The New Hyundai Elantra 2007
The all-new 2007 Elantra makes its world debut today at the 2006 New York International Auto Show. Hyundai’s 2007 Elantra is the seventh all-new model from Hyundai in just 24 months, giving Hyundai the freshest lineup in the industry. All new from headlight to taillight, Elantra brings more refinement, safety and interior space to compact car shoppers.
“The all-new Elantra delivers more interior space than Civic or Corolla — even more space than Acura TL — and a level of ride and handling refinement that’s both agile and comfortable,” said John Krafcik, vice president, Product Development and Strategic Planning, Hyundai Motor America. “Add in great standard safety features like six airbags, anti-lock brakes and active front head restraints, and our assertive new design, and it’s clear that Elantra offers unbeatable value.”
24/7 PROGRAM
The Elantra marks Hyundai’s seventh all-new product in 24 months when it goes on sale in fall 2006. This “24/7″ product plan included the arrival of the all-new Tucson, Sonata, Accent, Azera, Santa Fe, Entourage and Elantra. From the flagship, full-size Azera, to the entry-level Accent, each of these models offers unsurpassed standard safety technologies in their segments, and each reflects the Hyundai brand’s refined and confident nature.UNSURPASSED STANDARD SAFETY IN THE COMPACT SEGMENT
All Elantra models have six standard airbags, including two advanced front airbags, two front seat-mounted side-impact airbags, and two side curtain airbags protecting front- and rear-seat outboard passengers. The combination of side and curtain airbags, which help protect the head and body during side impacts, can reduce fatalities by more than 45 percent according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).Side-impact airbags are expensive options on competitors such as Toyota Corolla and Ford Focus, and are not available on the Chevrolet Cobalt. Side curtain air protection is optional on Corolla and Cobalt and still not available on Focus.
Accident avoidance technologies start with Elantra’s all-new chassis featuring fully independent suspension, front and rear stabilizer bars and motor-driven rack-and-pinion steering. The Elantra’s standard power braking system has front and rear discs with a four-sensor, four-channel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) that includes Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD).
ABS helps the driver maintain vehicle steering control in slippery conditions and in emergency maneuvers. EBD is integrated into the ABS, automatically adjusting the braking force to front and rear axles based on the vehicle loading conditions. Four-wheel disc brakes are a key leadership feature for the segment, as traditional rear drum brakes are still found on the 2006 Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Ford Focus and Chevrolet Cobalt.
Elantra’s standard front-seat active head restraints help prevent whiplash by automatically reducing the space between a front occupant’s head and the head restraint during a rear collision and are highly recommended by safety-focused organizations such as the IIHS.
All seating positions feature three-point seatbelts and adjustable head restraints. The shingle-style rear-seat head restraints improve visibility when there are no rear seat passengers, while protecting these passengers when they are in the vehicle.
There’s also an energy absorbing steering column and front seatbelt pretensioners, force limiters and adjustable-height shoulder anchors. A LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system in the rear-seat area provides secure attachment for child seats.
In low-speed impacts, the Elantra’s five-mph front and rear bumpers help minimize damage. In higher-energy collisions, its steel unibody structure is engineered to dissipate crash energy as its crumple zones deform, while bodyside reinforcements help maintain the integrity of the passenger compartment. Hood buckling creases and safety stops help to control the deformation of the hood in a frontal collision.
EXPRESSIVE AND CONFIDENT DESIGN
Elantra continues the dramatic new styling resurgence introduced on the all-new 2007 Santa Fe — refined and confident. This new theme resonates in Elantra’s assertive front appearance, rising beltline, sculpted body side and an overall lively appearance. For a more upscale appearance, chrome headlight bezels and grille bars highlight Elantra’s assertive face.The profile of Elantra features confidently sculpted surfaces, an expressive bodyside character line that has a family resemblance to Azera and a clean look with bodycolor door handles and mirrors. The rear styling compliments the front design with taillamps echoing the theme of the headlamps, and the cohesive look continues with a bodycolored rear license plate garnish and integrated bumper fascia.
