Any opinions on the features differences and their value? Would I be able to " jazz up " a GLS and save a little money? From what I saw in my research you can only upgrade to 16" wheels on the GLS as opposed to the 17" wheels of the SE. Is that a deal breaker on the GLS? Thanks for any help offered, pizzaman.

 

be carefull when jazzing up and really compare the stuff you want and see if they are available from the dealer
You don't want to start having aftermarket heated seats or sunroof as this could end up being very pricey and problematic
I would never buy a car based on the wheels as this is the easiest and cheapest part to change
I took the fully loaded canadian model (GLS Sport) as this was the only way to get sunroof and sterring wheel controls
If not for that I would have simply took a base model and add aftermarket stereo and nice wheels.
Over here the touring has no exterior differences between trims so nobody knows if you got the expensive or base version

 

It has to be cheaper to start with an SE if yiou are looking at options

 

i got the gls sport, love the sunroof and heated seats and steering wheel controls. the 17" wheels and low profile tires look great, but living in potholeville(montreal) i look forward always to remounting my 15" winter tires and steel wheels. i have the damaged kidneys and loose fillings to prove it!!

 

Thanks to all for the helpful replies. I have been posting around various Hyundai forums and people are responding by saying that the outdated engine in the Touring is not worth it. I really do like the functionality/space of it though. But to others that engine which has been around for a few years is a deal breaker.

 

The other side to old technology means all issues have been found and fixed.
The Touring is a great city car but not an highway cruiser. Look at what type of driving your do and make your choice based on that.
For the price it cost it is very hard to find a better deal!

 

The Touring currently has the older Beta engine. It's not a horrible engine but there are better engines available now. Better parts, more power, cleaner burning, more fuel efficient. And it's not like these engines were just built either. They have been around a couple of years already.

Personally, I'd pick another car (Forte 5-door) or wait a year or two for the next generation Touring (nee i30).

 

I chose the ET SE/MT over the Forte 5-door for several reasons.

• The ET is a small wagon, as opposed to a hatchback.
• It has a lot more cargo space.
• I liked the ET's interior finish much better.
• I liked the sport shifter a lot.
• It's true that the Forte has a more advanced engine, but in reality neither one is a real burner.
• The ET was less expensive than the Forte SX, especially when leather seating was added to the SX.
• You can't get a manual transmission with the SX.
• The ET SE/MT gets better mileage than the Forte SX.
• Finally, Hyundai has a better quality and repair record than Kia.

Having said all that, I probably wouldn't buy the ET with an automatic. Too sluggish and no sport-shift option.

 

Only 5 more cubic feet.


Personaly opinion. Me, I think the Forte interior is vastly superior to the Touring.


No, but the Forte has 173-hp vs the Touring's 138-hp. HUGE difference.


Untrue. The difference is less than $500 and you get a much better engine and transnission.


True, but the Forte has a 6-speed shiftable auto compared to the Touring's 5-speed manual.


Also untrue. The Touring manual is rated 23/31 mpg; the Forte SX 6-speed auto is rated 23/32-mpg.


Also untrue. That used to be the case a few years ago. It's no longer the case.

 

Just wondering. Where does the 2012 Elantra fit in to this discussion? Obviously less cargo space, but the gas mileage has improved tremendously. We currently have an '05 GLS hatchback that serves us quite well for camping/occasional bulk item transportation. I was thinking that a roof rack would fill the void of the loss of cargo space and get a more efficient vehicle like the 2012 Elantra. Any thoughts?

Thanks for the discussion, Angelo.