2011 Elantra Touring Adds Value And Convenience Features
Elantra Touring, one of best bargains in the industry, gets even better for 2011 by adding leather seating surfaces to the SE model and “EZ Lane Change Assist” to all trim levels.
NEW EQUIPMENT HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2011
* Standard leather seating surfaces on Elantra Touring SE
* Standard “EZ Lane Change Assist” - one touch triple turn signal stalks on all trim levels
* Standard headlight welcome function on all trim levels
* Three new colors, including Atlantic Blue, Shimmering Silver and Titanium Gray Metallic
* Available roof rails are now silver (replacing black)
* Available roof rack cross rails (port installed)
* Available rear bumper protector (port installed)
ELANTRA TOURING GLS - THE GOOD STUFF COMES STANDARD
Elantra Touring GLS adds a new feature to build on Hyundai’s reputation for offering loads of standard equipment. The headlight welcome function works when the driver presses open on the remote keyless entry illuminating the headlights. This new convenience feature is helpful at night in crowded stadium parking lots. To help notify other drivers of an upcoming lane change, Hyundai has added “EZ Lane Change Assist” (one-touch triple turn signal stalks). Slight movement of this new stalk will cause the turn signals to blink three times and then automatically go off – an ideal feature for highway passing.
Elantra Touring GLS continues to offer standard air conditioning, power windows, heated mirrors, power door locks, remote keyless entry with alarm and plenty of storage compartments including a cooled glovebox. The Elantra Touring also offers standard advanced safety technologies including Electronic Stability Control (ESC). For audiophiles, an integrated 172-watt AM/FM/XM/CD/MP3 audio system with six speakers and iPod/USB/Auxiliary inputs is standard.
The optional Popular Equipment Package on the GLS adds new silver roof rails, a telescopic steering wheel, trip computer, steering wheel mounted audio controls, eight-way driver’s seat with lumbar support, dual illuminated vanity mirrors, sliding sunvisors, seatback pockets, retractable cargo cover, illuminated ignition and premium cloth interior. Cruise control is also standard on all GLS models equipped with automatic transmissions.
ROOMY AND REFINED INTERIOR
The long wheelbase and generous width of the Elantra Touring, combined with Hyundai’s expertise in interior packaging, have produced an interior that delivers class-leading comfort, functionality and practicality. At 125.5 cubic feet, the Elantra Touring has the most interior volume (passenger volume plus cargo space) of any five-door in its class. In fact, Elantra Touring’s cargo capacity is 65.3 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down, resulting in more cargo space than other five-doors in its class.
ENGINE PERFORMANCE
Elantra Touring is powered by the same fuel-efficient 2.0-liter, in-line four-cylinder found in the Elantra sedan. This sophisticated 16-valve powerplant employs Dual Overhead Camshafts (DOHC) and Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) for a very broad power band, coupled with high fuel efficiency and low emissions. Elantra Touring is certified as an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV). With a manual transmission, the Elantra Touring’s EPA mileage is 23 mpg City and 31 mpg Highway. With the optional four-speed automatic transmission, the Elantra Touring’s EPA rating is 23 mpg City and 30 mpg Highway.
ADVANCED STANDARD SAFETY TECHNOLOGIES
Like every Hyundai, top-tier safety was a key development goal for the Elantra Touring, which is fully equipped to protect driver and passengers. In terms of passive safety, it features dual front, side and curtain airbags, for a total of six protective airbags in the vehicle. The Elantra Touring also features active front head restraints, seatbelt pretensioners and a seatbelt reminder. The combination of side and curtain airbags, which help protect the head and body during side impacts, can reduce fatalities by more than 52 percent, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Also according to the IIHS, active front head restraints improve rear crash protection.
All Elantra Tourings come standard with Electronic Stability Control (ESC), one of the industry’s most effective life-saving technologies. ESC compares the driver’s intended course with the vehicle’s actual response. It then brakes individual front or rear wheels and/or reduces engine power as needed in certain driving circumstances to help correct understeer or oversteer. National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) studies show passenger cars equipped with ESC experience 30 percent fewer fatalities in single-vehicle crashes.
