It was odd, I thought as I walked around the two-door models in my garage last week, that both were shod in Hankook Optimo 17-inch tires.
One, the Volkswagen Beetle TDI, is German-based and built in Mexico; the other, the Hyundai Elantra Coupe, comes from Ulsan, South Korea. Hankook is a South Korean tire company, with an American division in Wayne, N.J.
That the VW and Hyundai share the same tire isn’t of great significance, nor is the fact the VW showed up in denim blue finish and the Hyundai in Atlantic blue. Reasons, I guess, to pair them in today’s column.
Aside from their distinctive exterior styles, economy is the name of the game for each, and they can be bought well-equipped in the mid-$20s. They’re front-wheel-drive models.
The Beetle for ’13 is equipped with VW’s turbocharged direct-injection diesel engine, a 140-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder boasting amazing torque (236 lbs.-ft.) and mated to a dual-clutch DSG automatic 6-speed transmission. It carries an EPA fuel-mileage rating of 29/39 miles per gallon.
An easy-running, lightly torqued 1.8-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine with 6-speed automatic transmission powers the Hyundai Elantra, which is rated at 27/37 mpg.
Contending with cold weather in single digits and the teens and snow and icy roads, the Volkswagen averaged 33.2 mpg in overall driving and the Hyundai 29.6. A tradeoff for the Beetle’s higher mileage was that I paid $3.48.9 per gallon for clean diesel fuel, while regular fuel for the Elantra was priced at $2.64.9.
The turbo boost, even after a lag at takeoff, makes the Beetle a much-better performer.
The Hyundai offers easier access into the rear seat and more legroom for those riding back there, and its sleek “fluidic sculpture” finish is a step ahead in style. The Volkswagen has an edge in cargo space, 15.4 cubic feet to 14.8, and has lower liftover height. The Hyundai has no spare tire, only an inflator device.
The Beetle was restyled a year ago with a longer hood, flattened top and longer rear slope. It is 6 inches longer and 3 inches wider than previously, a more aggressive stance.
The ’13 VW Beetle, with the diesel engine and automatic transmission, is sticker-priced at $25,460.
The Beetle’s instrument panel is functional and front seats are supportive and comfortable. Among standard items are heated leather front seating, air conditioning, Sirius satellite radio, cruise control, Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity and power mirrors.
The Hyundai Elantra Coupe SE is better-equipped for less money. With navigation, rearview camera, premium audio and automatic headlamps, it is priced at $23,965.
Included in the Elantra’s standard equipment are power sunroof, sport-tuned suspension, alloy pedals, heated leather front seats, Bluetooth hands-free phone, Sirius satellite radio, front fog lights, rear spoiler and daytime running lights.
The Elantra is a strong seller for Hyundai, second only to the Sonata. The Beetle is much slower in sales; Jetta and Passat are leaders for Volkswagen. Before the 2013 model, the Beetle last had diesel power available in 2006.
A look back
Thirty-five years ago this month, I reviewed in The Denver Post the 1978 AMC Pacer Wagon. Excerpts:
Drop a V-8 engine into an AMC Pacer wagon with bucket seats and automatic floor shift, set the FM stereo dial on 101, and you’re ready for Valley Highway driving to and from work. The V-8 engine is new to the Pacer wagon this year and its peppier performance, coupled with the car’s wide windows for excellent all-around vision, makes it a good one for travel on the busy freeway. The Pacer D/L wagon two-door, with 2,500 miles on the odometer, was provided by George Dupont of the American Motors Denver zone office. Acceleration hesitation hampered its performance the first couple of days, but a carburetor adjustment by Vic Hebert’s AMC service crew put it in top running form. The wagon isn’t an economy car, but it did produce 20.1 miles per gallon on an I-70 run east to Burlington, and tested 14 mpg for the Valley Highway and stop-and-go city driving. It’s a relatively heavy car, 3,600 pounds, and gives a good ride on a 100-inch wheelbase. A long list of optional items, including woodgrain side overlays, whitewall radial tires, power steering, door vent windows, AM/FM radio and air conditioning pushed sticker price to $7,143. Front suspension is isolated coil springs, with leaf springs in the rear. The Pacer is very wide, 77 inches, and its passenger side door is 5 inches longer than the driver’s door for easier access into the back seating area.
Saturday Drive can also be viewed online at DenverPost.com/budwells. Bud Wells can be reached via e-mail at bwells@denverpost.com.
