. The same car I mentioned in Question # 1 scores better in rear seat comfort but also get the same score in rear seat space? LOL

Boo! :P

[SuperGLS]

Interesting. I like how the Focus is $2500 more than the Elantra.

Car and Driver... ehh.

Also, how are they driving their cars if they get such low MPG numbers?

[mtlelantra]

Never really liked C&D comparos...
although it's interesting to see that the lightest vehicle is also the slowest 0-60 though...

[StringBeanJeans]

No kidding! to get 20mpg in my car, i would have to have the pedal to the floor 90% of the time.

[LDub]

What a terrible comparison. I'm interested to see an unbiased comparison from Edmunds.

[only1db]

c and d has always hated on crooked h...i dont take them too seriously.

[bryantest]

I also have another question,

I'm not familiar with the tires used on the other cars in the comparo test.

But can anybody confirm here that it is only the 2011 Elantra that was only using those low-rolling resistance tires?

Because if that's the case then this test is a PURE JOKE for the reason that C&D should had known those low-rolling resistance tires are responsible for not enabling the 2011 Elantra to show how good its handling is!!

[SuperGLS]

The press release has this table in it:



That seems to indicate that all of the models (GLS and Limited) have the same low rolling resistance tires.

[bryantest]

SuperGLS

Can you confirm among the cars tested, it's only Elantra that has those low-rolling resistance tires? Tahnks

If that's the case then, then this comparo test was a joke in the first place, obviously those tires do not enable the Elantra to show how good it's handling is...am I right in that assessment?

Two quotes from comparo test

"Steering is quick and light, but it never comes alive"

"It's just that Hyundai seems to have engineered the Elantra to objective benchmarks - which the car met - and then called it a day - utterly ignoring how it felt while achieving those marks"

With regards to quote # 2, maybe there is SOME TRUTH to it,

Read this critical review I found:

http://carsincontext.us/wpblog/index...undai-elantra/

However, copying a good idea without understanding how to make it work seamlessly can be a problem. According to engineers, nine months were set aside for suspension development instead of the usual 18. Plus, I suspect Hyundai doesn’t want to stray too far from its basic global tuning package in order to keep costs low. Bushings, shock valving and even springs rates can change within reason, but anything beyond that is likely out of the question. That has saddled the Elantra—which has a stiff, light chassis capable of handling much more than is currently asked of it—with slightly too-soft springs; soft, non-progressive damping; nose dive and a bit of tail-lift under braking; roll understeer; and a lack of wheel control that creates a side-to-side wallowing sensation over swales taken at speed.

What do you guys think huh?

[DIRep]

I think the handling sucks balls. I totally buy the idea that they half ***'ed it.

that said I might still lower it see if that gets on track better. It is really bad in wind at high rates of speed like 65mph and above.

[SuperGLS]

Another interesting thing is that it has a lot less power than everything but the Cruze. Most of these vehicles kind of "sporty" compacts rather than a "generic" compact which is what the Elantra (as well as Civic, Corolla, etc). I think Hyundai could have went straight into making the 1.8l Nu a GDI engine, which may have increased power without harming (or even improving) fuel economy.

As for the handling, I don't know, I need to drive one.

[hyunelan2]

Here is how C&D does rankings:

1. Is it a BMW, if so, it wins.
2. Is it a Honda, if so, it must be near the top.
3. If #1 and #2 are not true, pick which car we want to win, then make all the numbers in the specific categories up to match that.


In C&D's defense however, they do typically pick the most "driver" of a car, not necessarily the best grovery-getter, etc. If the Focus SEL is more fun to drive than an Elantra, it should/will win a C&D comparo.

[bryantest]

What about the criticism about the suspension? Did you feel it was warranted?