Test drive a Pulse Red Scion Ia w/ 6 speed auto

[Hershey]

Was a short drive due to low fuel light coming on . Did ride well and had plenty of zip . Good head room for front and back . Leg room is good for all but the driver . Knee was hitting the center console . Maybe readjustment of the seat height and putting the seat back a notch would help . Plan to try another one . Also test drove a 2016 Hyundai Elantra SE with a 6 speed auto . Enjoyed that more . Lots of leg and head room . Both the Ia and Elantra had lots of space in the trunk with split back fold down seats . Will give another drive of an Elantra as well . That was also near empty . Both are around $17,600 . Spotted the dark blue Ia at another dealer . The Ia is better looking in person . Here's a Scion forum covering the Ia and Im .http://www.scionlife.com/forums/ . A few owners of the Ia have posted .

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Hershey

Was a short drive due to low fuel light coming on . Did ride well and had plenty of zip . Good head room for front and back . Leg room is good for all but the driver . Knee was hitting the center console . Maybe readjustment of the seat height and putting the seat back a notch would help . Plan to try another one .bit and I Also test drove a 2016 Hyundai Elantra SE with a 6 speed auto . Enjoyed that more . Lots of leg and head room . Both the Ia and Elantra had lots of space in the trunk with split back fold down seats . Will give another drive of an Elantra as well . That was also near empty . Both are around $17,600 . Spotted the dark blue Ia at another dealer . The Ia is better looking in person . Here's a Scion forum covering the Ia and Im .http://www.scionlife.com/forums/ . A few owners of the Ia have posted .

My friend who is staying at my house rented a new Elantra GT from Enterprise earlier this year while her car was getting repaired. I got to drive it around a bit and I really liked it. However, MPG = , especially when compared to a Yaris SE. Don't know if the Elanta SE would get better MPG than the GT. I like the looks of the 2015 Elantra sedan better than the 2015.

[Hershey]

This one has the 1.8 so gas mileage should be a little better. I think the GT is a 2.0.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Hershey

This one has the 1.8 so gas mileage should be a little better. I think the GT is a 2.0.

I was looking at Wikipedia just before my previous post to note when the last body change was (learned 2016 = first year of current design). Wikipedia showed the 2011-2015 rating at 28 city 38 highway, IIRC I remembered the GT was 24/34. Different engine size = the logical reason. I remember the GT's MPG specifically being way below that 24/34 EPA estimate. I hope the smaller engine in the SE would not be significantly below the 28/38 range. Didn't Hyundai have to pay to settle some lawsuits brought for overstating MPG?

[BLKHILLSGUY]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

I was looking at Wikipedia just before my previous post to note when the last body change was (learned 2016 = first year of current design). Wikipedia showed the 2011-2015 rating at 28 city 38 highway, IIRC I remembered the GT was 24/34. Different engine size = the logical reason. I remember the GT's MPG specifically being way below that 24/34 EPA estimate. I hope the smaller engine in the SE would not be significantly below the 28/38 range. Didn't Hyundai have to pay to settle some lawsuits brought for overstating MPG?

Yes they did. My other half is still collecting checks from the local Kia dealer for inflated mileage on the 13 Sportage. Everything feels cheap in the Kia too. No way in hell I'd drive a Kia or a Hyundai. Hell, I won't even carry the key fob.

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by Hershey

This one has the 1.8 so gas mileage should be a little better. I think the GT is a 2.0.

In addition Hyundai is getting hammered by the Feds for reporting exaggerated fuel mileage recently.

[Kalispel]

The Scion iA has joined that list of cars like the 2015 Corolla, Civic, Fit, etc., where I groan whenever I see them. I even groan when I see the 2015 Yaris on those tall skinny 175/65/15" L/LE OEM tires - or look at the OEM 16" alloy wheel design on my white SE in some cases.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by BLKHILLSGUY

Yes they did. My other half is still collecting checks from the local Kia dealer for inflated mileage on the 13 Sportage. Everything feels cheap in the Kia too. No way in hell I'd drive a Kia or a Hyundai. Hell, I won't even carry the key fob.

Wow. (and re the key fob)

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Kalispel

I even groan when I see the 2015 Yaris on those tall skinny 175/65/15" L/LE OEM tires

I do NOT like that Toyota took this shortcut !!! I wish they had instead used the same size tires that came on my '07 with the convenience package (convenience package for '07 = 15" wheels instead of 14").

