Wednesday, August 10, 1994 â€" Automotive â€" A6 ‘9 popular ed safe dling, a body Som Elantra Rim ca changes Hyur Some two years ago we tested the Elantra on these pages. Most Pacific Rim carmakers make substantive changes every four years. Hyundai officials say the reason to give Elantra a makeover in two years was consumerâ€"driven. They have been watching demographics of their buyers and decided to move fast and upmarket the car to meet heightened buyer expectations in a down market. yundai is not letting grass H grow under its tires announcâ€" ing the 1994 version of the popular Elantra which boasts upgradâ€" ed safety features, improved hanâ€" dling, and noticeable changes to the body style. ‘94 Klantra offers modern looks, moderate price KERR CadAac. 8 SIDEKICK 4X4 JX 4 cyl., 5 spd., AM/FM stereo cass., two tops. Stk. #X4570. 12,995 As stated, there are two engines, both transversely mounted at the front and both driving the front wheels. The GL only comes with a fiveâ€"speed manual transmission and Hyundai officials saw no reason why a buyer of a GL could not purâ€" chase the more generouslyâ€"sized tires of the GLS. It may sound strange, but upgrading the wheels and tires of a base car with those of the topline model is frowned upon by some manâ€" ufacturers. And when you do look at price it makes a lot of sense. The entry level 1994 Elantra with 1.6â€"litre, 113 hp engine is about $11,850. A certain Japanese fourâ€"door sedan with the same size engine and roughly the same level of trim sells for $5,000 more. The higher trim model, the GLS, which has a 1.8â€"litre, 124 hp engine as standard will be roughly $13,600. During my time behind the wheel the work done on handling was noticeable. The stance is a tad wider but the change has been a move to gasâ€"filed shocks on the GLS. The GLS also gets 185/60HR14 tires as opposed to the 175/65R14s on the GL. While sales have been falling off for Japanese makers of compact and subâ€"compact cars due to a powerâ€" house Yen, Hyundai has been able to hold its prices in line. Their sales had been down, but not worryingly so. Some of the new models were made available to the motoring press prior to the Labor Day weekend (1994). * Rack Pinion Steering * Allâ€"season Radial Tires * 4â€"wheel Independent Suspension * Power Brakes * Reclining Front Bucket Seats * 5 Year/100,000 km Warranty * 24 Hour Roadside Assistance Purchase Price Purchase Price buy back OAC, $1,800 security deposit, first and last payment. Taxes, options, pde and lic. Vehicle not exactly as shown. i6 My tester was a GLS with all the optional goodies mentioned above as well as power locks and windows and twoâ€"way power roof. Outside there is a new radiator grille and front bumper along with new front headlamps and reposiâ€" tioned running lights. The fenders are new as are the wheel covers and bodyâ€"color side mouldings. There is a new back panel, threeâ€"dimensional badging, and two new colors called Rosebud and Twilight Pearl. Lots of interior refinements Inside a lot of work has been done on refining things like revisions to the door trim, door inside handles, centre console, door armrests, front speaker grilles, power remote winâ€" dow switch, and the list goes on. In terms of safety, the GLS comes standard with a driver‘s side airbag which is optional on the GL. The GLS also has optional antiâ€"lock brakâ€" ing. Both cars get a 60/40 split back seat standard, something customers requested. There‘s been a switch to ozoneâ€"friendly refrigerant for the dealerâ€"installed optional air condiâ€" tioning. there is an electronic fourâ€"sped autoâ€" matic with power/economy mode offered only on the GLS. My first sensation is how much $1 33** Che aff Kew .. , 45 The back seat cushion is wide enough for normal adults. This is important because a lot of buyers somehow never ride in the backseat on a test drive. If the seat is tiny to create the illusion of space. It‘s no good to find out six months later Behind the wheel, the largish greenhouse gives the interior a wideâ€" body feel which is helped by the sculptedâ€"out doors. better the 1.8â€"litre unit feels in this car as opposed to the 1.6â€"litre. The big change is 14 more ft/lbs of torque all found in the upper middle of the rev range at 4,500 rpm where they are needed most. My second impression was one of thrift. I pulled into a gas station with the gauge on empty. The attendant squeezed in as much as she could and the tab was $20 even. 1994 Hyundai Elantra e 8 n ce ie A VE Cc LIMITED TIME ONLY Purchase Price Overall, the freshening/refining for 1994 makes Elantra very contemâ€" porary in terms of looks while its moderate price certainly adds appeal especially in these times. Handling, as stated above is betâ€" ter, but it still is struts at front with a twist beam and coil springs at the back. While certainly adequate, playâ€" ing boy racer is not a wise idea. Stopping power comes for 14â€"inch ventilated discs at the front with 9â€" inch drums at the rear, again more than adequate for years of normal driâ€" ving. when no one wants to ride in the back. The trunk is deep and wide, someâ€" thing you don‘t expect from the outâ€" side. It also has a deck lid closing down to bumper height for low liftover. * High Energ* ‘Alpha" Engine * Allâ€"season Tires * 60/40 Split Fold Down Rear Seat * ETR AM/FM Stereo Cassette * 4â€"wheel Independent Suspension * 5 Year/100,000 km Warranty * 24 Hour Roadside Assistance | <â€" HAMILTON / TORONTO â€"»»| Purchase Price 16 Valve, 4 Cylinder Engine Double Overhead Cam Tilt Steering Electronic Multiâ€"port Injection ETR AM/FM Stereo Cassette 5 Year/100,000 km Warranty 24 Hour Roadside Assistance