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I'm curious about this: Hyundai did a splashy update of its Elantra sedan (with much better highway mpg) but left the Elantra Touring model (the 5-door) alone.
Think this implies that Hyundai will be dropping the touring model soon? I'm planning to go test-drive it, but if that's the vehicle I decide on, I'd be mighty PO'd if Hyundai brings out an all-new version the next year! Ya just can't win ...
(Eagerly awaiting the release of the Ford Focus 5-door, too. Any other similar vehicles I should look at? The Toyota Matrix and Honda Fit are just a tad too small cargo-carrying wise; Mazda3 5-door didn't feel right, plus it's a very noisy car; Subaru Impreza 5-door I loved for its styling and AWD, but I just can't live with the low mpg; the next size up is a crossover, but I haven't been blown away by Honda's, Nissan's or Mazda's. I wish my Civic would just keep going and going and going ... )
Money and lifecycle issues. It costs a lot to revamp every plant and all the tooling to manufacture every model all at the same time. Much easier to spread that out over a longer model lifespan.
The Elantra Touring is popular in Europe but is not a body style that does well here. I saw an industry rumor that it will be updated but rumors are often nothing more than speculation. Here is word from a company spokeperson...
'Krafcik confirmed that the new Touring will share the vast majority of its styling elements with that of the sedan, and that the two models will be better recognized as part of the same Elantra family.
No official time frame was given as to when we'll see the new Elantra Touring, but since the i30 is due for a refresh in the near term, we'd expect to see the production model crop up sometime during the 2011 calendar year.'
The Elantra Touring is actually a different vehicle, and is based on the i30/Kia Cee'd. Since it was only introduced (in the US) in 2009, they probably don't feel the need to revamp it yet, unlike the sedan which was released in 2007.
Slightly more on the pricier side, but the Audi A3 Sportback diesel might fit the bill.
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