HYUNDAI EXPANDS ELANTRA TOURING LINEUP WITH NEW GLS MODEL
07/02/2009
Hyundai
When introduced in 2009, the all-new more functional variant of Hyundai's popular Elantra sedan, Elantra Touring, was looked at as one of best bargains in the industry. Now the Elantra Touring gets even better for 2010 by adding an all-new entry-level GLS model. The new GLS trim is slated to hit dealerships this summer.
"With the Elantra Touring GLS we will drop the base price by about $1,300 without taking away sophisticated features like Electronic Stability Control, four wheel disc brakes or the iPod/USB/Auxiliary jacks," said Mark Dipko, product manager for the Elantra Touring. "And, the optional built in roof rack offers even more versatility to the class leading interior."
NEW EQUIPMENT HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2010
New trim - GLS
Available roof rails
ELANTRA TOURING GLS - THE GOOD STUFF COMES STANDARD
Elantra Touring GLS builds on Hyundai's reputation for offering loads of standard equipment, offering air conditioning, power windows, heated mirrors, power door locks, remote keyless entry with alarm, four-way adjustable driver's seat and plenty of storage compartments. The Elantra Touring also offers standard Electronic Stability Control (ESC), in addition to a host of other class-leading safety technologies.
For audiophiles, an integrated 172-watt AM/FM/XM/CD/MP3 audio system with six speakers and iPod/USB/Auxiliary inputs is standard.
The optional Popular Equipment Package on the GLS adds roof rails, a telescopic steering wheel, steering wheel mounted audio controls, trip computer, eight-way driver's seat with lumbar support, dual illuminated vanity mirrors, sliding sunvisors, seatback pockets, cooled glovebox, retractable cargo cover, fog lights, illuminated ignition and premium cloth interior. Cruise control is also standard on all GLS models equipped with automatic transmissions.
ELANTRA SE - ADDING A SPORTY FLAVOR
The sport-oriented SE adds all the equipment in the GLS Popular Equipment Package plus a power sunroof with tilt and slide functions, heated front seats, leather steering wheel and shift knob, B&M Racing sport shifter and 17-inch alloy wheels with P215/45R17 tires.
DEVELOPMENT
The Elantra Touring, with its modern, sleek styling and fun-to-drive qualities, was developed by Hyundai in response to the growing demand for stylish and functional five-door vehicles. Five-door vehicle sales doubled from 2001 to 2006 and are projected to be strong heading into the next decade. As with all Hyundai vehicles, the Elantra Touring was designed and manufactured to meet the most stringent quality standards in the industry, exemplifying Hyundai's quality leadership position worldwide.
ASSERTIVE EXTERIOR DESIGN
Flowing curves and strong character lines highlight the broad stance and long wheelbase of the Elantra Touring. The clearly defined, unbroken, rising beltline unifies the vehicle's functional proportions. The effect is an exciting shape that provides a dynamic impression of performance and capability. Elantra Touring has a low coefficient of drag for optimal fuel efficiency at highway speeds and minimal interior noise.
Up front, the pronounced dual air intakes flow smoothly into the hood and A-pillar lines. Sharp projection headlamps, available fog lights and available 17-inch alloy wheels complete the modern design.
ROOMY AND REFINED INTERIOR
The long wheelbase and generous width of the Elantra Touring, combined with Hyundai's expertise in interior packaging, have produced an interior that delivers class-leading comfort, functionality and practicality. At 125.5 cubic feet, the Elantra Touring has the most interior volume (passenger volume plus cargo space) of any five-door in its class. In fact, Elantra Touring's cargo capacity is 65.3 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down, resulting in more cargo space than other wagons and crossovers.
The Elantra Touring was developed from the beginning as a driver's car. The clarity of the instruments, optional B&M Racing sport shifter, optional tilt and telescopic steering wheel, and a supportive four-way adjustable driver's seat all contribute to a superior driving experience. For extra clarity, Hyundai's signature blue LCD lighting technology has been used for the central information display and gauge cluster. Two-tone beige interior trim, with special attention to the upholstery fabrics and materials, delivers a more premium feel. Black and beige are the two interior color choices.
The Elantra Touring is the only compact five-door to offer XM Satellite Radio(R) and iPod(R) /USB auxiliary inputs as standard equipment. When an iPod or flash drive is connected through the USB port not only does it play music through the vehicle's six-speaker audio system, but it also charges the iPod and allows the driver to access tracks with the steering wheel audio controls. This system also allows both driver and passengers to easily view song/artist/title information and control the music from the audio head unit rather than from the iPod itself. The center storage compartment location of the iPod/USB auxiliary inputs assures that iPods can be safely stowed out of sight.
INTELLIGENT ERGONIMICS
With its leading-edge designs, Hyundai has proven through the years that vehicles do not need to be large to feel spacious, nor carry a premium price when offering intelligently designed interior cabins. The Elantra Touring is just the latest expression of this thoughtful approach, incorporating conveniently located steering wheel audio/cruise controls and column stalks, easy-to-reach heating and air conditioning knobs, as well as conveniently positioned power windows and mirror controls. Even the positioning and precise feel of the automatic gearshift has been optimized. The integrated 172-watt AM/FM/XM/CD/MP3 audio system, map pockets and other storage areas round out the conveniently and intelligently designed interior space.
Sporty front seats, designed to complement the athletic driving dynamics of the vehicle, and carefully contoured rear seats, provide long distance comfort and support. Hyundai engineers focused not just on the seats' form and function, but also on the stitching, materials and bolstering. The optional eight-way driver's seat is fully height adjustable and includes lumbar support. The result is seating fit for the spirited driving that Elantra Touring inspires.
