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Thread: 2011 Hyundai Elantra tops Honda Civic, best selling car in Canada

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    Default 2011 Hyundai Elantra tops Honda Civic, best selling car in Canada



    Thoughts? Personally I love the new look. Wish they gave it some more hp though.

    http://thelinkpaper.ca/?p=5544

    The 2011 Hyundai Elantra became the best-selling car in Canada in January 2011 leaping ahead of the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Mazda3 that usually fight for the top slot.

    And why precisely did this happen?

    Well one has to a look at this all –new Elantra to discover why. Not only does it look oh so sexy, it has a host of features and a big car feel that belies its price tag.

    The stylist pushed the envelope to make the Elantra look like nothing else in its class. Notice the long, low profile: that rear window is so steep it makes this sedan more coupe- like than sedan.

    Pronounced hood and door creases, swooping fender flares and elongated headlights and tail lights add a sense of drama to the design. Look carefully and one could swear there is a hint of the best of BMW, Infiniti and Acura going on. The car looks incredibly sophisticated and modern in contrasts to its rivals. You can see why people swoon for it.

    For 2011, the Elantra swaps has a 1.8-litre four cylinder with 10 extra horsepower at 148 horses and 131 lb-ft of torque. The previous five-speed manual/four-speed automatic transmission option is now replaced by a six-speed manual in the L, GL and GLS trim levels, or an optional six-speed autobox as on our tester. In terms of trim, the Elantra impresses the hell out of everyone in this segment with its standard spec. For a reasonable $18,549 starting price the base L model, has six airbags, active front head restraints, electronic stability control, power locks, heated mirrors, stereo with USB port and auxiliary input and power windows. The GL adds air conditioning, heated seats, keyless entry, Bluetooth and cruise control. Step up to the GLS and one gains a leather-wrapped steering wheel, sunroof, fog lights, XM satellite radio, and the surprise, surprise is the only car to offer heated rear seats in the compact segment.

    The hearty –boy Limited at $22,699, offers 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic climate control, leather seats, auto-dimming rear-view mirror and garage door opener. Navigation is a $2,000, option with pushbutton start, stereo amplifier and rear-view camera.

    Entry into the rear cabin is a tad hampered by the low sloping roofline and taller rear passengers need to be aware. Legroom is good however and two rear passengers will have room, while three will fit cosily. One high point is the generous trunk, but note the folding rear seats don’t fall quite flat.

    On the road, the Elantra has a firm stable ride and be prepared for a little noise when you accelerate on the highway. However the four cylinder benefits for the extra horsepower and hums along just fine at cruising speeds. The six-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly and willingly downshifts. The engine does get noisy at high rpm, however.

    Handling wise, the electric power steering offers a fairly neutral feel and is responsive enough to keep things interesting. The stiffer body structure and a well-calibrated makes this new Elantra fun to drive. The car feels stable and planted, with relatively little body roll through turns also impressive is the fuel economy which at 6.9 L/100 km in the city and 4.9 L/100 km on the highway is comparable to some hybrids. Downside is few, limited to the following observations: The engine does get a tad noisy at high rpm, the new electric power steering is quick and precise, but lacks the feel sporty drivers might hanker for. Small gripes really for what amounts to a good overall package.

    During my week long test, the Elantra garnered many looks and enquires about its price. This is a hugely impressive vehicle to of knocked off the Japanese players of the sales charts. It looks like gorgeous, is fairly spacious, has a great equipment list and is well priced. Add that five year and 100,000 km comprehensive warranty and the new Elantra starts looking like a lot of sense.

    2011 Hyundai Elantra priced from $22,699 -$24,294

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    Hyundai
    Honda

    Originally posted by rage2
    Shit, there's only 49 users here, I doubt we'll even break 100
    I am user #49

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    That thing has impressive gas mileage and and equally impressive factory warranty at a lower price. It's a no brainer!
    Ultracrepidarian

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    Was talking to my uncle the other day who has own just about every make of jap/korean car...nissan, honda, toyota, mazda, hyandai.

    He said Hyandai has surpassed them all now and is the best of them all in terms of quality.