In developing and refining the safety features of the Elantra Touring, Hyundai employed advanced design systems and sophisticated computer simulation, combined with intensive component testing. This is a process used in the development of all Hyundai vehicles. From drawing board and prototype testing to final product development, Hyundai uses this extensive process to assure that all its vehicles – including the Elantra Touring – meet or exceed government safety standards, as well as the expectations of vehicle buyers.
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6 Airbag Safety Tips
Practicing airbag safety in your vehicle is more than just having an airbag installed and letting it do its job. An airbag is made of a highly elastic material, which inflates at a very high speed if there is an accident. The airbag functions as a cushion, thereby protecting the inhabitants of the vehicle from collisions with hard objects and the vehicle itself. When used with seat belts, airbags help save many lives. However, because airbags deploy at very high speeds with tremendous force, they come with their own risks, which can results in serious injury and even death, if proper precautions are not observed.
Tip 1: Wear Your Seat Belt
In the absence of a seat belt, an airbag can be very dangerous. The occupants of the vehicle can be propelled forward at high speeds. When they collide with the airbag at such speeds, the results can be fatal. Some vehicles have separate lap belts and shoulder belts, both of which should be worn when traveling.
Tip 2: Seat Children under 12 in the Rear of the Vehicle
Children under the age of 12 are safest in car seats. They must also be properly and securely strapped in. a young child may not be properly secured with a seat belt, which may be loose. It is important to set up the car seats in the back of the vehicle. This is because if they are kept in the front of the vehicle, the children may be too close to the dashboard. In the event of a collision, the airbag may be deployed and can strike the children at very high force. This force can seriously injure young children.
Tip 3: Never Place a Rear-facing Infant Car Seat in the Front
A rear facing car seat must always be placed in the back seat of the vehicle. If a rear facing car seat is placed in the front and if the airbag is deployed, it can hit the car seat at a great force that can be life-threatening to a young infant. Never hold an infant in the lap while driving.
Tip 4: Sit a Safe Distance Away from the Dashboard
Whether you are a driver or a passenger in the front seat, it is important to keep a safe distance from the dashboard. Keep your seat pushed back as much as is comfortable. This will prevent the airbag landing at close proximity. It will also reduce the chances of burns from the hot gas that is used in airbags.
Tip 5: Avoid Leaning against the Side if Your Vehicle has Side Airbags
Never lean against the side of the vehicle or its window. Be aware of the airbag placement in your vehicle and ensure that all the passengers follow the same safety precautions.
Tip 6: Never Store Objects between Yourself and the Airbag
If you keep any objects between yourself and the airbag, they could be deadly in the event of a collision. When the airbag is deployed, these objects become wedged between yourself and the airbag. Thereby increasing the chances of fatal injuries.
The First Minivan
The 1936 Stout Scarab came about in the early 1930s when William B. Stout, head of the Stout Engineering Laboratories in Dearborn, Michigan, dreamed of rear-engine/rear-wheel drive. Stout created the 1936 Stout Scarab so that drivers would have better visibility. His Scarab, with its flush glass and electric door locks, bore scant resemblance to any car on Depression-era roads.
Although the Scarab looked long -- like an old Greyhound bus with postwar "bathtub" Nash overtones -- the dimensions weren't terribly startling. The 135-inch wheelbase was on the long side, but the overall length of just over 16 feet-about the same as a 1936 Pontiac-allowed only minimal overhang at each end. And the rear-mounted engine couldn't be more commonplace: an 85-bhp flathead Ford V-8 hooked to Ford's three-speed gearbox. On a 6000-mile trip, Stout's car got a creditable 18.8 mpg.
Scarab interiors were as unique as their bodies. Only the driver's seat was fixed. All the others could be moved around the big, flat floor-even positioned around a fold-down table if desired.
