What timing! Wife and I just drove one in auto-form Saturday and had the same impressions. To the point that she is ready to buy one before winter. That means a lot!
What timing! Wife and I just drove one in auto-form Saturday and had the same impressions. To the point that she is ready to buy one before winter. That means a lot!
The real question is will the aftermarket FINALLY make some go fast bits for these?
Just drove one around, an automatic base model. I have two pieces of advice. Avoid the 14 inch low friction tires at all cost. They are horrible. Avoid the auto. It slows the car down and won't allow you to rev the engine to redline.
It's easy for an enthusiast to forget that Hyundais exist. Everybody talks about the typical sporting brands when compacts are up for discussion: Ford, Mazda, Honda. The carmaker formerly known for unreliable and uninspiring automobiles has turned an about-face on almost its entire lineup. This car is incredibly competitive for the class.
Its 1.6-liter engine is direct-injected and makes 138 horsepower. We were excited to get the stickshift: Unusual for the class, it has six forward speeds. The well-equipped SE trim has redundant stereo controls on the steering wheel, satellite radio, keyless entry, Bluetooth connectivity and 16-inch alloy wheels.
This blue one arrived in our parking lot just after our Ford Fiesta STF and B-Spec project car, so we were eager to compare them. This one weighs 2469 lbs. with 3/4 tank of fuel, after removing the floor mats. We would've removed the spare tire, but it doesn't have one—just a tire repair kit.
Corner weights (in lbs.):
LF: 800 RF: 703
LR: 407 RR: 484
| Like what you read here? You can get a whole magazine full of these types of articles delivered to your home or shop 8 times a year. Subscribe now!
Visit the Grassroots Motorsports online store for back issues. |
You'll need to log in to post.
