CNET editors' take
- Reviewed on: 04/14/2009
We'll admit that we set our expectations fairly low for the 2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring. After spending time behind the wheel of the little blue wagon, we've concluded that, on most counts, it just meets our expectations. However, in a few places the Elantra Touring managed to exceed them.
In the cabin
The Hyundai Elantra Touring's cabin tech package is rather basic and doesn't offer much in the way of upgrades.
The standard six-speaker stereo features AM/FM radio and a single-slot CD player with MP3 playback capabilities. XM Radio is standard with three months of service included. In the center console, we find a standard 1/8-inch auxiliary input and USB port for portable storage devices.
MP3 folders are navigated by twisting a dial, and songs are selected by pressing the dial's center. We were able to quickly blast through files without being too distracted from the road, but we recommend you reserve any long searches for stoplights.
Audio quality is on par with what we'd expect from a sub-$20,000 vehicle. You won't be blown away by the quality of six paper-cone speakers, but you won't be overwhelmed by distortion and rattling door panels, either. Lacking a dedicated subwoofer, the bass has a tendency to muddy the midrange, but distortion can easily be dialed out with the three-band equalizer. Highs remain clean, thanks to discrete tweeters.
Optional equipment on our Vivid Blue Elantra Touring starts with a Bluetooth hands-free kit. As it was integrated into the ceiling console, we nearly missed the dealer-installed speakerphone. Pairing a phone was easy with voice commands, but the lack of integration means drivers will have to reach up to the ceiling to answer or end calls.
An optional 30-pin iPod dock cable plugs into both the auxiliary audio input and the USB port in the center console to give the driver full access to the iPod file system through the stock headunit. Instead of browsing folders with the control knob, you now browse the iTunes hierarchy of artists, genres, albums, etc. We'd like for this to be a standard option as well, but at $30 it's a steal.
On the road
Putting power to the front wheels is a 2-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine (138 horsepower, 136 pound-feet of torque). At idle and while cruising, the engine is quite quiet and smooth. Goosing the gas pedal causes the engine to emit the high-pitched buzz that is typical of engines of this size.
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