A Stout ad in Fortune announced that 1936 production would be "limited to 100 cars," with prices starting at $5000. Scarabs actually cost a lot more to build, however, and nearly all of them went to Stout board members, including such notables as Phillip Wrigley and Harvey Firestone.
Ahead of its time? Absolutely. Not everyone falls for the unorthodox shape, but they all take notice if a Scarab glides into view. Just a glance at that elegantly fanned rear grillework confirms that the Scarab was -- and is -- something special.
Which of these is believed to be the oldest plantation in the United States?
Monticello
Bremo
Carter's Grove
Shirley
See answer under Car Doctor.
Winter Auto Maintenance Checklist
By Matthew Wright
In addition to the added perils of winter driving, the change in weather can bring peril to your car's systems. Freezing temps, salted roads and wintery precipitation can gang up on your car if you don't give it a baseball-bat sized maintenance session. These winter maintenance jobs will keep you out of trouble.
• Check your antifreeze
Your antifreeze (the juice that goes in your radiator) is an essential part of your car's winter protection. Your car contains a 50/50 mix of water and antifreeze. Make sure the level is full and the mixture is close to 50/50. Many service stations and repair centers will check this mixture free, or you can buy a tester for around $5. You did remember to perform a radiator flush last spring, didn't you?
• Inspect your tires
The last line of defense between you and an oak tree are your tires. Winter is not the time to get cheap about your tires, so take the time to check the tread depth. The National Highway Transportation Safety Board says you need at least 2/32" of depth to be safe. It's been my experience, especially in winter weather, that anything less than 4/32" (1/8") be replaced soon. The old penny test is as reliable as anything to find out whether your treads are ready for winter action. Also, be sure to check your tire pressure. Believe it or not, they lose a little pressure when it gets cold, so pump 'em up.
• Replace your wipers
Wipers? What do your windshield wipers have to do with winter weather? Two things. First, anything falling from the sky is going to end up on your windshield, and unless you have a team of beavers riding on the hood of your car the task of clearing it falls on your wipers. Second, in areas that see snowfall in the winter, you're also driving through that soupy muck that's left on the road once the highway department does their thing. This muck includes a lot of sand and salt, both of which end up on your windshield. It takes wipers that are in top shape to keep your windshield clean and safe.
• Check your windshield washer fluid
You'll be using lots of washer fluid as you try to keep your windshield sparkly. A mile stuck behind an 18-wheeler will have your windshield looking like a Desert Humvee if you're low on washer fluid. *Tip: Don't fill your washer fluid reservoir with anything except washer fluid, it won't freeze!
Annual Maintenance Procedures
On top of the checks you need to perform to ensure safe winter driving, now's a good time to do some annual maintenance. These aren't necessarily specific to winter driving, but it's a good point on the calendar to get around to doing this stuff.
• Clean your battery posts
Starting problems are a bummer any time of year. Regularly treating your battery to a cleaning can keep electrical gremlins at bay.
• Inspect your spark plug wires
Cracked up plug wires affect performance, gas mileage and general reliability. Be sure yours are in top shape.
• Inspect your brakes
Brakes are not a good area to cut corners. Be sure your brakes have enough meat left to get you through the season.
• Check Your Engine Oil
This should go without saying and should be done at least monthly. But in case you're an amnesiac ... you should also do an oil change!
Cold weather safety should be a concern for anybody living in a cold climate. These tips will give you the upper hand when Old Man Winter tries to put a chill on your winter travels. If you're extra curious about staying generally safe in winter weather, the National Weather Service has an excellent Winter Safety & Awareness guide that covers everything from how storms brew to a list of history's billion dollar winter wonders.
Make sure that your automobile is up to date on its service schedule.
Click Here to schedule a service appointment at your nearest Hall Automotive Service Center.
The correct answer is Shirley
It was originally called Shirley Hundred and was built in the 1723. During the Civil War, Shirley served as a Union military hospital. Carter's Grove was built in 1750.