A “CLASS ABOVE” INTERIOR - MORE ROOM THAN ACURA TL
Elantra is wider and taller than its predecessor. Increasing the height 2.2 inches and moving the driver’s seating position up 1.8 inches opened up the cabin for more room and flexibility. Two inches of added width deliver more front and rear shoulder room as well.This repackaging delivers a remarkably spacious interior — one that is truly a “class above” Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla for interior room. Elantra is so roomy the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies it as a mid-size car, not a compact car like Civic and Corolla. With 97.9 cubic feet of passenger room and 14.2 cubic feet of trunk space, the Elantra has the most interior volume (passenger volume plus trunk space) for a sedan in its class.
Elantra’s total interior volume of 112.1 cubic feet easily betters the 2006 Civic sedan (102.9 cu. ft.), 2007 Nissan Sentra (110.8 cu. ft.) and 2006 Corolla (103.8 cu. ft.), and, surprisingly, even surpasses the interior volume of the near-luxury Acura TL (110.4 cu. ft.) sedan. Elantra trunk capacity also beats Civic and Corolla. Its 14.2 cu. ft. of trunk volume is 18 percent larger than Civic and five percent bigger than Corolla.
Thoughtful design touches bring harmony and substance to Elantra’s interior. The dashboard slopes downward to give a feeling of more space and greater visibility while offering an aesthetic shape. The contrasting two-tone color schemes (available in beige and gray tones) combined with metallic finishes match the more sophisticated and upscale exterior styling.
New levels of detail and craftsmanship are found throughout the interior. Luxurious supple leather is available on Elantra, but cannot be found on Civic. For the first time, heated seats are available. Another first, Elantra also offers steering-wheel-mounted cruise and audio controls and telescoping adjustment. Blue back lighting adds a youthful, but refined ambience at night.
The center console features a two-level storage compartment and a comfortable armrest. An overhead sunglasses holder has built-in map lights, and map pockets are integrated into the front door panels. Seatback storage pockets provide additional room for small items. Storage can also be found in the dash, center stack and console.
A convenient handbag strap holder is sure to surprise and delight owners. Dual front cupholders and an available rear armrest with cupholders complete the interior.
The Elantra’s comfortable and versatile seating includes a multi-adjustable driver’s seat with height adjustment, adjustable head restraints and a 60/40 split fold-down rear seatback that makes it easy to accommodate cargo.
Conveniences like standard cabin air filter, rear window defroster, tilt steering wheel, tinted glass, two-speed variable intermittent windshield wiper with mist function, dual vanity mirrors, and power windows with driver’s auto-down and illuminated switches make the Elantra seem like it’s a class above its modest price point.
The high-volume Elantra GLS Premium Package offers a 172-watt AM/FM/CD audio system with six speakers and Hyundai’s first auxiliary jack, which allows iPods(R) and other portable MP3 players to be connected to the vehicle audio system.
Also included are air conditioning, cruise control, fog lights, windshield shade band, rear center armrest with cupholders, power heated mirrors, power locks, and remote keyless entry with trunk open, panic alert, and alarm. XM satellite radio will be available beginning in the fall.
SUPER-CLEAN ENGINE
Many Elantras sold in California, Maine, New York, Vermont and Massachusetts will score high on the EPA’s Green Vehicle Guide to Green Cars and be certified as Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (SULEV).
The SULEV Elantra is as clean as many hybrid electric vehicles and helps Hyundai meet its environmental commitments. In fact, the 2007 Elantra is projected to earn Partial Zero Emission Vehicle (PZEV) certification in California, which few models in the entire automotive industry earn. Outside of the green states, the Elantra is available in Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) configurations.
Hyundai’s advanced 2.0-liter in-line four-cylinder engine powers Elantra. This sophisticated 16-valve powerplant employs an aluminum cylinder head that features dual overhead camshafts (DOHC) and Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT). The combination helps give the engine a very broad power spread, coupled with high fuel efficiency and low emissions.
The CVVT unit is positioned on the exhaust camshaft and controls the intake valve timing by advancing and retarding the intake cam in relation to the exhaust cam. The CVVT system increases volumetric and thermodynamic efficiency, which helps the engine deliver improved performance at high rpm and increased torque at low rpm.
With better cylinder charging, fuel economy is also increased. By optimizing valve overlap, NOx emissions are reduced due to the resulting Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) effect.