- or look at the OEM 16" alloy wheel design on my white SE in some cases.

If you change those, definitely post the specs of your new ones and your driving impressions .

[Kalispel]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

If you change those, definitely post the specs of your new ones and your driving impressions .

I was hoping to hold out replacing the 16" OEM alloys until I needed new tires, and then also switch to 205 instead of 195 tires (assuming no compatibility issues), but I'm not sure if I want to wait that long. I just don't really care for the mostly-black OEM wheels on a white car, versus how much better they look on the dark gray SE and such.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Kalispel

but I'm not sure if I want to wait that long.

. The detail you posted re the window tinting was great . I'm sure you'll make what ends up being the right decision re the wheels.

[BLKHILLSGUY]

I've seen a few unhappy reviewers who have reviewed this car. I can guarantee you if it had a Mazda 2 badging on it, it would be the greatest thing since sliced bread. For the price of this car, and the available features I think it is a big winner. But I don't find it aesthetically pleasing at all. And I have to like the way a car looks if I am going to drive it. With that said, beauty is subjective to each individual.

[Kalispel]

Originally Posted by BLKHILLSGUY

I've seen a few unhappy reviewers who have reviewed this car. I can guarantee you if it had a Mazda 2 badging on it, it would be the greatest thing since sliced bread. For the price of this car, and the available features I think it is a big winner. But I don't find it aesthetically pleasing at all. And I have to like the way a car looks if I am going to drive it. With that said, beauty is subjective to each individual.

Agree 100%

[Lux]

The Hyundai Elantra is a decent compact family car. Fuel economy is good, although it is good all across the market for other brand offerings, anyway, so it is nothing outstanding. The 2.0-litre GDi engine in the Elantra GT enjoys an impressive increase in power and response over already-sufficient 1.8-litre GDi in the saloon and coupé. Some of the lethargic acceleration characteristics of the 1.8 are remedied by this.

There is a campaign regarding 1.8-litre Elantra saloon/coupé engines suffering severe, catastrophic mechanical failure. The campaign addresses knocking noises from piston and, sometimes, connecting rod. The solution is a new cylinder shot block under warranty. I've witnessed three instances wherein connecting rods have completely exited the cylinder block and laid on the floor. I had one engine for which cylinder 3's piston rings were annihilated and flooded the intake with oil.

Remember, however, that all Hyundai GDi engines are meant to shoot 89- to 91-octane gasoline, not basic 87-octane like other cars... This is a little detail that our salesmen habitually and deliberately omit. Even though there are now software campaigns to loosen the knock sensor tolerances, over time, injector fouling, valve fouling, and premature spark plug wear develop when driven on 87-octane. Unlike the Germans and Americans, no piston or intake valve damage have occurred to my knowledge.

The current Elantra GT is also now a torsion beam rear axle suspension instead of the previous generation's fully independent multi-link. Simpler and cheaper, but less precise over bumps and crests; it has a habit of getting loose at high speed over the raised seams on overhead bridged highway ramps, a common trait of a solid rear end.

Try an Elantra GT and see if you like it. It's a pretty decent car that, effectively, took over what the now-defunct Matrix was popular for. The interior layout and cargo volume is impressive, too. I suggest the higher packages since the navigation unit is fairly intuitive and quite robust (lowest failure incidence across all model lines). I also strongly advise the manual gearbox for longevity.

If there is other information about Hyundai that you want to know of, let me know here.

[ern-diz]

Although not a fan of the Kia's and Hyundai's due to the cheap feel of everything, I've always been a sucker for the Genesis Coupe. Brembo brakes, really? We test drove one when my better half was shopping for a new car back in '11. Gotta say I was impressed. She wanted something with a real backseat which is why she passed on it, but if I was in the market for a new car, I'd by lying if I said I wouldn't check them out again.

[nookandcrannycar]

NHTSA announced today Hyundai will recall 470,000 2011 and 2012 Sonatas to....replace the engines........re potential metallic debris not removed from the crankshaft area during the engine manufacturing process.

[Kalispel]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

NHTSA announced today Hyundai will recall 470,000 2011 and 2012 Sonatas to....replace the engines........re potential metallic debris not removed from the crankshaft area during the engine manufacturing process.

I wonder whose head rolled over that one...

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Kalispel

I wonder whose head rolled over that one...

Yeah....I wonder if the person or people cut ...were in the U.S., Korea, or both (manufacturing site = the sprawling plant in Alabama).