Hyundai Elantra Review (2001 to 2006)

Quick Summary

Although it's not a car many will enthuse over, the Elantra offers a mature blend of affordability, practicality and reliability. Unfortunately, its lack of personality and profile may see it overlooked by many. If you need transport that will last and won't dent the wallet too badly the Elantra is well worth consideration.

Overall:

Models Covered:1.6 Saloon & Hatch [Si, GSi, GLSi] / 2.0 Saloon & Hatch [CDX] / 2.0 Turbo Diesel Hatch [Si, GSi, CDX]

IT’S E-VOLVED

Perhaps Hyundai were stretching the gulf between perception and reality when they billed the Elantra as a rival to the Ford Mondeo and Vauxhall Vectra. Although it almost measured up in terms of feet and inches, the pricing for the Elantra had been more aligned to cars like the Rover 45, the Fiat Marea and the Mitsubishi Carisma. As long as you're prepared to forgo a more traditional badge, there's little reason why a used Elantra can't forge a place onto your shortlist.Relatively inexpensive, well specified and decently screwed together, the Elantra may not be the last word in elegant design but it's well thought through and makes a lot of sense especially when compared to higher mileage Mondeos and Vectras.
Used Hyundai Elantra for sale

History of the Elantra

Launched in June 2001 the Elantra continued Hyundai's quest for better build quality and slicker all-round design. Whilst still no great beauty the Elantra, available in saloon or hatchback forms, was at least a little less anonymous. The two engines, of 1.6 and 2.0-litre capacities, were carried over from the superseded Lantra model. The Elantra soon proved a minor hit for Hyundai, often selling to older customers who didn't care that the car lacked the chassis balance of a Mondeo when cornering at ten tenths. Any model range that campaigns on keen value for money but doesn't have a diesel on offer is by definition fighting with one arm tied behind its back. Hyundai rectified this in late 2001 with the introduction of a 2.0-litre turbodiesel at almost ludicrously inexpensive pricing. To put it into perspective, some supermini diesels such as the Peugeot 206 or Vauxhall Corsa were dearer new than the Elantra. Unlike the Lantra model, we have yet to see an Elantra Estate, although this is possibly only a matter of time. A facelift in the spring of 2004 brought modest alterations to the frontal styling but also saw the Elantra line-up reduced to one single model - the 2.0-litre CRTD CDX diesel. The last Elantra models were sold in 2006.
Used Hyundai Elantra for sale

Hyundai Elantra Road Test

On the road, the driving experience is safe and stolid. The 1.6-litre models use their 106bhp engines to reach sixty in 11 seconds on the way to a theoretical maximum of 113mph. The 139bhp 2.0-litre model meanwhile, manages 9.0s and 128mph respectively. Refinement was always a Lantra strongpoint and has been further improved in the Elantra, which was one of the quietest cars in its class.As Hyundai has learnt, however, quietly spoken virtues don't always provide the necessary sales rewards in such a competitive market. Unlike their counterparts in Korea, European drivers don't look on their cars as domestic appliances differentiated only by buttons and switches. Many hours on the Ulsan test track were spent trying to produce a car that's more than just a means of transport.Go for the diesel version mind you and a simple means of transport is probably all you want. And a frugal one of course. Here, the Elantra's 111bhp 2.0-litre unit won't disappoint, returning 32.9mpg on the urban cycle, 55.4mpg on an extra-urban run and 44.1mpg combined. It's not too slothful either, making sixty in 11.7s on the way to 118mph.
Used Hyundai Elantra for sale

Buying a Hyundai Elantra

Although great strides have been made in recent years, Hyundai interiors are unlikely to worry Volkswagen's designers and some parts feel quite flimsy. Unlike the Lantra though, even the base Si is well equipped, but the standard fit alarm fitted to the next model up may well prove tempting, especially if the car is not garaged. There's very little to finger mechanically, and Hyundai's reputation for reliability and customer service has seen been reflected in a number of customer satisfaction surveys.
Used Hyundai Elantra for sale

Hyundai Elantra Typical Pricing

What's good news for used car buyers tends to herald tears from the original owners, but sometimes things are a little more complicated. Elantras depreciate rather steeply, a mid range model is destined to be worth 32% of its original value over a period of three years. Given that the car was introduced in June 2001, the maths aren't too difficult to work out. An Elantra 1.6GSi which retailed for just over £12,000 new on an 01 X plate is now worth just under £4,200. A 2.0-litre CDX, again on an 01 X plate will be worth around £4,600. Diesel versions are still rather thin on the ground. It's important to consider the depreciation costs not only to the new buyer but also to yourself and then measure them against the other running costs. Insurance, for example, is reasonable ranging from Group 8 to Group 13.
Used Hyundai Elantra for sale

Hyundai Elantra Parts

(Approx - based on a 2001 Elantra 2.0CDX) Clutch assemblies are about £135, brake pads around £40 and a starter motor about £85. You'll pay around £145 for a headlamp, around £175 for a radiator, and about £105 for an alternator.
Used Hyundai Elantra for sale