The ULEV variation is rated at an estimated 138 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 136 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,600 rpm. SULEV engines are available only with a four-speed automatic transmission, and are rated at an estimated 132 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 133 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,600 rpm.
TWO TRANSMISSION CHOICES
The Elantra comes standard with a precise five-speed manual gearbox. A smooth four-speed automatic with a new gated console-mounted floor shifter is available as an option and includes an overdrive lock-up torque converter for higher fuel economy at freeway speeds.
SUSPENSION AND STEERING
Elantra’s design team worked to solve the classic design tradeoffs between interior roominess, agility and driving comfort. On one hand, interior space and cargo room are critically important to a sedan in its class; on the other hand, secure, responsive handling and good road isolation are also priorities.
The Elantra’s ride quality improves upon that offered by Civic, Corolla, Focus and Cobalt. An advanced, motor-driven, engine-speed-sensing rack-and-pinion power steering ensures the new Elantra has a more agile driving feeling than the outgoing model, and key competitors.
Elantra delivers a comfortable ride and responsive handling thanks to a front MacPherson strut suspension with coil springs and gas shock absorbers, and multi-link suspension and twin-tube gas shock absorbers.
A 23.0-mm diameter front stabilizer bar and 17.0 mm rear stabilizer bar, which is larger than its predecessor’s by 5.0 mm, helps reduce body roll when cornering, and tunes the Elantra’s at-the-limit handling for maximum predictability. To enhance stopping power, the front and rear brakes are larger than its predecessor’s at 10.8 inches (275 mm) for the front and 10.3 inches (262 mm) for the rear.
The 2007 Elantra body stiffness is up 49 percent from the outgoing model and nine percent over Corolla. Significant increases in body stiffness levels allowed Hyundai engineers to deliver a dynamic package that left little to compromise during the shock and bushing tuning phases.
The result is precise steering and handling and a well-controlled, yet comfortable ride. By improving body rigidity and applying an optimized door sealing strategy, Hyundai engineers successfully reduced road noise two decibels below a comparably equipped 2006 Honda Civic based on internal testing.
THREE TRIM LEVELS
The Elantra is available in three distinctive trim levels — GLS, SE and Limited.
Elantra GLS
In keeping with Hyundai’s high-value approach to standard equipment, the Elantra GLS has a remarkable array of desirable features. The Elantra delivers standard safety technologies unsurpassed in its segment, with six airbags, ABS with EBD, 4-wheel disc brakes, active front head restraints, and adjustable head restraints for all seating positions.
A partial list of other standard features includes:
power windows,
intermittent windshield wipers,
multiple storage areas,
60/40 split fold-down rear seatback,
tachometer,
dual vanity mirrors,
tinted windows,
two 12-V outlets,
tilt steering wheel.
The Preferred Package adds air conditioning and a 172-watt AM/FM/CD audio system with tweeters.
The available Premium Package includes the equipment in the Preferred Package plus:
power heated mirrors and locks,
remote keyless entry with trunk release,
panic alert and alarm,
windshield shade band,
fog lights,
rear center armrest with cupholders,
cruise control,
auxiliary jack.
The available Premium-Sport Package includes everything in the Premium Package plus 16-inch alloy wheels with P205/55-R16 tires and power sunroof.
ELANTRA SE - ADDING A SPORTY FLAVOR
The sport-oriented SE adds all the equipment in the GLS Premium Package plus:
telescoping leather steering wheel with audio controls that features seek, volume, and mute functions,
leather shift knob,
16-inch alloy wheels with P205/55HR16 tires,
dual illuminated vanity mirrors and trip computer.
The only option is a power sunroof. In addition to the available gray and beige two-tone, the SE is also available in a sporty monotone black interior.
ELANTRA LIMITED - LUXURY MEETS VALUE
The Limited trim takes the Elantra upscale by building on the SE equipment with:
leather seating surfaces,
leather door panel inserts,
leather armrest and heated front seats.
A Sun and Sound package is available that combines a power sunroof and a 220-watt premium audio system featuring AM/FM/6-CD changer/cassette/MP3 and an external amplifier.
Note: Claims based on Autosource Inc. upper small car segmentation.
