2011 Elantra Joins 40 MPG Club, As Hyundai Aims For 50 MPG By 2025
Hyundai’s new Elantra is the latest C-Segment car to receive a 40 MPG highway EPA rating (29 MPG in the city) as it prepares to take on Ford’s 40 MPG 2012 Focus and the 42 MPG Chevy Cruze Eco. The Accent’s only engine is a 1.8 liter engine is expected to make 148 HP and 131 lb-ft of torque, meaning you won’t have to upgrade to a special engine and aero package (as in the Cruze) or a dual-clutch transmission (as apparently is the case with the 2012 Focus). It will be down on power compared to the 160 HP/146 lb-ft Focus and more power but less torque than the 138 HP/148 lb-ft Cruze Eco, but should undercut both on price. And by bringing the model-wide efficiency up rather than tweaking special models for high efficiency, Hyundai’s John Krafcik says that his firm will have no problem hitting a 50 MPG average by 2025 (though a CAFE calculation that gives the 40/29 MPG ELantra a 44 MPG average doesn’t hurt). Meanwhile, when was the last time you heard anyone even mention the Civic or Corolla? The times, they are a-changing…
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If American drivers were willing to put up with slower, less powerful cars we could see some higher MPG numbers. If we were willing to put up with lighter, decontented cars--same deal. The challenge to the engineers is keeping all of the content (weight) and power that the market demands and achieving the kind of numbers that those old CRXs and Metros could do.
I have also seen the new Elantra in-person and Michael is correct. It is much better looking in the flesh than any photos or video you might have seen. Having sat in one, I can tell you the materials, design and execution of the interior is where things really get interesting. I thought its interior was on par with the most recent generation of Sonata. For the price point, this car is going to be huge for Hyundai.
Beware of the claims that this 2011 Elantra gets 40 mpg....Hyundai must have tested it in a vacuum doing less than 60 mph. I just bought one and the best I have gotten with it is 32 mpg, not driving over 75 mph on cruise. I really like the style but the gas mileage is way short of 40 mpg. They will not take it back....I bought it because it was supposed to be so frugal on gas. My V-6 Fusion gets better gas mileage....
Just had to comment on (1st) the Honda civic , I have an 06 LX with 110,000 A/T freeway driving on the west coast I get 36-38, I set it on cruise @ about 67 mph usually about 2 mph over the posted limit, I think tickets defeat the purpose of good fuel economey. Inland like Utah/AZ/Texas I have gotten 40-44, because the gas mixture is different on the west coast. I pick up a new 2011 elantra tomorrow, that would be Feb 8th 2011. When I test drove one for about 1 mile on the freeway, that's getting on and off the freeway, I averaged 38 mpg. I will add some figures to this in a few weeks of drivng the NEW Elantra.