Hyundai Elantra Touring better than a Mazda 3 or SAAB 9-3 Wagon!!!?? Edmunds thinks so, and so do I.

Negative on this. Edmunds must be inhaling too many fumes for saying that this piece of crap is better than the Mazda 3

I think you're sensationalizing the article.

But, I will speak to Chris about this anyhow.

Hyundai propaganda is getting out of control. People will buy the BMW 328i wagon over this on looks alone. I am tired of hearing irrelevant and blatantly biased and skewed comparisons of Hyundai products. At the end of the day, these cars are no better than the Toyotas and Hondas of the world, which is a huge leap forward from where they used to be, but people hype this brand up too much because of it.

Comparing it to the BMW is really hilarious, according to comparisons that I've read in Europe Hyundai i30 isn't better than Focus or Golf, except a price of course. I also don't understand this recent overhyping/propaganda of very average Hyundai/Kia cars, maybe responsible for this is what Clarkson described in this article:

"motoring journalism as the least honest thing you'll find in a newspaper
[...]
So now put yourselves in the shoes of the poor chap (or chapess, if you prefer). You've been flown to the Mamounia in Morocco to drive a car that you don't like very much. By all means you can go home and write that, but think of the consequences. No more foreign trips. No more shoes. No more press test cars. Just you, in your flat, with your fingernails and the bailiffs. This is not a gravy train, remember. This is the jus de veau blond aux fleurs de thym express. And there's no way in hell that anyone on board is going to pull the communication cord by writing: "This car is crap."

One of the motoring hack pack told me last year, and this wasn't some new boy on Autocar, this was Andrew English from Her Majesty's Daily Telegraph, that: "The car industry needs our help." He was livid because I'd savaged the Vauxhall Vectra again, and that, in the world of motoring journalism, is simply not done."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/jeremy_clarkson/article1124046.ece


Yes, I know that Hyundai recently have progressed but they've only progressed to a point where they are no longer a crap but accetable cars, and that's all, nothing more.

---------

And Hyundai i30 isn't hot selling in Europe like he says in article in Edmunds, Golf and Focus are hot selling in Europe:

http://www.samar.pl/__/__la/en/__ac/sec,4/new/51677/__Europes-car-market-down-25-as-every-country-suffers.html

It might be a good drive, and be very practical, but the exterior kills it for me.

They do need to refresh it already. It looks like a 2006 model rather than a 2010.

I wouldnt doubt that this car would recieve an update within the next two years. at least i hope they do.

For a breif moment, I was seriously considering that I should go and try this out, as I am always in the market for a small to mid-sized wagon. Then I read who submitted the article, and deemed all information I had digested as irrelevant.

This may be beating a dead horse considering the poster, but I would like to point out that the article does NOT compare the vehicles. It makes a one sentence statememnt that the Hyundai comes with some more features than other comparable cars. Here it is:

"Based on the hot-selling Euro-spec Hyundai i30 CW, the 2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring (that would be the code word for "wagon") has much to offer. The base price is $18,495 with a five-speed manual transmission (a four-speed automatic is an $800 option), and standard equipment includes electronic stability and traction control; four-wheel disc brakes (with ABS, brake assist and electronic brakeforce distribution); six airbags; USB/iPod auxiliary input; XM Satellite Radio; a tilt-telescoping steering wheel with audio controls and cruise control; power windows and mirrors; and more. Sheesh! Never mind the Subaru Impreza wagon or Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen; you don't even get all this on a base BMW 328i wagon for $36,000."

And the BMW 3 series reference? The ONLY thing the BMW doesn't come with out of that list as standard for a BASE model 3 wagon is XM radio. I'm pretty sure that the standard rain sense wipers, dual zone climate control, sun roof, 8 way power seats, and 230 hp engine, among others, might serve to make up for that.

It holds more than a Murano, not that big a deal considering my 2005 Toyota Matrix XR AWD holds more than most SUVs. It's a hatchback not a small SUV, they typically hold a ton of stuff. It looks too much like a Chevy Aveo to me and waay to conservative on the styling.

Also they don't really mention the power. I don't think they realize how cheap you could get a Mazdaspeed 3 nowadays and for the money I would rather tool around with almost 270hp in a 6 speed on tap.

If Mazda would only offer AWD I would trade in my Matrix.

Seems this post needs a a few corrections. Leather is not available in the US. It is offered in the rest of the world, where the car is known as the i30 CW Wagon (or 'Estate' in the UK). It is a fine front-drive wagon. It can't keep-up with a Mazda 3 or Subaru Impreza or Outback H6, but it is a far better value than the VW Rabbit/Golf 5-door and costs about the same. Designed in Germany, it even has an interior derivative of Volkswagen with its electric blue displays and little round fuel and temp gauges. But overall, it is another new benchmark for Hyundai as the Genesis and i30 are setting a new standard for quality, design, and reliability for the brand.

A lot of reviewers overlook the odd fact that the Elantra Touring has the same iron-block 2.0L engine that drives the Elantra sedan and the Tucson 2.0. Iron blocks are so early 90s. If this thing had an aluminum block, it's performance would be much closer to the Mazda 3.

Still, having look at all the other cars on my list, I went ahead and ordered the Elantra Touring...in red with the beige interior and the option package. The other cars on my list were the Ford Escape XLT, Kia Rondo, Kia Soul, Nissan Cube, and Mazda 3 Grand Touring.

Congrats. Nice looking car if I must say so myself. Saw one at a dealership last week and was quite impressed.

DH, should have gone Mazda 3 GT. Loved that car except for the fact it did not have AWD. So my choices were the Matrix (didn't like the Vibe sheet metal) or the Subie. But for me, the Subaru was overpriced for what it was in comparison.

Why is AWD so important to you?

AWD makes living in snow country easier. Even with snow tires, AWD > 2WD.

Went to Hyundai.com to price one. Where's leather and navi? It did show a $1500 rebate that will help resale. The Mazda 3 is available with leather, navi, and the Speed3 includes a 263BHP turbo that gets to 60 in about 5 1/2 seconds.

Only if you want a conventional wagon.

Interestingly , when edumunds says a Hyundai is better than a BMW, its nothing more that yellow journalism, where average products are inflated and company ego's are pandered for motoring schwag (aka the plane tickets for 5 day all expenses paid sojourn to Nice, France to check out Yet another eco mini car) .
But when a the same people say that a 3500 pound 4 door saloon is the epitome of sports driving ( BMW) the propeller heads all bob in tune . !! Yes Yes its true !!
Lol , ever since they went with "Sheer driving pleasure" tag line BMW have been on a roll . Hey ! in advertisements even Pigs can fly.. and porky sedans become lithe sports cars .

Mazda 3 Sport is nice, a bit peppier but trunk space is lacking compared to the Elantra Touring. Depends what you want the car for but if you're buying a wagon it should fit your stuff. Tried the Mazda 3, Toyota Matrix, Subaru Outback-bought the Elantra Touring.

The new Mazda 3's hood looks like a shite hearse from the side. UUGGGLLYYY!