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2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring--photos

We had admittedly low expectations for the Elantra Touring and its lack of tech, but the performance was slightly better than predicted.

Antuan Goodwin

April 14, 2009 3:29 p.m. PT

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'That horrid blue thing'

We'll admit that we had low expectations for the 2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring. After spending time with the little blue wagon, we were still disappointed by the lack of tech, but surprised by its performance.

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2-liter engine

Powering the 2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring is a peppy, but not powerful, 2-liter gasoline four-cylinder engine. Making 138 horsepower and 136 pound-feet of torque, the Elantra's performance won't blow your socks off, but it never feels out of breath.

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Four-speed automatic transmission

Shouldering part of the blame for the Elantra's relaxed performance is the archaic four-speed automatic transmission, which also hurts fuel economy. Save your $800 and get the five-speed manual, which should wake that engine up.

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Handling

The Elantra Touring makes no high performance pretenses, but within its limits, the handling is quite responsive. Pushing beyond the Elantra's limits will be met with progressive and easily correctable understeer.

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Firm suspension

The Elantra's firmly damped suspension keeps the body flat in the corners, but also transmits large bumps into the cabin. Expect lots of bouncing around over expansion joints and uneven pavement.

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A lack of options

Choosing the options on your Hyundai Elantra is simple because there almost aren't any. The interior can be trimmed in tan or black cloth. The dashboard's plastics are soft, high quality, and generally on par with the competition from Honda.

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Simple instrumentation

The simple instrument panel features a monochromatic LCD displaying fuel economy, current gear, and a trip computer.

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Single option stereo

The single option stereo features six speakers, AM/FM/XM Satellite radio, and a single-disc CD player with MP3 compatibility.

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Aux. inputs

Also standard is an 1/8-inch auxiliary input and a USB port for connecting external devices.

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iPod connection

To use an iPod with the stock system, a $30 cable that occupies both the digital and analog connections is required.

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Bluetooth handsfree

There's no GPS option on the Elantra, but Bluetooth hands-free can be added via this $325 dealer-installed roof-mounted voice controlled system. Functionality is on par with a $100 Bluetooth speakerphone. We'd skip this option and get a GPS device with built-in Bluetooth.

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