Hi there,

I am a first-time car buyer and I am looking for any advice that you have to give. I have narrowed down my search to include the 2011 Elantra Touring, as it is very affordable, has an excellent warranty and is overall a nice car to drive.

I have some concerns after doing more research online.
1. Many people are stating that they have issues with the seats. I have a bad back and this is a big concern for me.
2. I have heard that the visibility is poor when shoulder checking. I used to drive a 2000 mazda protege that had excellent visibility.
3. I hear that the fuel efficiency is great, another consideration for me.

The other car I am considering is the Nissan Versa, any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

For me the seats are just fine. I've made numerous trips from North Carolina to Florida and not have had any issues with my back (other then the long trip stiffness but I get that with any car seat).

I find the visibility to be pretty good. The small windows in the back help out. My car before was a Miata and that had poor visibility.

My gas mileage is good but could be better, I have a heavy foot. When my wife drives it, she gets much better mileage. I get around 24 to 25 in the city.

I looked at the Versa and to me there wasn't any comparison. The Versa looked and felt very cheaply made as compared to the Touring. Also not as many features.


I don't know if you can wait but Hyundai will be coming out with the hatchback version of the Touring and also will be selling the Veloster if you want to something a little different.

 

I traded in my 2009 Nissan Versa 5 speed for a 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring GLS Auto transmission.

We did this to accommodate our brand new firstborn We needed a dependable, roomy, family car that both me and my wife would drive. We are both sorta vertically challenged, so we did not really need an SUV or a minivan at this moment. We looked at Mazda 5, Kia Forte wagon, VW Jetta wagon. We thought ET gave us the best bang for the buck without spending a fortune on it.

What I love about ET that my Versa lacked:
1. Power windows.
2. Power door locks.
3. Anti‐lock Braking System (ABS).
4. Six airbags.
5. Generous Caro Space.
6. Legendary Warranty.
7. Remote Lock.
8. 2.0 l vs 1.6 l engine.
9. Standard A/C.
10. XM Radio.
11. Standard Cruise Control.
12. Second Row Folding Seat.
13. Lane Change Assist blinker.

The Versa was equally equipped for interior space (not cargo) and fuel economy.

The only disadvantage of ET over Versa was that it was 50% more expensive.

I would highly recommend buying ET, only if you do need the cargo space. If not, I would recommend Elantra sedan. I would have loved to have tha est. 40 mpg. Make sure you look at Amex Car Buying program prices before you go to any dealer!

 

I've got about 1500 miles on mine and love the car overall. I do find the seats rather hard and they have to be in the 'right' position for me to be comfortable. They are uncomfortable if someone happens to move the seat on me. I'm hoping they'll soften up over time.

 

I have a 2009 Elantra Touring and I'm quite pleased with it. I have driven it on several multi-hour trips and never noticed any stiffness in this car vs other cars. Additionally, despite being slightly shorter than average (5'8") I have no visibility issues with it.

It's a 5-speed manual and I appear to get better than average gas mileage with it. Details on my gas mileage here:

http://www.fuelly.com/driver/dullgeek/elantra-touring

Other ET's fuel mileage here:

http://www.fuelly.com/car/hyundai/elantra%20touring

 

I shopped in much the same market as you: Mazda3 HB, Kia Forte 5-door, Subaru Impreza. I bought an ET SE/MT for these reasons:

• Fit and finish
• Sweet, sweet stick shift
• Appearance
• Cargo Capacity
• Mileage

I have had no problem with visibility or with the seats. My only complaint is that it's a little underpowered, but I'm too old for drag racing. The Mazda, I thought, was cramped and expensive. The Kia was suspect in fit and finish. The Subaru seemed to be old technology.

I drove a Versa for a week-long vacation last month. By comparison, the Nissan is tinny, noisy, slow and far less comfortable.

 

Mj1987,

My wife and I own a 2010 ET GLS that has 30K miles on it. We have owned the car since new. It has the preferred package #1 on it, that comes with the upgraded seats.
My wife has broken her pelvis twice in her lifetime, and she drives the vehicle everyday to work for a round trip of 166 miles. She does not have any complaints with the seats, and loves the car, and wants the next car to be another ET. We both drove the car from Michigan to West Virginia and back and found no problems with the seats whatsoever.

We bought the GLS vs the SE due to the fact the SE has low profile tires and a slightly sports tuned suspension.
I read the owners reports on Edmunds townhall about the complaints that the SE owners had about the rough ride due to the SE low profile tires and the sports tuned suspension. I find the GLS meets all of our needs, and handles excellently. It makes me feel like I am 16 years old again. By the way, we have the tires inflated to 44 psi and have an excellent ride and get 33-34 mpg with the AC on, and without AC, 35-37 mpg. This is 97% highway driving due to the fact we live in the country, and not the city.

I have no visibility issues with this vehicle.

I am waiting for the 2013 model to come out so I can buy myself an ET also.

Hope this helps your decision!

 

One quick note about "shoulder checking" and visibility: The side view mirrors are huge and well-placed. I've never had a visibility problem.

 

My wife and I love our '11 Tourings. Lots of car for the money. Just shut one of the doors and hear the solid soundness of the car. I've had back surgery and don't have a problem with the seats.