IMPRESSIVE PACKAGE EFFICIENCY
The Elantra Touring's exterior dimensions (176.2 inches long, 69.5 inches wide and 59.8 inches high) make it a great fit in the compact five-door segment, while its long wheelbase (106.3 inches) means that Elantra Touring offers class-leading interior volume. Elantra Touring features outstanding front legroom and front and rear shoulder room. In addition, every Elantra Touring has 60/40 split folding rear seats that fold when needed for added storage, functionality and practicality.
The Elantra Touring matches best-in-class passenger volume with best-in-class cargo capacity. Features include a useful 24.3 cubic feet of luggage space with rear seats upright and a cavernous 65.3 cubic feet with the rear seats folded flat. As in any Hyundai, the utility and convenience in the Elantra Touring has not been overlooked, with a stow-and-go removable luggage cover that stores conveniently out-of-site under the trunk area compartment. An optional restraining net is also offered. The optional roof rails are designed to accommodate lifestyle oriented rack systems to take Elantra Touring's utility to even higher level.
The Elantra Touring includes a number of convenient, standard stowage and storage features, including a sunglass holder, two front and two rear cupholders, door bottle holders, dash storage, central console storage, front storage tray, front seatback pockets and a cargo area under-floor storage. For tailgaters, the cargo area also has a power-retained 12-volt outlet, where the vehicle does not have to be turned on, for portable electronic devices.
ENGINE PERFORMANCE
Elantra Touring is powered by the same fuel-efficient 2.0-liter, in line four-cylinder found in the Elantra sedan. This sophisticated 16-valve powerplant employs Dual Overhead Camshafts (DOHC) and Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) for a very broad power band, coupled with high fuel efficiency and low emissions. Elantra Touring is certified as an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV). With a manual transmission, the Elantra Touring's EPA mileage is XX mpg City and XX mpg Highway. With the optional four-speed automatic transmission, the Elantra Touring's EPA rating is XX mpg City and XX mpg Highway.
TRANSMITTING THE POWER
Hyundai understands that performance means more than just engine output, which is why transmission choices have been optimized for real driving satisfaction.
An ergonomically located gear gated shift controls the Elantra Touring's four-speed automatic transmission delivering confident mode selection. A unique-in-segment optional B&M Racing sport shifter delivers smooth, short-throw shift control for the standard five-speed manual transmission.
AGILE STEERING, SUSPENSION AND BRAKING
The Hyundai Elantra Touring offers a dynamic driving experience. A MacPherson strut front suspension and multi-link rear suspension have been fitted to perfectly complement the body structure's high rigidity. Ventilated 11.8-inch front and solid 10.3-inch rear discs with ABS and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) provide excellent stopping power with added handling control.
Elantra Touring delivers high performance steering and adds unique springs, front and rear stabilizer bars and dampers. Elantra Touring features a 24 percent stiffer front spring rate, a 39 percent stiffer rear spring rate, a larger front stabilizer bar (24 mm) and larger rear stabilizer bar (21mm) than the Elantra sedan. The 17-inch alloy wheels, with ultra-low profile tires, add visual impact and extra grip to the Elantra Touring's sporty dynamics. The result is a car that simply demands to be driven.
Elantra Touring steering character is another key driver of its sporty driving nature. Hyundai chassis engineers focused on delivering an agile feel, with direct responses to driver inputs. That spirit translates to a fun-to-drive character in everyday driving situations. And all drivers will appreciate Elantra Touring's nimble turning diameter - at 34.2 feet it is better than Volkswagen Rabbit's 35.7 feet and Toyota Matrix's 36.0 feet.
UNSURPASSED STANDARD SAFETY TECHNOLOGIES
Like every Hyundai, top-tier safety was a key development goal for the Elantra Touring, which is fully equipped to protect driver and passengers. In terms of passive safety, it features dual front, side and curtain airbags, for a total of six protective airbags in the vehicle. The Elantra Touring also features active front head restraints, seatbelt pretensioners and seatbelt reminders. The combination of side and curtain airbags, which help protect the head and body during side impacts, can reduce fatalities by more than 52 percent, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Also according to the IIHS, active front head restraints improve rear crash protection.
These passive safety technologies are fully grounded in a state-of-the-art body structure, which includes deformable zones, occupant protection cell and three-way load distribution technology. Further rigidity has been achieved with reinforced A pillars, strengthened bulkhead, front and side members, and strengthened B and C pillars.
All Elantra Tourings come standard with Electronic Stability Control (ESC), one of the industry's most effective life-saving technologies. ESC compares the driver's intended course with the vehicle's actual response. It then brakes individual front or rear wheels and/or reduces engine power as needed in certain driving circumstances to help correct understeer or oversteer. National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) studies show passenger cars equipped with ESC experience 30 percent fewer fatalities in single-vehicle crashes.
In developing and refining the safety features of the Elantra Touring, Hyundai employed advanced design systems and sophisticated computer simulation, combined with intensive component testing. This is a process used in the development of all Hyundai vehicles. From drawing board and prototype testing to final product development, Hyundai uses this extensive process to assure that all its vehicles - including the Elantra Touring - meet or exceed government safety standards, as well as the expectations of vehicle buyers.
AMERICA'S BEST WARRANTY
The 2009 Elantra Touring is protected by the Hyundai Advantage, America's Best Warranty. Coverage includes five-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper protection, 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty and seven-year/unlimited mileage anti-perforation coverage. In addition, Elantra Touring buyers receive 24-hour roadside assistance coverage at no extra charge for five years (no mileage limit) and that service includes emergency towing, lockout service and limited coverage for trip-interruption expenses. There is no deductible on any of this coverage.
HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA
Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 790 dealerships nationwide.