[Elantra GT] Is the Elantra hatchback dead...?

[Steven Vohl]

>Is the Elantra hatchback dead...?

I for one certainly hope not! Although not as rare or unique as it was back 
in '02, I still see it as an wonderfully practical car, versatile,
convenient, and in the GT trim I consider it the best automotive investment 
I ever made. Crossovers, please! Hatchbacks are the original crossover 
vehicle.  During the day, fold down the rear seats and you have more space 
than some people with SUV's will ever use; In the evening, Put the seats up, 
and take the family out to dinner, or leave the kids with a sitter and take 
your spouse out for a much needed evening out.  Even with the rear seats up, 
the trunk is big enough for four carry-on bags, so you can enjoy the weekend 
away.  Want some performance? Some of the members of this list can attest to 
the "upgrade-ability" of this car. Whether you go with tires, shocks 
anti-sway bars, braces, or just a different stereo, you can make this car 
what you want it to be. Now just imagine it if it came with a V6, turbo, and 
AWD. Ok, so it would be about $10,000. more, but I'm sure it would still 
sell out.

 Ok, so I sound like a commercial, I still like my car.

 S.


> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Wayne Moses" <wmoses at houston.rr.com>
> To: "'Drivers &amp;Believers Website : Hyundai Elantra GT forum'" 
> <elantra_gt at gwebworks.com>
> Sent: Sunday, November 26, 2006 12:58 PM
> Subject: [Elantra GT] Is the Elantra hatchback dead...?
>
>
>>I changed the subject line.
>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: elantra_gt-bounces at gwebworks.com
>>> [mailto:elantra_gt-bounces at gwebworks.com] On Behalf Of Paul H.
>>> Sent: Sunday, November 26, 2006 11:28 AM
>>> To: 'Drivers &amp; Believers Website : Hyundai Elantra GT forum'
>>> Subject: Re: [Elantra GT] Chinese copycats?
>>>
>>> Although I have it on good authority that there will be a
>>> hatch or wagon
>>> version of the Elantra (or both) eventually, perhaps 2008.
>>> That's how they
>>> released the hatch version of the XD series.... several month
>>> (almost a
>>> year?) after the sedan was released.
>>
>> On the other hand, the hatchback was around for some time now, and seems 
>> to
>> be gradually being phased out for some reason. How gradual is a matter 
>> for
>> speculation.
>>
>> For some silly reason, in this country, hatchbacks were somehow viewed as
>> low-budget and everything Hyundai is doing now is in the interest of 
>> pushing
>> the image of its vehicles upwards -- even at the expense of price. 
>> Granted
>> they still have warranty on their side, but with the Santa Fe, uprated
>> Sonata, Azera, and the soon to be released Vera Cruz (
>> http://ad.hyundai-motor.com/catalog/veracruz/,
>> http://info.detnews.com/autosinsider/sneakpeek/index.cfm?id=22962 ), 
>> Hyundai
>> is seeking to leave its cheap image behind.
>>
>> The new Elantra looks like a Corolla -- clearly its intended target --  
>> and
>> the Corolla has no hatchback, so why waste money on the hatchback? If 
>> people
>> want the hatchback to compete with, say the Matrix, they can go for the
>> (allegedly more performance focused -- not my words) Kia Spectra S and 
>> Rio S
>> -- two models in the Hyundai (okay Kia) stable.
>>
>> All that said, Wikipedia is suggesting that the hatchback GT is to be
>> redesigned and be back for MY2008
>> (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyundai_Elantra). Don't know how good their
>> information is, but maybe their source is the same as yours ....?
>>
>> If so then this is good news for Elantra GT owners ... The ones wanting 
>> to
>> upgrade their cars in the coming 2 years or so.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Wayne
>>
>>
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>