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#5 of 7 SE vs. GLS by tmport

May 04, 2007 (4:33 am)

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• backy (May 04, 2007 6:57 am)
  • tmport (May 04, 2007 7:43 am)

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#6 of 7 Re: SE vs. GLS [tmport] by backy

May 04, 2007 (6:57 am)

Replying to: tmport (May 04, 2007 4:33 am)

Replies to this message:

• tmport (May 04, 2007 7:43 am)

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#7 of 7 Re: SE vs. GLS [backy] by tmport

May 04, 2007 (7:43 am)

Replying to: backy (May 04, 2007 6:57 am)

I've never driven a pre-2007 Elantra, mostly because I haven't bought a car since 1997. So I can't provide any comparison between the two generations, unfortunately.
 
I thought the 2007 Elantra's clutch was quite good, contrary to some reviews I've read. It was smooth to engage, and it was easy to move from a standstill and change gears at higher speeds without revving the engine. I thought the shifter was a tad notchy (compared to my old 1994 Nissan Sentra), but still fairly precise and fun.
 
By comparison, I thought the Sonata manual transmission was more difficult. The shifter had the same feel, but it was difficult to find the right engagement point on the clutch and I kept revving the engine a bit. Nothing that couldn't be handled with a little practice though, and it was still plenty fun to drive.
 
The Spectra5, finally, had the most difficult manual transmission, though it may have only been the particular car I drove. It wasn't BAD to drive, but you almost had to release the clutch all the way in order to start hitting the gas without revving the engine. Again, though, I think that's a quirk that one could easily get used to after driving the car for a few hours.
 
Problem is, I live in DC, and most of my driving will be in heavy traffic. So in the end, I'll most likely buy an automatic, no matter which car I choose. I'll be making the final decision in about 2 weeks...the finalists (heh) are the Elantra, Sonata, Spectra5, and (as a dark horse) the Focus ZX5. My sneaking suspicion is that the Elantra will win out.