RUNNING REVIEW:
2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

Can a little pipsqueak car survive the North Country environment and bring some measure of economy and environmental consciousness to the rough roads up here? It's a theory we're going to explore in this, our running review, over the next few years, as we drive our new Elantra around.

Five years ago, our vehicles began to show signs of falling prey to the vagaries of mountain roads and we found ourselves in need of at least one dependable vehicle. The obvious answer was a sturdy SUV,but we wanted better gas mileage and the budget was tight, so after some shopping we took a chance on a used Hyundai Accent. It was as cheap as they come, with only the basics, so the budget demands were satisfied; and the EPA ratings looked to save us both some money and guilt by putting less gas in the tank and less exhaust in the air. Time proved it worth the gamble.

But time has told on the little car, and we've once again found ourselves looking for a more dependable vehicle to get us around. Our budget is a bit better, so despite a few pitfalls we had experienced with our Accent, we opted to try out another model from the Hyundai lineup: a brand new Elantra GLS.

Here's the salesman, Jesse Maiolo, posing with our new ride. Jesse and the rest of the gang at Garvey Hyundai didn't spend a lot of time dickering over price or trying to talk us into every additional option under the sun. Jesse was straightforward, friendly, and professional as he went over the models available that fit our budget. After we contracted for the Elantra, he showed us the service department and explained how to go about repairs and any other help we might need down the line. During the inevitable paperwork/insurance snags he kept us informed of progress; and in no time away we drove in our new car.

We did choose a few options that are wise in the North Country. Rust-proofing was a high priority, and although we could have had it done cheaper elsewhere, going through the dealer makes it easier down the road if repairs are necessary: you don't have to chase down an independent rust-proofer's insurance agent to make or collect on a claim. We bought insurance that completely pays off a vehicle if it is totalled in an accident, so we won't have to face residual payments on a car we no longer have if that occurs. That wasn't a priority but was easily cheap enough to toss in to the cost.

Garvey Hyundai provides a 'ding' service through an independent body repair company: during the first few months, new car owners can get small dings repaired free of charge. There's a 3-ding limit, but hopefully, we won't be pushing that!

Our 1999 Accent was a truly base model: no clock, the radio's receiver was too weak to pick up any but the closest, most powerful signals, two doors, manual windows, no A/C, 5 on the floor standard transmission. The Elantra is also a 'base' model, but the radio reception is much better (and includes a CD player), and it comes with a clock, A/C, electric windows and door locks, and four doors (how did we manage to raise a family without those back doors?!). We stuck to a five-speed manual transmission; up here it's the only way to go.

So we've been driving for about a month now, and we're still happy with the deal. Our gas mileage with the Elantra is spot-on the same as the Accent, yet we're enjoying a comfortable, roomier ride. There have been no mysterious new sounds, no bad surprizes thus far. We will keep this page updated regularly and whenever repairs are needed; we'll publish our impressions of the service at Garvey Hyundai and the Elantra's dependability.