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    I love hyundai. my first car was an '88 excel, and while it was a total pile of crap, i still have a special place in my heart for it.

    we now have an '09 accent hatch that is used for work commutes. it's not super comfortable, and is definitely underpowered, but it's great for her 20 minute drives to and from work each day.

    i was seriously considering a v6 sonata (i love the styling of those cars, even if they do appear to imitate other auto makers), but really wanted a hatch so went with a madza instead. I REALLY wish hyundai would introduce a mid-size hatch. the elantra touring is *OK*, but i would like to see a larger hatch, or at least a small hatch with a v6.

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    No doubt their new products look great, and Initial quality may be good, but i still worry about long term Hyundai ownership. I've talked to many owners of Tiburon's, Santa fe's and the simailar kia stablemates, most are happy for the first 5yrs or so,after that they tend to fall apart rather quickly. Maybe thats why their resale value is still poor.

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    Not surprising it's a new design and the car is loaded with features for a low price. From checking out the Elantra, Cruze and Focus I think Focus is the nicest overall car. We'll see if that translates into sales here and what happens when the new civic arrives.

    In the States though both Corolla and Cruze outsell the Elantra.

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    Originally posted by Aleks
    In the States though both Corolla and Cruze outsell the Elantra.
    Canadians seems to have a bigger Hyundai following than US.

    Civic will post no threat. It will be either 3rd or 4th in this class for at least the next 4-5 years. You just can't afford FMC that looks like MMC any more.

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    Ya quebec and Ontario love Hyundai. Not so much in bc/alberta/sask
    Looking for a new VW? How about a used vehicle? We are Central Albertas #1 source for pre-owned vehicles
    I will beat any deal on a new VW for beyonders

    Gary Moe Volkswagen/Gary Moe Used Car Superstore!

    Red Deer, AB

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    Not surprised as this has been in the making for a while. Honda left the door open and the Koreans took full advantage. This is just the beginning as they will eventually become the biggest car manufacturer in the world. The only thing stopping them from gaining complete domination will be the lack of pickup truck offerings. When you go back a couple of decades and look at where they were this turn of events is astounding.

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    Hyundai ftw! I like all the hyundais I've had!

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    .
    Last edited by 01RedDX; 10-13-2020 at 08:19 PM.

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    I'm highly considering the genesis coupe as my next car Big props to Hyundai for all of their new products. Their new styling is AMAZING.
    Originally posted by Mibz
    She's already exhibiting signs of turning into my Mom, I need some sort of legal recourse if a full-blown transformation occurs.

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    Originally posted by 01RedDX
    Last year of 8th gen Civic + first year of 5th gen Elantra = unfair comparison.
    It's only unfair that many of those Elantra went to fleet. Given 9th gen is same or worst than 8th gen depends on level of fanboyism, it's very valid.

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    Hondas look boring, but are usually quite reliable.

    Hyundais look great, but have an unproven reliability (I need more data).

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    Originally posted by revelations
    Hondas look boring, but are usually quite reliable.

    Hyundais look great, but have an unproven reliability (I need more data).
    Really? I was told Hyundais have surpassed Nissan, Mazda, Honda, Toyota, Mercedez, BMW, Subaru, VW, Audi in terms of engine and parts quality and lifespan.

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    .
    Last edited by 01RedDX; 10-13-2020 at 08:19 PM.

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    I'd have no problem driving that thing as is...

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    Originally posted by maxwinedog


    Really? I was told Hyundais have surpassed Nissan, Mazda, Honda, Toyota, Mercedez, BMW, Subaru, VW, Audi in terms of engine and parts quality and lifespan.
    You were also "told" that Calgary has more snow than anywhere else in Canada.

    Cite your sources then for the automotive stats.

    I dont doubt this is true, I just need to see some numbers.

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    Originally posted by 01RedDX

    Look at sales numbers for any model that's in its last production year, then get back to me.
    Civic will no doubt have a bounce back year in 2012 with the new model launch but I would expect sales to taper off very quickly as there will be little reason for current gen owners to trade up to the 2012+ considering the cars are nearly identical in every way. The long term future looks very bleak for the Civic.

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